With the US Congress mired in climate action gridlock and Canadian action hinging on results of the debate, policy makers and politicians may increasingly seek to gauge public opinion to inform their future climate change response. Ongoing economic turmoil, particularly with elections looming, likely means that strong public support must precede any steps forward on climate policy.
So what are the polls saying?
A high-level sweep of recent polling data in Canada and the US suggests that the public in both countries may be receptive to increased action on climate change.
A June 2010 poll found that 78% of respondents want the Canadian government to be a leader in the global fight against climate change. Another produced by Léger Marketing in January 2010 found that 53% of Canadians consider human-generated greenhouse gases (GHGs) and associated climate change impacts as issues requiring urgent action, with support highest in Quebec and lowest in the Prairies.
In the US, an August Benenson Strategy Group poll found that 60% of voters want to see the government regulate GHGs. June polls by ABC News/Washington Post and by USA Today/Gallup found that 71% and 56% of voters respectively favour federal legislation to regulate GHG release.
However, polling results can vary, especially when considered in relation to other priorities.
63% of Canadians and 40% of Americans would protect the environment even at the risk of hampering economic growth. This contrasts starkly with the Pew Research Centre’s Public Priorities for 2010 poll, where “dealing with global warming” ranked near the bottom of a 21-option priority list.
However, how polls are structured can influence outcomes. A recent Stanford University survey points to the importance of how questions are framed in collecting and interpreting public opinion data. The survey highlights significantly different response to the importance of global warming depending on the question posed, with the importance of global warming rated much higher when considered over the longer term, and as a global issue rather than as a domestic one.
With ongoing economic and political uncertainty both in Canada and the US, it is expected that polls can and will continue to provide insight into public opinion. However, to truly gauge public sentiment, results will need to be examined with care.
By Eva Berton and Cheryl Johnson, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
