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Global warming of global concern, poll shows
Eli Clifton | Washington, United States
15 March 2007 10:31
Climate change is of real concern in all parts of the world, but there
is disagreement over whether the problem is urgent enough to require
immediate, costly measures or whether more modest efforts will be
satisfactory, according to an international poll released on
Wednesday.
The poll, conducted by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and
WorldPublicOpinion.org in cooperation with polling organisations
around the world, was carried out in 17 countries containing more than
55% of the world population, although not all questions were asked in
all countries.
Twelve countries were asked whether steps should be taken to address
climate change.
Ninety-two percent of Australians favoured measures to combat global
warming, making it the country with the largest majority of its
population believing immediate action should be taken to reverse
climate change.
Surprisingly, China, whose environmental policies are often
criticised, and Israel were the next most inclined to favour such
measures, with 83% of their populations in favour of immediate actions
to reverse trends in global warming.
The lowest level of support for taking steps to address global warming
was found in India, with 49% of the population supporting immediate
action while 24% were opposed.
Arguments against the validity of global warming as a scientific fact
did not fare well, with fewer than one in four people in any country
endorsing the statement "Until we are sure that global warming is
really a problem, we should not take any steps that would have
economic costs."
Countries with the highest percentages favouring inaction included
India (24%), the Russian Federation (22%) and Armenia (19%). Countries
with the smallest percentages favouring inaction included Argentina
(3%) and Thailand (7%).
Important threat
In a separate question, asked in 10 countries, strong majorities in
all of the countries said climate change is an important threat, with
small minorities calling it unimportant.
The highest percentage of climate-change sceptics were in Armenia
(16%) and Israel (15%).
Majorities called climate change a "critical" issue in Mexico (70%),
Australia (69%), South Korea (67%), Iran (61%), Israel (52%) and India
(51%).
Larger numbers agreed climate change is "critical" in Armenia (47%),
China (47%) and the United States (46%), while Ukraine was the only
country split about whether the problem is "critical" (33%) or
"important but not critical" (33%).
In five of 12 countries polled, the most common view was "Global
warming is a serious and pressing problem. We should begin taking
steps now even if this involves significant costs." These included
Australia (69%), Argentina (63%), Israel (54%), the US (43%) and
Armenia (37%).
The most commonly held view in another five countries was that "The
problem of global warming should be addressed, but its effects will be
gradual, so we can deal with the problem gradually by taking steps
that are low in cost."
Proponents of the "go-slow" and "low-cost" approach included the
Philippines (49%), Thailand (41%), Poland (39%), Ukraine (37%) and
India (30%).
The polls were split between those who favoured less expensive
measures and those who believed the problem merits action involving
significant cost in China (low cost, 41%; significant cost, 42%) and
Russia (low cost, 34%; significant cost, 32%).
Equity
The poll attempted to address the issues of an equitable approach to
climate change by asking sample groups in five developing countries —
China, India, Argentina, Armenia and Thailand — "If the developed
countries are willing to provide substantial aid, do you think the
less-developed countries should make a commitment to limit their
greenhouse-gas emissions?"
In all five countries, majorities said they should, but most
significant responses were observed in China (a 79% majority), and in
India (48% agree, 29% disagree).
All five of these countries have ratified or accepted the Kyoto
Protocol to curb greenhouse-gas emissions, but are not defined as
industrialised countries under the treaty.
Their developing country status under Kyoto means they are not legally
obliged to cut emissions of carbon dioxide or other pollutants, but
could be eligible for various schemes and funds that pay developing
countries to reduce carbon emissions. Just last month, a report
released by the United Nations called attention to the rising flow of
greenhouse gases released by the economic powerhouses of India and
China.
By 2009, says the International Energy Agency, China will have
overtaken the US as the largest emitter of greenhouse gases that are
energy-related.
Aid
Three developed countries were asked the same question about providing
aid to less-developed countries to reduce emissions of greenhouse
gases. Respondents in all three showed high levels of support for such
programmes: 64% of US citizens, 84% of Poles and 72% of Ukrainians.
All three countries are considered industrialised countries under the
Kyoto accord, but the US has refused to ratify it, arguing that it
would be too costly to the US economy and that large developing
countries such as China and India are unfairly exempted.
The following countries were included in the poll: China, India, the
US, Indonesia, Russia, Thailand, Ukraine, Poland, Iran, Mexico, South
Korea, the Philippines, Australia, Argentina, Peru, Israel, Armenia
and the Palestinian territories.
An additional poll released on Thursday by the Yale University School
of Forestry and Environmental Studies reinforces the Chicago Council
on Global Affairs poll, finding that 83% of US citizens now say global
warming is a "serious" problem, up from 70% in 2004.
The recent poll data suggesting an increased awareness that global
warming requires immediate action comes on the heels of a report
released last month by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
— the leading international network of climate scientists — which
confirmed the scientific evidence behind global warming and urged
prompt action to slow and reverse the dangerous build-up of
heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere. — IPS