Global poll on energy
Posted by DavidM in Climate change | 28 October 2006
The BBC World Service commissioned a poll on energy and the environment, questionning 19,579 people in 19 countries worldwide.
The results are interesting - especially for Australia as written about on Global Warming Watch - so here is my summary.
Overall
81% of those surveyed worldwide are concerned about our energy use and it's impact on the environment. 77% believe energy shortages and prices will destabilise the world economy and 72% think energy competition will lead to greater conflict.
In terms of solutions, only 37% were in favour of energy taxes and 49% want increased nuclear power. The favourite was tax incentives to encourage alternative energy (80%), with 77% wanting car manufacturers to increase fuel efficiency.
Britain
93% of people in Britain are concerned about the impact of energy use on the environment, 84% believe energy issues will destabilise the global economy and 83% that energy problems will lead to more conflict. Tax incentives are the favoured solution (86%) followed by 74% wanting more car fuel efficiency and 62% in favour of an energy tax. Interestingly, given the government's recent pro-nuclear energy review, nuclear comes bottom of the pile with only 50% in favour.
United States
The US is nearer the average. 82% of Americans believe our energy use will impact the environment, 82% that it will destabilise the global economy but only 79% that it will lead to greater conflict - surprisingly low for the country most in the thick of those conflicts.
As with the UK, tax incentives for alternative energy is the favourite solution (85%), followed by 77% for better auto efficiency. However, 63% were in favour of the nuclear option and an energy tax was disliked the most with only 47% positive.
Canada
91% of Canadians were concerned about the environmental impact of energy use. 85% believed it would lead to destabilisation and 82% towards greater conflict. Their views were similar to those in the USA - 91% for tax incentives, 77% for auto efficiency, 52% pro-nuclear and only 47% wanting an energy tax.
The good news for Canada is that they were rated highest (60%) as oil producer "most trusted to follow through on their commitments to deliver energy to other countries". Interestingly the USA wasn't one of the options.
Australia
Given the Australian government's refusal to sign up to Kyoto and general environmental belligerence, you'd be forgiven for thinking Australians didn't care about the environment. But they topped the poll in their concern for our impact on the environment at 94%.
And they are the nation most prepared to pay to make a difference with 69% in favour of an energy tax. 92% like the idea of tax invcentives to develop alternative energy and 88% want greater fuel efficiency in cars. 53% favour more nuclear power. Overall, a picture of an aware and willing nation in contradiction to their leadership.
Others
The countries least worried about the impact on the environment from our energy usage were Poland (58%), India (61%) and Russia (66%). The phillipines were most concerned about destabilisation of the world economy (95%) followed by South Korea (93%), while Russia was least worried (48%).
Regarding solutions, Australia and Britain were most in favour of green taxes which were least liked by Poland (7%), Ukraine (12%) and Brazil (13%).
Nuclear found most favour in Egypt (69%), India (66%) and kenya (66%) and least in Ukraine (24%), Russia (28%) and Poland (31%). Interestingly France - generally seen in Britain as a big supporter of nuclear power - was below average with only 38% of people in favour of increasing it.
Top countries for tax inentives for alternative energy were Italy (95%), Canada (91%) and France (91%), while at the botom were Chile (62%), Egypt (66%) and Mexico (67%).
Finally, those most in favour of improving auto efficiency were Australia (88%), Italy (85%) and Ukraine (81%). Those least in favour were Egypt (47%), Poland (48%) and the Phillipines (49%).
The key notable exception - as the nation likely to have the single biggest impact on both energy resources and the environment - was China. Otherwise, an excellent and informative survey from the BBC.
Hat tip: Global Warming Watch
