http://news.ft.com/cms/s/2cbfab24-ed7b-11d9-ac0d-00000e2511c8.html
FT.com /
International Economy / G8 summit
US citizens back action to curb greenhouse emissions
By Scott Heiser in Washington
Published: July 5 2005 18:46 | Last updated: July 5 2005 18:46
Americans overwhelmingly support the US joining other members of the
Group of Eight leading industrialised nations in limiting greenhouse
gas emissions, according to an opinion survey.
The poll by the Program on International Policy Attitudes (Pipa), the
Washington-based research group, found that 94 per cent of
respondents said the US should make efforts to limit greenhouse gas
emissions, in line with other developed nations.
Three-quarters of respondents said that global warming was a problem
that should be addressed by world governments.
"This is a common pattern among Americans in this debate," said
Steven Kull, Pipa director. "They want the US to do its share."
Tony Blair, the UK prime minister, is hoping that this week's G8
summit will reach an agreement on global warming, with a text that
describes a broad scientific concurrence about the contributing
factors to climate change including the burning of fossil fuels. But
the statement is unlikely to commit the US to specific actions. The
US is the only G8 country that has not signed the Kyoto protocol, the
international agreement that seeks to establish international
emissions standards to address global warming.
However, the Pipa study found that 73 per cent felt the US should
"participate" in Kyoto. President George W. Bush said on Monday that
the US would not agree to any G8 statement that was similar to the
Kyoto protocol. "The Kyoto treaty would have wrecked our economy," he
said.
The Pipa poll found that there was growing confidence among Americans
on the scientific evidence supporting global warming claims, with 52
per cent saying they believed there was a scientific consensus on the
matter, up 9 points from the previous year's study.
The study also showed that 56 per cent of respondents would be
willing to incur significant economic costs to address climate
change, if there was agreement in the scientific community on global
warming.
Large majorities support tax incentives for companies and individuals
to reduce emissions, and believe these more efficient energy
consumption will make the US economy more competitive.
The survey also found that 70 per cent supported requiring cars to
use high fuel efficiency technology, such as hybrid-electric power.
The poll did not ask about the politically unpopular idea of a tax on
petrol.
More than 80 per cent said they supported legislation to require
large companies to reduce greenhouse emissions to 2000 levels by 2010
and to 1990 levels by 2020.
The poll of 812 voting age adults was carried out by the surveying
firm Knowledge Networks, in conjunction with Pipa, with a margin of
error of 3.5 per cent.
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