In a national survey on global warming, 62% of respondents say they believe life on earth will continue without major disruptions only if society takes immediate and drastic action to reduce global warming.
It seems that Americans see government as having the primary responsibility judging from the fact that they have yet to change their lifestyles in any meaningful way. We have yet to see a study announced that SUV sales have dropped significantly or that recycling rates have skyrocketed, or any other sign that action is happening at the grassroots level.
While the survey finds that Americans are showing increasing concern, they are still against measures that would hurt their pocketbook, notably higher gas and electricity prices. Americans are notorious for saying they’ll pay more to buy greener products in surveys – their behavior usually indicates otherwise. Still, the survey shows an uptick in concern from similar surveys a year ago – a sign we’re moving in the right direction.
According to the survey, 68% of Americans support an international treaty that commits the United States to cut CO2 emissions 90% by 2050. By comparison, the Kyoto Protocol would require the U.S. to cut emissions a measly 7% by 2012.
“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.”
In another surprising finding, 40% of respondents say a presidential candidate’s position on global warming will be extremely important (16%) or very important (24%) in their decision about whom to vote for. “With the presidential primaries and general election near,” he said, “candidates should recognize that global warming has become an important issue for the electorate.”
The survey also found that 85% support requiring automakers to increase the fuel efficiency of cars, trucks and SUVs to 35 miles per gallon, even if it means a new car would cost up to $500 more. And 82% support a requirement that electric utilities produce at least 20% of their electricity from renewable energy sources, even if it cost the average household an extra $100 a year. The majority of Americans, however, continue to oppose carbon taxes, in the form of gasoline (67%) or electricity taxes (71%), as a way to address global warming.
In addition, 50% of respondents say they are personally worried 15% 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 to 26, 2007, using telephone interviews with 1,011 adults, aged 18-plus by Yale University, Gallup and the ClearVision Institute.
Survey results are available online:
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