Powepoint Presentation of "Energy And Climate Change Policy: A Survey among American Voters."

8/14/2019 Powepoint Presentation of "Energy And Climate Change Policy: A Survey among American Voters."

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HART

RESEARCHA S S O T E SC I A

Energy And Climate

Change PolicyA Survey among American Voters

Conducted September 2009 for


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2 Voters on Energy & Climate Change Policy September 2009 Hart Research for

Methodology

u Telephone survey among 1,002 registered voters

u Survey dates August 24 31, 2009

u Margin of error = 3.0 percentage points overall


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Voters See Need For Significant

Changes To U.S. Energy PolicyAssessment of Americas Energy Policy

47%

4%4% 19%

26%

Need completeoverhaul

66%

SIGNIFICANT

REFORM

Need majorreform

Need minorreform

No need

for change

Notsure

Majorities Across Partyand Region Agree

Democrats

Independent

Republicans

Northeast

SouthMidwest

West

Completeoverhaul/major reform

76%

62%

55%

74%

66%54%

71%


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7%

10%

12%

12%

14%

20%

24%Development/use of

renewables/alternativesMinimize new govern-

ment bureaucracy

Minimize negative impacton jobs/job creation

Minimize any new taxes

Promote new greenenergy jobs

Reduce carbon emissionslinked with climate change

Minimize costs toconsumers/electric rates

Voters Priorities for Energy Reform

Second highest priorityHighest priority

41%

32%

28%

What should be Congress priorities for an energy proposal to reducecarbon emissions and increase use of alternative & renewable sources?

30%

26%

21%

19%

50% Dem

30% GOP

13% Dem55% GOP


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Strong Support For Reducing Carbon

Emissions/Expanding RenewablesWould you favor or oppose an energy proposal to significantlyreduce carbon emissions that contribute to climate change andincrease the use of alternative and renewable energy sources?

25%

12%

6%

49%

8%

Stronglyfavor

74%

FAVOR

Not

sure

Somewhatfavor

Somewhatoppose

Stronglyoppose

Majorities Across Partyand Region Agree

Democrats

Independent

Republicans

NortheastSouth

Midwest

West

Strongly/somewhat

favor

91%

67%

59%

82%71%

72%

74%


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Voters Current (Unaided) View of

Cap and TradeKnowledge of Cap and Trade

A lot/fairamount

A lot9%

Very little/not heard of

24%

Attitude toward Cap and Trade

Justsome

Have notheard of

35%14%

61%

Positive Neutral/not sure

Negative

Verynegative

19%

DK name/not sure

27%

13%

Very 2%

29%

58%


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Voters Informed Reaction To

Cap And TradeThe plan sets an overall limit or "cap"on the amount of carbon dioxideemissions that U.S. companies couldproduce with higher limits phased inover time. For example, one specificcap and trade proposal would reduce

carbon emissions 17% by the year2020 and 80% by the year 2050.

The federal government would auctionor issue permits that allow companiesto emit carbon dioxide up to theamount set by the cap. Companiesthat produce or emit less than their

allowance could sell or trade theirunused emissions permits to com-panies that go over their allowance.The idea would be to create a market-based system that allows companiesto decide how best to deal with the capset on their carbon emissions.

32%

30%

8% 14%

16%

Stronglyfavor

46%

FAVOR

Notsure

Somewhatfavor

Somewhatoppose

Stronglyoppose

46%

OPPOSE


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Voters Informed Reaction To

Carbon Tax

This plan would put a tax on carbonemissions so that the cost of carbonpollution is reflected in the price ofenergy. While there would not be aspecific cap or limit on carbonemissions, the tax would be set at alevel so that it acts as an incentive forcompanies to reduce their carbonemissions, improve the efficiency offossil fuel use, and also develop newtechnologies and alternative energies.

A carbon tax approach also would

create incentives for consumers to useenergy more efficiently. Individualsand households would receive taxrefunds to offset the impact of thecarbon tax.

31%

23%

6%

26%

14%

Stronglyfavor

57%

FAVOR

Notsure

Somewhatfavor

Somewhatoppose

Stronglyoppose

37%

OPPOSE


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Voters Support Carbon Tax Over

Cap & Trade By Strong Margin

36%

7%

15% 22%

20%

Carbon taxfavor strongly

58%

CARBON

TAX

Neither/not sure (2%)

27%

CAP &

TRADE

Preferred Approach for Reducing Carbon Emissions

Carbon taxnot strongly

Cap & tradenot strongly

Cap & tradefavor strongly

Carbon Tax supportersare also more committedin their view: 38% ofcarbon tax supporters

describe their support asstrong; 26% of cap &trade supporters say thesame.


