Issue Watch
Track global public opinion on current issues.
- 2008: Race for the White House
- 2008: The U.S. Electoral College
- Abortion
- Africa
- Angela Merkel
- Death Penalty
- Economy and Globalization
- Environment
- European Union
- George W. Bush
- Global Warming
- Gordon Brown
- Hamas
- Immigration
- Iran
- Iraq War
- Kevin Rudd
- Latin America
- New Zealand Election 2008
- Nicolas Sarkozy
- North Korea
- Oil and Gas
- Same-Sex Marriage
- Silvio Berlusconi
- Stem Cell Research
- Stephen Harper
- Terrorism
- U.S. Election 2008 - The Democrats
- U.S. Election 2008 - The Republicans
- U.S. Election 2008: The Primaries
- Vladimir Putin
- Yasuo Fukuda
Angus Reid Global Monitor : Polls & Research
Canadians Rank Environmental Concerns
- Many Canadians are concerned about the state of the environment, according to a poll by McAllister Opinion Research. 35 per cent of respondents believe air quality is the most important environmental issue right now.
Global warming is second on the list with 20 per cent—up 13 points in a year—followed by water quality with 12 per cent, and nature conservation with six 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 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. Canada is one of 141 nations to have ratified the revised agreement, which came into effect in February 2005.
During his time in opposition, current prime minister and Conservative leader Stephen Harper criticized the inclusion of funds for the "fatally flawed" Kyoto Protocol in the federal budget. Harper took over as head of government in February.
In August, an Environment Canada official report criticized a public awareness campaign developed by the previous Liberal administration, called the One-Tonne Challenge, as a scheme that "was only capturing those who (were) already converted." Earlier this month, Canada's federal government cancelled a $1.3 million U.S. pledge to help developing countries reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
Polling Data
In your view, what is the most important environmental issue?
Jul. 2006 | Jul. 2005 | |
Air quality | 35% | 35% |
Global warming | 20% | 7% |
Water quality | 12% | 17% |
Nature conservation | 6% | 13% |
Source: McAllister Opinion Research
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,500 Canadian adults, conducted in July 2006. Margin of error is 2.5 per cent.