(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Many adults in the United States would welcome a cap-and-trade scheme to reduce global warming, according to a poll by Opinion Research Corporation released by CNN. 52 per cent of respondents support a proposal to have the government set a limit on the amount of emissions that a company could produce each year, with companies being allowed to buy credits from those who pollute less.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Many adults in the United States would welcome a cap-and-trade scheme to reduce global warming, according to a poll by Opinion Research Corporation released by CNN. 52 per cent of respondents support a proposal to have the government set a limit on the amount of emissions that a company could produce each year, with companies being allowed to buy credits from those who pollute less.
In addition, 54 per cent of respondents believe global warming is a proven fact and is mostly caused by emissions from cars and industrial facilities such as power plants and factories.
The term global warming refers to an increase of the Earth’s average temperature. Some theories say that climate change might be the result of human-generated carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. In 2007, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a report which states that global warming has been "very likely"—or 90 per cent certain—caused by humans burning fossil fuels.
In 1998, several countries agreed to the Kyoto Protocol, a proposed amendment to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The agreement commits nations to reduce their emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. The U.S. has not ratified the treaty, which is due to expire in 2012.
In October 2007, former U.S. vice-president Al Gore and the IPCC were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize "for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change."
Last year, Illinois senator Barack Obama—the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee in this year’s election—voiced support for a cap-and-trade program, saying, "The market will set the price, but unlike the other cap-and-trade proposals that have been offered in this race, no business will be allowed to emit any greenhouses gases for free. Businesses don’t own the sky, the public does, and if we want them to stop polluting it, we have to put a price on all pollution."
Polling Data
One plan to reduce global warming would have the government set a limit on the amount of those emissions that companies could produce each year. Companies that exceed that limit would face fines or higher taxes, but they could avoid those penalties by paying money to other companies that produced fewer emissions than allowed. Would you favour or oppose this proposal?
|
Favour |
52% |
|
Oppose |
45% |
|
Unsure |
3% |
Which of the following statements comes closest to your view of global warming?
|
Jun. 2008 |
Oct. 2007 |
May 2007 |
|
|
Global warming is a proven fact and is mostly caused by emissions from cars and industrial facilities such as power plants and factories |
54% |
56% |
54% |
|
Global warming is a proven fact and is mostly caused by natural changes that have nothing to do with emissions from cars and industrial facilities |
22% |
21% |
20% |
|
Global warming is a theory that has not yet been proven |
23% |
21% |
22% |
|
Unsure |
1% |
2% |
4% |
Source: Opinion Research Corporation / CNN
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,035 American adults, conducted on Jun. 4 and Jun. 5, 2008. Margin of error is 3 per cent.
