Majority
unsatisfied with the government’s response to climate change
8-in-10 think fighting climate change is
important
Toronto, July 9th – In a random sampling of public
opinion taken by The Forum Poll™ among 1812 Canadians, most respondents (TOP2: 82%)
think that fighting climate change is important, while two-thirds (65%) say
fighting climate change is very important. Another sixth (BTM2: 16%) think
fighting climate change is not important, with one in ten (10%) saying it is
not important at all. A few (1%) don’t know.
Those more likely to say fighting climate change is important (TOP2)
include those under 44 (85% of those 18 to 34 and 84% of those 35 to 44),
females (88%), those earning $20k -$40k (86%) and $40k -$60k (84%), with (86%),
and those living in Quebec (90%).
Those likely to say fighting climate change is not important (BTM2),
those 45 to 54 (18%) and 55 to 64 (21%), males (22%), those earning less than
$20k (19%) and those earning $80k and above (21% of those earning $80k -$100k
and 18% of those earning $100k-$250k), and those living in Alberta (32%).
6-in-10 think the federal government is
not doing enough to fight climate change
Respondents who said fighting climate change was very important,
somewhat important, or not very important were asked two follow up questions:
Is the federal government doing enough to fight climate change? And, is your
provincial government doing enough to fight climate change?
The majority of respondents (TOP2: 63%) think that the federal
government is not doing enough to fight climate change, with one third (32%)
saying the Feds aren’t doing nearly enough.
One-third (TOP2: 32%) think that the federal government is doing
enough, with one
Those more likely to say the federal government is not doing enough
to fight climate change includes those aged 18-34 (71%), females (69%), the
least wealthy (70%), those living in Atlantic Canada (65%), Quebec (68%), and
British Columbia (66%), and those who think fighting climate change is very
important (76%).
Those more likely to say the federal government is doing enough
include those aged 34-44 (37%), 55-64 (35%), and 65 and over (38%), males
(41%), those earning $80-$100,000 (34%), the highest earners (37%), those living
in Alberta (43%), and those who say climate change is not very important (78%).
Albertans
think their government is doing enough, Ontarians think their government is not
doing nearly enough
The majority of respondents (BTM2: 70%) think the provincial
government is not doing enough to fight climate change, with about half (47%) saying
their respective provincial government is not doing nearly enough.
One-quarter (TOP2: 27%) think
their provincial government is doing enough, with about one-tenth (9%) saying
their provincial government is doing more than enough.
Those more likely to say their provincial government is not doing
enough include those aged 18-34 (77%), females (76%), those earning less than
20k (78%), and those who said fighting climate change is very important (83%).
Those more likely to say their provincial government is doing enough
include those aged 35-44 (34%), males (36%), earning $40-60,000 (27%), the
highest earners (30%), and those who said fighting climate change is not very
important (80%).
According to respondents, the provinces doing enough include Alberta
(40%) and British Columbia (36%). In contrast, the worst performing province is
Ontario (77%).
|
Total
|
ATL
|
QC
|
ON
|
MB/SK
|
AB
|
BC
|
|
Sample
|
1568
|
173
|
356
|
564
|
143
|
129
|
203
|
|
TOP2 (Enough)
|
27
|
25
|
27
|
20
|
34
|
40
|
36
|
|
BTM2(Not
enough)
|
70
|
70
|
69
|
77
|
63
|
58
|
61
|
“While most Canadians are concerned with
climate change and what they see as both federal and provincial governments’
inaction, Albertans are not nearly as preoccupied by it, and are more content
with current policy than elsewhere in Canada,” said Dr. Lorne Bozinoff,
President of Forum Research.
