(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Three quarters of people in Australia think reaching a global agreement on climate change is the most important thing the country can do, according to a poll by Essential Research. 74 per cent of respondents share this point of view.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Three quarters of people in Australia think reaching a global agreement on climate change is the most important thing the country can do, according to a poll by Essential Research. 74 per cent of respondents share this point of view.
Having a bill of rights is next on the list of important issues with 63 per cent, followed by gaining a seat on the United Nations (UN) Security Council with 59 per cent, having a treaty with indigenous Australians with 56 per cent, and having a referendum on Australia becoming a republic with 41 per cent.
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.
Australia held a federal election in November 2007. Final results gave the Australian Labor Party (ALP) 85 seats in the 150-member House of Representatives. ALP leader Kevin Rudd was officially sworn in as prime minister in December, bringing an end to the 11-year tenure of Liberal leader John Howard as head of Australia’s government.
Rudd signed the Kyoto Protocol immediately after being sworn in, delivering on one of his electoral promises. In March 2008, the Kyoto Protocol came into effect. In July, the Rudd government introduced its Green Paper, a proposal to curb carbon emissions.
In September 2008, after reviewing the Green Paper, the government said it will implement a "Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme." The proposal has not yet been approved by lawmakers, but is expected to take effect in July 2010.
On Dec. 21, Rudd commented on the lack of a binding agreement at the conclusion of the Copenhagen Climate Change Summit, saying, "It’s a huge sense of frustration, which is: You push as hard as you can, you give it everything you’ve got, to produce the biggest outcome for Australia possible. (…) But what’s equally the case is just how frustrated you get when you feel that people don’t see sense" in curbing greenhouse gas emissions.
Polling Data
How important are the following issues for Australia? ("Very Important" and "Somewhat Important" listed)
|
Reaching a global agreement on climate change |
74% |
|
Having a Bill of Rights |
63% |
|
Gaining a seat on the UN Security Council |
59% |
|
Having a treaty with indigenous Australians |
56% |
|
Having a referendum on becoming a republic |
41% |
Source: Essential Research
Methodology: Online interviews with 1,113 Australian adults, conducted from Nov. 24 to Nov. 29, 2009. No margin of error was provided.
