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Polls Show Voters Around the Country Strongly Support Measures to Reduce Global Warming
Voters in moderate districts identify global warming as number one environmental problem
WASHINGTON (July 16, 2007) – New polling research released this morning by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) shows that a majority of voters in key congressional districts identify global warming as the number one environmental problem today and favor immediate measures to reduce global warming pollution.
“Voters in Blue Dog and moderate districts feel strongly about the urgency of solving global warming,” said David Tuft, Campaign Director, NRDC's Climate Center. “They support immediate reductions of global warming pollution and strongly favor mandatory pollution limits on power plants, industry and refineries.”
Combined findings from six moderate and conservative Democratic congressional districts found that seven out of ten voters agree that global warming is serious, and given a choice, 73 percent would start reducing global warming pollution now. By contrast, only 19 percent of voters said they would wait until cleaner technologies are available. In keeping with the call to action on global warming, a significant 63 percent of voters support placing mandatory limits on emissions from power plants through a cap and trade proposal.
The poll also asked voters about other ways to reduce global warming pollution. At the top of the list in every district was requiring appliance manufacturers to make more energy-efficient products and providing the public with incentives to invest in solar energy and better insulation. Eighty seven percent of voters in all districts also favor increasing fuel efficiency standards to 35 miles per gallon within a decade.
The districts polled were:
- Pennsylvania 14th Congressional District (Pittsburgh)
- Georgia 12th Congressional District (Savannah)
- Arkansas 4th Congressional District (Southern Arkansas, Pine Bluff, El Dorado)
- Louisiana 3rd Congressional District (Gulf Coast)
- Texas 29th Congressional District (Houston)
- Utah 2nd Congressional District (Salt Lake City, South and Eastern Utah)
The U.S. Representatives of these districts serve on the House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee, which will be considering legislation to reduce global warming emissions in the fall.
For more information about the combined survey results and the district-specific key findings, visit the NRDC website. The complete survey is available upon request.
The Natural Resources Defense Council is a national, nonprofit organization of scientists, lawyers and environmental specialists dedicated to protecting public health and the environment. Founded in 1970, NRDC has 1.2 million members and online activists, served from offices in New York, Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Beijing.
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