(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The majority of people in Australia agree with a government-proposed scheme to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to a poll by Newspoll published in The Australian. 59 per cent of respondents think the plan will help slow global warming, and 58 per cent are willing to pay more for oil, electricity and gas in order to help curb pollution.

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 polluting emissions.

On Sept. 10, after reviewing the Green Paper, the government said it will implement a "Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme." The plan will include a carbon emissions trading system that will help reduce pollution "in a responsible and flexible manner and at the lowest possible cost." The mechanism will apply to stationary energy, transport, fugitive emissions, industrial processes, and the waste and forestry sectors.

Polling Data

Thinking now about the environment, in particular, the federal government’s proposed carbon pollution reduction scheme. This aims to limit total carbon emissions by giving businesses a permit to release up to a certain amount of emissions. Do you believe the carbon pollution scheme could help slow global warming?

Under the carbon pollution reduction scheme, the price of energy sources, such as petrol, electricity and gas, may become more expensive. Would you personally be in favour or against paying more for energy sources, such as petrol, electricity and gas, if it would help to slow global warming?

Source: Newspoll / The Australian
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,202 Australian adults, conducted from Sept. 5 to Sept. 7, 2008. Margin of error is 3 per cent.

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