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Perceived Benefits Of Cap & Trade

Over Carbon Tax% saying each is very/fairly convincing argument for cap & trade approach

Recession/high unemployment make this the wrong time to pass new,across-the-board tax on businesses and consumers (40% very convincing)

Carbon tax requires all U.S. companies pay same tax, no flexibility for

impact on local/regional companies; cap & trade has permit flexibility (21%)

Cap & trade model used successfully in U.S. in 1990s to limit sulfurdioxide emissions and dramatically reduce acid rain levels (22%)

Cap & trade sets clear limit on carbon emissions, specific benchmarks &timetables; carbon tax doesnt guarantee companies will reduce emis-sions rather than pay tax, so environmental impact much less certain (18%)

Carbon tax triggers immediate cost increase to businesses/households;have to be paid before any rebates or refunds provided (21%)

Bipartisan support for cap & trade, so more likely to pass; President, Sen-ator McCain, key Dem & GOP Congressional leaders support (18%)

55%

44%

42%

40%

36%

36%


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Perceived Benefits Of Carbon Tax

Over Cap & Trade% saying each is very/fairly convincing argument for carbon tax approach

Simple market-based incentive for business; cap & trade has no directincentive to change behavior, big polluters can buy out (35% very convincing)

Simple, transparent, implement quickly, little bureaucracy/admin costs; cap& trade is complex, vast bureaucracy, vulnerable to special interests (34%)

Cap & trade sets new standards over long time for business/individuals toreact, not effective with urgency of problem; EU cap & trade since 2005, sofar not lower carbon emissions (31%)

Cap & trade creates commodities market for emissions, Wall Street bankscontrol trading/pricing, mismanagement/price instability; carbon tax steady,preset, transparent tax, promotes stable/predictable prices (30%)

Carbon tax has steady revenue stream, built-in funding for important

rebates/tax credits to business/households, alternatives/renewables (24%)Carbon tax has no impact on US GDP over 20 years, minimal impact onjobs/inflation; cap & trade cuts GDP $350B over 20 yrs, 2.5M jobs (25%)

Both raise energy costs, but carbon tax is rebated to consumer withoutminimizing enviro benefits/promotion of renewables; cap & trade sacri-fices enviro benefits to reduce economic impact (22%)

56%

53%

52%

49%

46%

43%

42%


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Best Approach For U.S. Economy

Carbon Tax supporters: Unlikecap & trade that will create rapidchanges and uncertainty in energyprices, a carbon tax establishes a

steady, preset, transparent tax oncarbon emissions, which promotesstable and predictable prices thatare better for American businessesand consumers.Cap & Trade supporters: It isflexible, allows companies to de-cide for themselves how to dealwith limits on their carbon emis-

sions, and can be adapted to takeinto account the impact of theemissions cap on certain industriesand regions. Especially in themiddle of a prolonged recession, acarbon tax approach of imposing anew, preset tax on business is abad idea.

31%

10%

16% 22%

21%

53%

CARBON

TAX

31%

CAP &

TRADE

With which argument do you agree more?

Carbon taxstrongly agree


Cap & tradestrongly agree

Carbon taxsomewhat agree

Cap & tradesomewhat agree


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Best Approach For Reducing Carbon

Emissions/Protecting Environment

Carbon Tax supporters: This issimple, straightforward, and easyto administer without the loopholesthat will make a cap and trade

approach ineffective.

Cap & Trade supporters: Thissets a specific limit on overallcarbon emissions while establish-ing specific benchmarks andtimetables that can be adapted toscientific evidence, while a carbon

tax does not actually force orguarantee that companies willreduce their carbon emissions.

29%

13%

14% 23%

21%

52%

CARBON

TAX

34%

CAP &

TRADE

With which argument do you agree more?

Carbon taxstrongly agree


Cap & tradestrongly agree

Carbon taxsomewhat agree

Cap & tradesomewhat agree


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9%

6%

11%

15%

22%

26%

15%

26%

28%

43%Scientists

Wind power industry

Environmental leaders

Leading economists

Barack Obama

Al Gore

Coal industry

Oil industry

Members of Congress

Major corporations

Credible Messengers

Fair amount of considerationGreat deal of consideration

71%

51%

How much consideration would you give to the views of this person/group in deciding between carbon tax and cap & trade approach?

50%

47%

46%

39%

34%

24%

24%

22%

Documents

Powepoint Presentation of "Energy And Climate Change Policy: A Survey among American Voters."