Global warming seen as a pressing problem worldwide - poll |
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Published
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Wed, 14 Mar 2007 17:17
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WASHINGTON (AFX) - An international poll on climate change found that a majority of people in several countries, including South Korea and Mexico, but not the United States, view global warming as a critical threat.The survey conducted by The Chicago Council on Global Affairs and WorldPublicOpinion.org, in cooperation with other polling organizations, found that 46 pct of Americans believe global warming is a 'critical threat' as opposed to 39 pct who think it is an 'important but not critical threat' and 13 pct who believe it is not a critical threat at all.Majorities in Mexico (70 pct), Australia (69 pct), South Korea (67 pct), as well as Iran (61 pct) and Israel (52 pct) meanwhile said they believe global warming to be a critical threat, while in Ukraine only 33 pct feel that way.Asked whether immediate steps should be taken to address global warming, even if it involves significant costs, 43 pct of Americans agreed as opposed to 69 pct of Australians, 54 pct of Israelis and 42 pct in China.Steven Kull, editor of WorldPublicOpinion.org, said although overwhelming majorities in all countries had yet to take stock of how serious a problem global warming is, the poll findings were encouraging as they point to a widespread realization that action is needed.'Given that it's only been two decades or so that there has been discussion of this problem, the fact that we already have a global consensus that action is needed and that it is a serious threat is rather remarkable,' Kull said.'The public around the world seems, if anything, to be somewhat ahead of where governments are in terms of responding,' he added. 'What is really striking is that the public, even those not well educated on the subject, is ready to bear the cost and governments are not following.'On the findings in the US, the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases, Kull said the fact that the number of Americans willing to bear the cost of addressing the problem of global warming has steadily been rising was significant.'What is most important is that only 17 pct endorse the Bush administration's position that we shouldn't take any steps that have economic cost until we are more certain that global warming is really a problem,' Kull said.The survey was conducted in 2006 in 17 countries plus the Palestinian territories at different periods of the year. Some questions were not asked in all countries.The margin of error varies between three and four pct.The countries involved are: China, India, the United States, Indonesia, Russia, Thailand, Ukraine, Poland, Iran, Mexico, South Korea, The Philippines, Australia, Argentina, Peru, Israel, and Armenia.newsdesk@afxnews.comafp/twCOPYRIGHTCopyright AFX News Limited 2007. All rights reserved.The copying, republication or redistribution of AFX News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of AFX News.AFX News and AFX Financial News Logo are registered trademarks of AFX News Limited
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