80% of Canadians believe the science behind climate change

"Canadians continue to believe , in very high numbers, that climate change is a significant issue. They want to see federal leadership on the issue in terms of a policy regime that will set the course for Canada." - Alex Wood, Sustainable Prosperity.

Ottawa (23 February 2011) - Sustainable Prosperity, a national research and policy network, based at the University of Ottawa, has released a study looking at public perceptions of climate change.

Surveys of both Canadian's and American's opinions on climate change and the urgency for acting was released today.

The study showed that dramatically more Canadians than Americans believe climate change is real. The survey reveals that 80% of Canadians believe in the climate science, compared to 58% of Americans.

Of those who are confident of the science, climate change constitutes a very serious problem.

Partisan affiliation in the United States is clearly associated with views on global warming. Surprisingly, Canadians' partisan affiliations are also associated with individual views on global warming. Conservative Party supporters believe that the Earth is warning significantly less than other party supporters. 

The majority of Canadians feel that all levels of government have a role to play in acting to halt climate change. However, 65% of Canadians feel the federal government needs to take action.

"There's a strong message for the Harper government. They've got to stop dragging their feet on climate change. Canadian's are ready to see results!" said James Clancy, NUPGE national president. 

NUPGE

The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE

More information:

Climate Compared: Public Opinion on Climate Change in the United States & Canada - Key Findings