Most Would Pay Higher Energy Bills to Address Climate Change Says Global Poll
Posted on: Sunday, 4 November 2007, 21:00 CST
WASHINGTON, Nov. 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Most people say they are ready to make personal sacrifices - including paying more for their energy - to help address climate change, according to a new BBC World Service poll of 22,000 people in 21 countries.
Substantial majorities in all countries polled (83% overall) say it will be necessary for people in their country to "make changes in their lifestyle and behaviour" to reduce the emission of climate-changing gases.
In 14 of the 21 countries, a majority (61% on average overall) say it will be necessary to increase energy costs to encourage conservation and reduce carbon emissions.
Support for increased energy taxes is conditional. Asked if they would support higher taxes on types of energy - such as oil and coal - that cause most carbon emissions, only half (50% overall) approve. But this rises to three out of four (77% overall) if the tax raised was specifically devoted to promoting energy efficiency or developing cleaner fuels. Such a tax receives majority support in all 21 countries polled.
These results hold true in the US and China, the two countries that emit the largest amounts of carbon dioxide. Urban Chinese are among those most ready to change their lifestyle (86%), to see the cost of energy go up (83%) and to pay higher taxes on coal and oil (85%).
Director of PIPA, Steven Kull said, "People around the world recognize that climate change requires that people change their behaviour. And that to provide incentives for those changes there will need to be an increase in the cost of energy that contributes to climate change."
GlobeScan President, Doug Miller said, "While few citizens welcome higher taxes, the poll suggests that national leaders could succeed in introducing a carbon tax on energy. The key requirement is that their citizens trust that the resulting tax revenues will be invested in addressing climate change by increasing energy efficiency and developing cleaner fuels."
The survey was conducted for BBC World Service by the international polling firm GlobeScan together with the Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA) between 29 May and 26 July, 2007. Questionnaire, findings and methods are available at http://www.worldpublicopinion.org/.
Program on International Policy Attitudes
CONTACT: Steven Kull of Program on International Policy Attitudes,+1-202-232-7500
Web Site: http://www.worldpublicopinion.org/
Source: PRNewswire-USNewswire
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