Polls & Research

Americans See Global Warming as Serious Problem

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Many adults in the United States are concerned about climate change, according to a poll by Rasmussen Reports. 47 per cent of respondents think global warming is a very serious problem, while 26 per cent deem it as somewhat serious.

In addition, 47 per cent of respondents think global warming is caused primarily by human activity, while 34 per cent believe long term planetary trends are to blame.

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."

Earlier this month, Tim Greeff, deputy legislative director of the non-partisan League of Conservation Voters (LCV), discussed the 2008 U.S. presidential election, saying, "The most exciting thing about this election season is that for the first time ever in the U.S. we’re going to have two candidates—(Republican Arizona senator John) McCain and his opponent—who believe global warming is happening. And who also believe that human beings are causing it. (...) To have their leader talk about climate change will do a tremendous amount for the awareness of the average American citizen. It will stress the need to act."

Polling Data

How serious a problem is global warming?

Very serious	47%
Somewhat serious	26%
Not very serious	16%
Not at all serious	8%
Not sure	4%

Is global warming caused primarily by human activity or by long term planetary trends?

Human activity	47%
Long term planetary trends	34%
Some other reason	8%
Not sure	11%

Source: Rasmussen Reports
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 American adults, conducted on Apr. 3 and Apr. 4, 2008. Margin of error is 3 per cent.