Canadians unhappy with PM's climate performance
A new on-line poll suggests that Canadians were not overly enthused with Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s performance last month at the climate-change summit in Copenhagen.
Just 28 per cent of the1,013 Canadian adults who were randomly selected to take part in Angus-Reid’s public-opinion forum said they were content with the leadership shown by Mr. Harper. Almost half (48 per cent) were dissatisfied.
Most (56 per cent) expressed frustration with the fact that the agreement that was finally reached is not legally binding.
The respondents were divided about the commitment to hold the increase of global temperatures below two degrees – which is not surprising since it's not readily clear what that means. (For the record, it means two degrees above pre-industrial times - and the Earth's temperature increased about 0.7 degrees over the course of the 20th century. But it is kind of a technical subject.)
Nearly half (46 per cent) said it would be a good idea to create a fund to help poor nations adapt to climate change that would eventually grow to $100-billion (U.S.). And more than half like the idea of reducing vehicle emissions by 50 per cent over 1990 levels by the year 2020.
Interestingly, the polling firm also asked whether those taking part in the survey actually believe in climate change and, if the do, whether they believe it is a man-made phenomenon.
More than half (52 per cent) said it is a fact and mostly caused by vehicles and industrial facilities, 17 per cent said it is a fact but mostly caused by natural changes, 17 per cent said it is a theory and has not been proven, and 13 per cent were not sure
It is perhaps not surprising that those in the first group express a higher degree of dissatisfaction with their Prime Minister’s performance at Copenhagen (60 per cent) than those in the second (38 per cent) and third groups (30 per cent).
The poll is expected to reflect the opinions of the entire Canadian population within a range of 3.1 percentage points.
Gloria Galloway, Globe and Mail, January 6, 2010
Just 28 per cent of the1,013 Canadian adults who were randomly selected to take part in Angus-Reid’s public-opinion forum said they were content with the leadership shown by Mr. Harper. Almost half (48 per cent) were dissatisfied.
Most (56 per cent) expressed frustration with the fact that the agreement that was finally reached is not legally binding.
The respondents were divided about the commitment to hold the increase of global temperatures below two degrees – which is not surprising since it's not readily clear what that means. (For the record, it means two degrees above pre-industrial times - and the Earth's temperature increased about 0.7 degrees over the course of the 20th century. But it is kind of a technical subject.)
Nearly half (46 per cent) said it would be a good idea to create a fund to help poor nations adapt to climate change that would eventually grow to $100-billion (U.S.). And more than half like the idea of reducing vehicle emissions by 50 per cent over 1990 levels by the year 2020.
Interestingly, the polling firm also asked whether those taking part in the survey actually believe in climate change and, if the do, whether they believe it is a man-made phenomenon.
More than half (52 per cent) said it is a fact and mostly caused by vehicles and industrial facilities, 17 per cent said it is a fact but mostly caused by natural changes, 17 per cent said it is a theory and has not been proven, and 13 per cent were not sure
It is perhaps not surprising that those in the first group express a higher degree of dissatisfaction with their Prime Minister’s performance at Copenhagen (60 per cent) than those in the second (38 per cent) and third groups (30 per cent).
The poll is expected to reflect the opinions of the entire Canadian population within a range of 3.1 percentage points.
Gloria Galloway, Globe and Mail, January 6, 2010