2Sustain

A new poll from the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press offers some very interesting insights about public attitudes regarding setting limits on carbon emissions. While you might think that the down economy is turning people away from thinking green, this latest data suggests otherwise. In fact, of the 1,308 adults who participated in the poll earlier this month, a clear majority (59%) favors setting limits on CO2 emissions, even if that may result in higher energy prices.

Segmenting the survey data, however, shows that policy makers can anticipate a bumpy road as CO2 emission limits begin to move forward on the national agenda. For instance, there are significant differences in opinion based on political affiliation.70% of Democrats favor limiting carbon emissions even if that may mean higher energy prices. But, only 42% of Republicans and 60% of independents feel the same way.

Likewise, the poll showed differences in opinion based on education, income, place of residence, and gender.

These two tables provide a basic overview of the survey results. For a more detailed analysis, see this Pew Research Center policy update.