Most U.S. voters think it is at least somewhat important for Congress to pass major energy legislation aimed at reducing global warming this year - as long as it doesn’t cost them more in taxes and raise their utility bills.
Fifty-nine percent (59%) of Americans now believe there is a significant disagreement within the scientific community over global warming, up seven points from early December just after the so-called “Climategate” scandal involving doctored or deliberately undisclosed scientific evidence first broke.
Voters continue to show less worry about global warming.
Most Americans see a need for major lifestyle cutbacks to help the environment, but even more don’t think that's likely to happen.
The majority of U.S. voters continue to believe global warming is a serious problem, but the number who considers it very serious is at its lowest level in over a year.
President Obama this week announced an $8.3-billion government loan guarantee to build the first new nuclear plant in this country in over a quarter of a century.
Questions continue to mount over the science behind years of studies that say humans are chiefly to blame for global warming. But reflecting a trend that has been going on for more than a year, just 35% of U.S. voters now believe global warming is caused primarily by human activity.
Sixty-three percent (63%) of U.S. voters say finding new sources of energy is more important than reducing the amount of energy Americans now consume.
Public skepticism about the officially promoted cause of global warming has reached an all-time high among Americans.
Americans remain evenly divided over how urgent it is to deal with global warming.
The Environmental Protection Agency on Monday declared carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions a danger to public health and said it will regulate them accordingly.
Most Americans (52%) believe that there continues to be significant disagreement within the scientific community over global warming.
Nearly half the nation’s voters still believe that global warming is caused primarily by long term planetary trends, not human activity
With Congress considering climate change legislation that many say will have a major impact on the U.S. economy, voters for the first time this year are almost evenly divided when asked if there is a conflict between economic growth and environmental protection.
Americans continue to send mixed signals about the dangers of climate change, but 47% reject the idea that they are selfish putting economic concerns ahead of the fight against global warming.
Forty-seven percent (47%) of U.S. voters say global warming is caused by long-term planetary trends rather than human activity.
Since the flurry of activity surrounding its passage by the House in late June, little has been heard about the historic climate change bill aimed at curbing global warming. But the Senate will be tackling the controversial measure when it returns to Washington next week.
Thirty-nine percent (39%) of Americans favor a “cash for clunkers”-like government program to give cash rebates to people who buy new, energy-efficient appliances, but 49% think it’s a bad idea, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.
Fifty-six percent (56%) of Americans say they are not willing to pay more in taxes and utility costs to generate cleaner energy and fight global warming.
