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
Most Americans Aware of Global Warming
(Angus Reid Global Scan) - Many adults in the United States acknowledge climate change, according to a poll by TNS released by Stanford University, Time and ABC News. 85 per cent of respondents think global warming is probably happening.
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. The U.S. signed the protocol but has not ratified it.
In July 2005 at the G-8 summit in Perthshire, Scotland, the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States promised to implement a "new dialogue" on climate change, deeming the issue a "serious long-term challenge" for the planet. 85 per cent of respondents believe global warming will become a serious problem for the world if no action is taken.
Polling Data
You may have heard about the idea that the world's temperature may have been going up slowly over the past 100 years. What is your personal opinion on this--do you think this has probably been happening, or do you think it probably hasn't been happening?
Has been happening | 85% |
Hasn't been happening | 13% |
No opinion | 2% |
If nothing is done to reduce global warming in the future, how serious of a problem do you think it will be for the world?
Very serious | 57% |
Somewhat serious | 28% |
Not so serious | 8% |
Not serious at all | 5% |
Source: TNS / Stanford University / Time / ABC News
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,002 American adults, conducted from Mar. 9 to Mar. 14, 2006. Margin of error is 3 per cent.
Complete Poll (PDF)Today's Global Monitor Polls & Research
- Britons Back Use of Security Cameras, DNA
- Funes Loses Ground in Salvadoran Race
- New York: Obama 57%, McCain 37%
- Missouri: McCain 50%, Obama 43%
- Alabama: McCain 51%, Obama 36%
- Slovak Social Democrats More Popular
- Uruguay’s Governing Left Gets a Boost
- Few South Africans Welcome Zimbabwe Refugees
- Spain’s Opposition Leader Gains Ground
- Half of Americans Would Drill in Alaska Refuge
Archive Search
Over 18,700 Polls
Search the Angus Reid Global Monitor Polls & Research archive.