In September and October of 2008 a research team from Yale and George Mason Universities conducted a nationally representative survey of 2,164 American adults. Survey participants were asked about their issue priorities for the new administration and Congress, support and opposition regarding climate change and energy policies, levels of political and consumer activism, and beliefs about the reality and risks of global warming.

Overall, the survey found that concerns about the economy dwarfed all other issues: 76 percent of Americans said that the economy was a "very high" priority. Global warming ranked 10th out of 11 national issues; nonetheless it remains a high or very high national priority for a majority of Americans. In addition, 72 percent of Americans said that the issue of global warming is important to them personally.

In line with these concerns, large majorities of Americans said that everyone - companies, political leaders at all levels of government, and individual citizens - should do more to reduce global warming. Likewise, despite the economic crisis, over 90 percent of Americans said that the United States should act to reduce global warming, even if it has economic costs. This included 34 percent who said the U.S. should make a large-scale effort,even if it has large economic costs.

Americans strongly supported unilateral action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions: 67% said the United States should reduce its emissions of greenhouse gases, regardless of what other countries do, while only 7 percent said we should act only if other industrialized and developing countries (such as China, India, and Brazil) reduce their emissions.

Read more..>>