November 16, 2007

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The vast majority of people in the United States believe climate change is a reality and want their government to act in order to curb pollution, according to a poll by Harris Interactive. 71 per cent of respondents believe the theory explaining global warming is true, and 81 per cent think the U.S.—as the world’s leading industrial country—needs to set the lead when it comes to controlling greenhouse gases.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The vast majority of people in the United States believe climate change is a reality and want their government to act in order to curb pollution, according to a poll by Harris Interactive. 71 per cent of respondents believe the theory explaining global warming is true, and 81 per cent think the U.S.—as the world’s leading industrial country—needs to set the lead when it comes to controlling greenhouse gases.

In addition, 87 per cent of respondents think countries such as India and China, which will soon become major contributors of greenhouse gases, should also be involved in efforts to curb global warming.

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. Earlier this year, 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.

On Nov. 13, the European Parliament voted in favour of a bill demanding that all airlines flying in and out of European Union (EU) member nations join the bloc’s greenhouse gas emissions trading system in 2011 and submit to strict caps on their output of such gases. The U.S. government and industry leaders have opposed the premise of this bill, which has not yet become law. U.S. ambassador to the EU Boyden Gray said recently that should the EU try and force U.S. airlines to comply with the emissions trading system, Washington would "consider" filing a lawsuit in the World Trade Organization (WTO).

German lawmaker Peter Liese—who helped steer the bill through the continental legislature—declared after the vote: "We want a worldwide system as soon as possible. (...) There must be an end to the status quo that nothing is done in the aviation sector and which has predominated for many years now."

Polling Data

Do you believe the theory that increased carbon dioxide and other gases released into the atmosphere will, if unchecked, lead to global warming and an increase in average temperatures?

	2007	2002	1997
Believe	71%	74%	67%
Do not believe	23%	19%	21%
Not sure / Refused	6%	7%	12%

Do you agree or disagree with the following statements?

	Agree	Disagree
Since emerging countries such as India and China will soon pass the United States as the largest contributor of greenhouse gases, what ever is done to control these gases should be undertaken by almost all industrial countries	87%	10%
As the world’s leading industrial country, the United States needs to set the lead when it comes to controlling greenhouse gases and pollution	81%	16%

Source: Harris Interactive
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,052 American adults, conducted from Oct. 16 to Oct. 23, 2007. No margin of error was provided.