14-11-04
Canadians believe the oil and gas industry is causing the greatest damage to
the country's environment, pulling slightly ahead of other resource sector
industries such as coal, forestry and mining, a newly released government poll
shows. In a similar poll conducted two years ago, the oil and gas sector was in a
tie with the forestry sector (43 %) as being the worst offenders of the
environment. In another question, the poll found that a majority of Canadians
view the environmental damage caused by oiland gas as "unacceptable." The findings are consistent with a recent poll conducted by the federal
government that found support for the Kyoto protocol rising steadily, even in
oil-rich Alberta. Four out of five Canadians now back Kyoto. According to the federal government, about 40 % of Canada's power comes from
natural gas, 30 % from oil and 12 % from coal. The rest comes from nuclear power
and renewable resources such as hydro-electricity, wind and solar power.
Source: Ottawa CitizenCanadians think oil and gas industry is biggest polluter
Some 42 % of Canadians say oil and gas is causing "significant
damage." Negative perceptions for the industry have jumped 10 % since 1997.
The tracking poll, conducted by Environics for Natural Resources Canada, shows
the oil and gas sector pulling slightly ahead of the coal sector, which 41 %
believe is also causing significant damage to the environment. Meanwhile, the
forestry sector has dropped to third place in the negative category (36 %)
followed by mining (27 %) and hydroelectric (15 %).
With a margin of error of 2.2 %, 19 times out of 20, the poll involved telephone
interviews with 2,000 Canadians between March 29 and April 15. The poll also
found there is a declining belief in the country's oil and gas sector, along
with the coal industry, when it comes to their commitment to reducing the
environmental damage they cause. There were some regional differences in the
response. The view that oil and gas was causing a lot of damage was highest in
Quebec.
In 1997, some of the world's major industrialized countries agreed to specific
targets of greenhouse gas reductions. Opponents say the accord is pointless,
while some proponents say it isn't sufficient and additional agreements are
required to address climate change.
James Montgomery, a public opinion research co-ordinator at Natural Resources
Canada, said the department wants to continue tracking Canadians' perceptions of
each resource sector, including their beliefs about the environmental damage
they are causing. In 2002, a poll for the department picked up on a noticeable
rise in Canadians' perception that the oil and gas sector was causing
significant environmental damage.