After reading earlier this week that only 24 percent of Americans know what cap and trade is (and in the same day, that 88 million votes were cast in last week’s round of American Idol), I needed a little pick-me-up. Luckily, it arrived today in the form of new Pew survey numbers indicating strong public support for the essential ingredients of a national cap and trade program. Who cares if people can name the policy—they know what they want.
So, just the US House Energy and Commerce Committee was sharpening their pencils to begin marking up the American Clean Energy and Security Act (a.k.a. Waxman-Markey), Pew Environment Group numbers demonstrate overwhelming support for decisive action on clean energy jobs, energy independence and reducing the carbon pollution that causes global warming.
To gain bipartisan perspective on American public opinion, Pew commissioned national surveys by The Mellman Group, a leading Democratic firm, and Public Opinion Strategies, a leading Republican firm.
A national survey of likely 2010 general election voters conducted from March 25-29, 2009 by The Mellman Group found:
Americans want action to reduce the carbon pollution that causes global warming.
- 77 percent of voters favor action to reduce global warming emissions.
Voters say their opinions of Members of Congress will be more favorable if they support a comprehensive global warming plan.
- 50 percent of voters say they would view their Member of Congress more favorably if they support a comprehensive plan to create clean energy jobs and fight global warming, only 22 percent say they would view their Member of Congress less favorably.
Given the option, voters prefer that a polluters’ fund—an element of a legislative proposal that would require polluting companies to pay into a fund—be used for both Research and Development and to fund an energy tax credit:
- 44 percent of voters prefer proceeds from a polluters fund be divided equally between funding research and development and being returned to taxpayers in a tax cut or energy tax credit, 26 percent want to fund R and D only, 19 percent want to fund tax cut/energy tax credit only.
Even after being presented with arguments frequently used by opponents of climate change legislation including the so-called “energy tax” argument—a strong majority still supports a plan to curb global warming:
- 62 percent support a plan, 39 percent strongly with 26 percent opposing, 17 percent strongly (73 percent of Democrats, 59 percent of Independents and 52 percent of Republicans).
“Public support for action on global warming is overwhelming. Voters clearly understand that reducing the carbon pollution that causes global warming will improve our economy by creating clean energy jobs and enhance our security by reducing our dependence on foreign oil,” said Mark Mellman, President of The Mellman Group.
The Mellman Group’s findings were mirrored by Public Opinion Strategies. Public Opinion Strategies’ research which conducted two separate surveys, one, over the telephone among 800 registered voters, and the other conducted online among 1,200 adults from April 5-8.
Findings show voters believe an economy using alternative energy sources would be stronger than it is today and efforts to reduce the carbon pollution that causes global warming would help our economy and create more jobs.
Other key findings:
There is bipartisan enthusiasm for jobs that reduce our dependence on oil and jobs that improve energy efficiency.
- 74 percent of Republicans, 70 percent Independents and 74 percent Democrats believe jobs that reduce our dependence on foreign oil are “very important” for helping the economy over the next five to ten years.
- 63 percent of Republicans, 70 percent of Independents and 73 percent of Democrats believe jobs that are improving energy efficiency are “very important” to helping the economy over the next five to ten years.
Voters make the connection that efforts to combat global warming will help create jobs.
- 59 percent of voters believe efforts to tackle global warming will create new American jobs.
A solid majority believes an economy that is less dependent on oil and coal, and more dependent on alternative energy sources, will be stronger than it is today.
- 61 percent of voters believe the US economy will be stronger if we become less dependent on oil and coal, and more dependent on alternative energy sources such as solar, wind and biofuels. Only 11 percent believe it will be weaker.
“These survey results clearly demonstrate that the American public wants its leaders to move decisively in tackling global warming. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill should listen,” said Phyllis Cuttino who directs the Pew Environment Group’s US Global Warming Campaign.
larrydalooza
Yeah… and 85% of the people on the Starship Enterprise wanted to have a warm fuzzy little creature until they almost devoured the entire ship.
AntonioSosa
No INFORMED American believes in the man-made global warming scam! If they don’t know any better is because, to increase their power and wealth at our expense, Obama and his billionaire friends (Gore, Soros, Goldman Sachs, Obama’s Chicago Climate Exchange friends, GE, etc.) have been brainwashing the public with the man-made global warming scam. GE, for example, has bombarded us with daily propaganda—through its NBC networks, that includes MSNBC and CNBC—to make us swallow the scam. Why? Because they stand to make BILLIONS from the scam at our expense. Not only GE is the largest wind turbine generator maker, but it may benefit as the sole “secondary market” trader of the cap and trade credits. Those willing to destroy the economy to “prevent global warming” are behaving like primitive humanoids who believed that killing and sacrificing their own would ensure them good weather. Human beings don’t have the power to control climate! There’s NO global warming, CO2 is NOT toxic to humans, and the climate is ALWAYS changing, no matter what we do! Our main threat right now is not global warming but Obama’s global warming/cap and trade scam. Cap and Trade “would be the equivalent of an atomic bomb directed at the U.S. economy—all without any scientific justification,” says famed climatologist Dr. S. Fred Singer. It would significantly increase taxes and the cost of energy, forcing many companies to close, thus increasing unemployment, poverty and dependence.
Peter Rimbos
We all need to get serious about our many contributions to climate change. I am tired of hearing that addressing climate change will hurt the economy. The reality is that not addressing climate change will drastically affect our economy, our quality of life, and the future of coming generations.There is no free lunch! We either pay some now to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions or pay infinitely more later with no guarantee we will be able to solve the problem. Yes, energy costs will go up initially—mainly because they have been artificially kept low as their real costs (pollution health impacts, protection of foreign oil sources, etc.) have been primarily externalized. But that initial bump always happens as we transition to a new technology plateau—which is what we need to do when it comes to boldly moving on to renewable energy, efficient transportation systems, and green products. Addressing climate change is critically important to our future and the futures of succeeding generations.