Poll Reveals American Support for Limiting Greenhouse Gas Emissions

July 5, 2005 - Just one day prior to the convention of the 2005 G8 Summit, the Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA) at the University of Maryland released results of a survey revealing overwhelming, bipartisan support for the United States to join other G8 countries in limiting its emissions of greenhouse gases - those gases thought to contribute to global temperature rise and climate change. PIPA also found strong American support for the McCain-Lieberman version of the Climate Stewardship Act and U.S. participation in the Kyoto Treaty, two pieces of legislation whose goal is to limit emissions.

Key Findings:

• 86% of Americans think that President Bush should be willing to limit U.S. emissions of greenhouse gases if the other G8 leaders pledge to do the same. Nearly half (43%) think the U.S. should do more than the average of the other G8 countries' efforts.

• Support for action against global warming is very much bipartisan. 81% of Republicans and 89% of Democrats support the United States joining other G8 countries in combating climate change.

• 8 out of every 10 respondents support the goals of the McCain-Lieberman amendment to the Climate Stewardship Act, a bill that proposes limiting U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. Again, support is bipartisan, with 88% of Democrat and 80% of Republican respondents favoring the amendment. Two-thirds say they would favor passage of the act even if it cost households $15/month to support.
   

• 73% of Americans favor U.S. participation in the recently enacted Kyoto Treaty to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This position is supported by the July 2004 Chicago Council on Foreign Relations poll in which 71% of respondents supported the U.S. joining the international agreement.

These findings demonstrate tremendously strong American support for President Bush to join other G8 leaders in reducing our greenhouse gas emissions. Working together with our global neighbors, the United States can protect humanity against the risk of major climate change and preserve the quality of human life.
+Click here to read the official PIPA report

Updated July 8, 2005