Survey Shows Public Support for Government Action on Global Warming

On June 10, Stanford professor Jon Krosnick released the results of his latest poll at a briefing for Congressional staff on Capitol Hill. Among the findings of the survey, conducted June 1-7, 2010, are:

• 74 percent of respondents thought that earth’s temperature probably had been heating up over the last 100 years, and 75 percent said that human behavior was responsible for that warming.
• 86 percent said they wanted the federal government to limit the amount of air pollution that businesses emit; 76 percent favored limiting greenhouse gas emissions (the pollutants that cause global warming) specifically.
• 14 percent said the United States should not take action to combat global warming unless other major industrial countries like China and India do so as well.

Dr. Krosnick also addressed recent headlines stating that public concern over global warming has waned. His analysis of other polls found that the wording of some questions were complex and difficult to understand. Surveys that use simple and direct questions have shown a strong belief in human-caused global warming.

These indicators of public support for government action come as the U.S. Senate considers various pieces of legislation to limit greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and invest in clean energy.

• The American Clean Energy and Leadership Act , passed by the Senate energy committee last summer, would improve energy efficiency in buildings and manufacturing, require 15 percent of electricity to come from renewable resources by 2021, and create a clean energy investment fund, among other provisions.
• Sens. John Kerry (D-MA) and Joe Lieberman (I-CT) have drafted the American Power Act to reduce GHG emissions 17 percent (compared to 2005 levels) by 2020 and 83 percent by 2050 through a cap and trade system that requires certain businesses to pay for the right to pollute.
• Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Susan Collins (R-ME) have introduced the Carbon Limits and Energy for American Renewal Act to reduce GHG emissions by similar amounts through a “cap and refund” mechanism that would return 75 percent of emission allowance revenue to consumers from the onset of the program.
• Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN) sponsored the Practical Energy and Climate Plan along with Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) to reduce GHG emissions 20 percent and cut foreign oil dependence by nearly 40 percent by 2030.
• Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) has drafted a plan to eliminate 96 percent of oil imports by 2030 by increasing building and transportation efficiency standards and developing alternative fuels.

In the coming weeks, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) will work to develop a comprehensive legislative package and secure the 60 votes needed to pass the final bill.