Majority of Americans Want Action on Climate to Rebuild U.S. Economy, Poll Finds

A majority of Americans say that given the current economic crisis, now is the time to address climate change because investing in clean energy will create millions of new jobs and rebuild the economy, according to the results of a post-election poll.

The survey, conducted by Democratic pollster Douglas E. Schoen and released by the Environmental Defense Fund, also found that two-thirds of Americans think investments in economic stimulus should be funded with revenue from large companies paying for the global warming pollution they emit, rather than tax hikes or more borrowing that increases the national debt.

The national survey was conducted on the evening of November 4th. Its goal was to measure public support for climate change legislation amid a time of economic recession and in anticipation of a new President and Congress.

Key findings include:
 
-  Fifty-eight percent of respondents said investments in new, clean energy could create millions of new jobs, so now is the time to address climate change.
 
-  Sixty-six percent said that Congress should fund economic stimulus with revenue generated from large companies that pay for the global warming pollution they create, rather than new taxes or more borrowing.
 
-  Over three-quarters said it is important to address the problem of global warming, and half of the sample says that the issues of oil addiction and economic problems need to be addressed together.

The poll, conducted by telephone with a random sample of the American population, asked voters about the election, as well as a specific series of questions about environmental issues, climate change, and some of the tradeoffs facing the new administration. The margin of error for this poll is +/- 3.5 percent.

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