Would you pay higher prices to combat climate change?

A new poll shows that nearly three out of four California voters support energy policies aimed at reducing global warming emissions that lead to climate change.

That's the word from a survey sponsored by Next 10, a non-partisan, nonprofit research organization and conducted by Fairbanks, Maslin, Maulin and Associates.

Despite the weak economy, the poll found that nearly six out of 10 voters support energy policies even if they result in higher prices for them.

The results were released a few days before the California Air Resources Board is expected to release its draft plan on how to meet the goals of AB 32, the landmark global warming bill signed into law in 2006. And it was released some 20 years after a NASA scientist first warned that climate change was looming.

At least one environmental group, Environmental Defense Fund, seized on the results to give lawmakers a warning.

"Any lawmakers who supports delaying AB 32 will hear strong opposition from their constituents and is risking a backlash at the polls in November," said Derek Walker, director of the fund's California Climate Initiative.

When it came to political parties, nine out of 10 Democrats; eight of our 10 Independents and more than six out of 10 Republicans that were surveyed supported the state's package of policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

When it came to race, 86 percent of Latino voters, 86 percent of all voters of color, and 76 percent of white voters supported the proposed package.

Tags: climate change

Environment BLOG

Would you pay higher prices to combat climate change?

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