World Aware of Global Warming Threat
Source: Copyright 2006, Angus Reid
Date: April 30, 2006
Many adults in 30 countries express concern about climate change,
according to a poll by the Program on International Policy Attitudes.
65 per cent of respondents think global warming is a very serious
problem, while 25 per cent call it somewhat serious.
The term global warming refers to an increase of the Earth’s average
temperature. Some theories say that climate change might be the result
of human-generated carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.
In 1998, several countries agreed to the Kyoto Protocol, a proposed
amendment to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC). The agreement commits nations to reduce their emissions of
carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. At least 141 countries have
ratified the revised agreement, which came into effect in February
2005.
In July 2005 at the G-8 summit in Perthshire, Scotland, the leaders of
Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United
States promised to implement a "new dialogue" on climate change,
deeming the issue a "serious long-term challenge" for the planet.
Only in three of the 30 countries surveyed—the United States, South
Africa and Kenya—did fewer than 80 per cent of respondents consider
global warming as a very or somewhat serious problem.
Polling Data
How serious a problem do you consider climate change or global
warming, due to the Greenhouse Effect, to be?
2006
2003
Very serious
65%
49%
Somewhat serious
25%
33%
Not very serious
3%
11%
Not at all serious
2%
3%
Source: Program on International Policy Attitudes
Methodology: Interviews with 33,237 people in 30 countries, conducted
from October 2005 to January 2006. Margin of error is 3 per cent.
For Additional Information:
(may become dated as article ages)
The full report: http://www.angus-reid.com/admin/collateral/pdfs/polls/WPO_GlobalWarming.pdf