Americans Want Climate Change Leadership ... Or Do They?
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 10. 3.07
Oh lookie here, another poll: A Yale University survey found that 40 percent of Americans say that a presidential candidate's position on climate change will strongly influence how they vote.
One of the most surprising findings was the growing sense of urgency,” said Anthony Leiserowitz, director of the Yale Project on Climate Change and the study’s principal investigator. “Nearly half of Americans now believe that global warming is either already having dangerous impacts on people around the world or will in the next 10 years—a 20-percentage-point increase since 2004. These results indicate a sea change in public opinion.”
Although if you look at it another way, 60 percent of Americans still don't give a rodent's posterior about whether climate change is on the next president's agenda. What that spells for the country (and the rest of the world) is too horrible to contemplate.
The survey’s findings include:
- Sixty-two percent of respondents believe that life on earth will continue without major disruptions only if society takes immediate and drastic action to reduce global warming.
- Sixty-eight percent of Americans support a new international treaty requiring the United States to cut its emissions of carbon dioxide 90 percent by the year 2050. Yet, Leiserowitz notes, the United States has yet to sign the Kyoto Protocol, an international treaty that would require the United States to cut its emissions 7 percent by the year 2012.
- A surprising 40 percent of respondents say a presidential candidate’s position on global warming will be either extremely important (16 percent) or very important (24 percent) when casting their ballots. “With the presidential primaries and general election near,” Leiserowitz said, “candidates should recognize that global warming has become an important issue for the electorate.”
- Eight-five percent of those polled support requiring automakers to increase the fuel efficiency of cars, trucks and SUVs to 35 miles per gallon, even if it meant a new car would cost up to $500 more; and 82 percent support requiring electric utilities to produce at least 20 percent of their electricity from renewable energy sources, even if it cost the average household an extra $100 a year.
- Majorities of Americans, however, continue to oppose carbon taxes as a way to address global warming—either in the form of gasoline (67 percent against) or electricity taxes (71 percent against).
- Finally, 50 percent of respondents say they are personally worried—15 percent say a “great deal”—about global warming. “Many Americans, however, believe that global warming is a very serious threat to other species, people and places far away,” said Leiserowitz, “but not so serious of a threat to themselves, their own families or local communities. Nonetheless, they do strongly support a number of national and international policies to address this problem.”
The survey was conducted July 23-26, 2007, using telephone interviews with 1,011 adults, aged 18-plus. ::Yale University
[Via THe Blue Marble]
I respect Hillary's views on 'smart' buildings and her belief that eco-friendly actions need not be inconsistent with economic growth. Clinton '08
If you believe that CO2 is a major agent of climate change, then it just makes sense to go after the biggest sources of CO2 first -- doesn't it?
Until the coal-mine fires in Asia are extinguished, no amount of US tree-hugging will make enough difference to notice.
Well, sounds like nothing has changed in 7 years. Half of Americans are still in the dark.
I've noticed a lack of news surrounding the presidential candidates' views on environmental issues. I'm not sure if that is just my news sources, but it seems like the issue is not currently an election priority. I'm wondering if this is out of fear that being too green would lose some of the crossover republican vote.
I also think, like a corporation, many politicians are green for the PR. They may talk about doing the right thing, but it doesn't seem to come from the heart. Furthermore, relying on our government to save the day is the same as doing nothing. So whether our votes bring about national policy change or not, our dollars continue to vote every time we use them.