Americans’ Shifting Views on Energy Issues
The share of Republicans who say the country should prioritize oil, coal and natural gas over wind and solar power has doubled to 71% over the last six years.
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Climate, Energy & Environment
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Japanese Wary of Nuclear Energy
Seven-in-ten Japanese say their country should reduce its reliance on nuclear energy. Skepticism about nuclear power is coupled with widespread dissatisfaction with the government’s performance: eight-in-ten say the government has done a poor job dealing with the Fukushima crisis and six-in-ten disapprove of how Tokyo has handled the overall recovery from the earthquake and tsunami.
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Public Sees Gas Prices Down A Little Across Much of Nation
About half of Americans say the price of gasoline has gone down over the past month. But West Coast residents are much more likely to see gasoline prices going up, which is consistent with a rise in prices at the pump in that part of the country. In total, 51% of the public says that […]
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As Gas Prices Pinch, Support for Oil and Gas Production Grows
Overview At a time of rising gas prices, the public’s energy priorities have changed. More Americans continue to view the development of alternative energy sources as a higher priority than the increased production of oil, coal and natural gas, but the gap has narrowed considerably over the past year. Moreover, support for allowing more offshore […]
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Public Spreads Blame for Rising Gas Prices
The public spreads the blame for the recent rise in gasoline prices. While 18% say President Obama or his administration are most to blame, about as many (14%) volunteer the oil companies or domestic oil producers. Roughly one-in-ten (11%) mostly blame Iran, the upheaval in the Middle East or the threat of war in the […]
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Modest Rise in Number Saying There Is ‘Solid Evidence’ of Global Warming
Overview The percentage of Americans who say there is solid evidence of global warming has increased modestly over the past two years. Currently, 63% say there is solid evidence that the earth’s average temperature has been getting warmer over the past few decades. In October 2009, 57% expressed this view. The number saying global warming […]
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Modest Rise in Number Saying There Is “Solid Evidence” of Global Warming
There has been a modest increase over the past two years in the percentage of Americans who say there is solid evidence of global warming, although substantially fewer Americans say there is solid evidence of global warming than did so from 2006 to 2008.
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Partisan Divide Over Alternative Energy Widens
Overview Public support for increased federal funding on research into alternative energy technology, including solar technology, has decreased substantially since the early months of the Obama administration, with nearly all the decline coming from Republicans and Republican-leaning independents. Overall, 68% of the public favors increasing federal funding for research on wind, solar and hydrogen energy […]
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Partisan Divide Over Alternative Energy Widens
Public support for increased federal funding on research into alternative energy technology, including solar technology, has decreased substantially since the early months of the Obama administration, with nearly all the decline coming from Republicans and Republican-leaning independents.
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Why Are Gas Prices Rising? A Mix of Reasons
As gas prices soar, many Americans pin the blame on greed or a push for higher profits among oil companies, speculators and oil-producing nations. About three-in-ten (31%) offer a variation on this theme – greed, oil companies or speculation – when asked what they think is the main reason gasoline prices have gone up recently, […]