Americans Want Government to Regulate Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Three-quarters of Americans believe that the government should regulate greenhouse gas emissions, with a majority supporting restrictions on carbon even if they raise the price of goods and lead to higher utility bills, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll.

The poll, released on the eve of a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives on a carbon cap-and-trade bill, showed that a slim majority — 52 percent — supports that specific legislation. Sixty-two percent of those surveyed said they would support carbon regulation even if it means higher prices for goods, 56 percent expressed support if CO2 regulation leads to a $10 increase in monthly utility bills, and 44 percent said they would back a cap-and-trade program even if it means paying $25 more per month for electricity. Roughly 60 percent said the U.S. should reduce carbon emissions even if other countries do little to confront global warming.

The poll respondents were split along lines of age and income, with two-thirds of those under 30 saying they supported cap-and-trade regulations. Households earning more than $50,000 per year more strongly supported CO2 regulation than households earning less than $50,000.

This article originally appeared on Yale Environment 360 at http://e360.yale.edu

[photo credit: melancholic optimist]