WASHINGTON, DC — A majority of Americans support changes to U.S. energy policy and a greenhouse gas cap-and-trade program to address climate change, in addition to standing behind federal requirements for businesses and industries to conserve energy, a new poll has found.
The results of a Washington Post-ABC News poll released Friday show wide support -- 57 percent -- for President Barack Obama’s handling of energy policy.
And although opponents of the Waxman-Markey climate change bill now making its way through Congress characterize it as a job-killer, only 15 percent of poll respondents agreed, while thirty-six percent said changes to energy policy would actually add jobs; forty-two percent don’t see energy policy changes making a difference in the jobs picture in their states.
The poll results come as Congress prepares to head back for the fall session. The House of Representatives narrowly passed Waxman-Markey in June, but the challenge looms greater in the Senate. The bill aims to reduce emissions 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020 through a greenhouse gas cap-and-trade system, with the overarching goal of curbing emissions 83 percent below 2005 levels by 2050. Funding for renewable energy, energy efficiency and carbon capture and storage are also included in the bill.
While a majority of Americans support a cap-and-trade -- 52 percent -- the support depends on how much it will raise consumers’ electricity bill. Fifty-eight percent said they would support a cap-and-trade program if it lowers greenhouse gas emissions but raises their electrical bill by $10 per month. Support drops to 39 percent if electrical bills were to rise by $25 because of a cap-and-trade program.
The wide-ranging poll surveyed 1,001 adults between Aug. 13-17 on a variety of topics, including the job performance of President Barack Obama and Congress, health care, the economy, the war in Afghanistan and the federal budget deficit.
Additional energy-related results of the survey include:
• 78 percent support federal requirements to conserve energy by businesses and industries
• 73 percent support federal requirements to conserve energy by consumers
• 85 percent support requiring car manufacturers to improve fuel-efficiency of vehicles sold in the U.S.
• 69 percent support the use of rebates to encourage people to buy more fuel-efficient cars
• 82 percent support development of electric car technology
• 91 percent support the development of more solar and wind power
• 52 percent support building more nuclear power plants
• 64 percent support more oil and gas drilling
• 52 percent support increased coal mining
• 51 percent support building more power plants that burn oil, coal or natural gas