A national survey released by researchers at Yale and George Mason universities  shows substantial levels of public support for the passage of federal climate and energy policies. Although there has been a drop in the public sense of urgency surrounding global warming, support remains. According to this poll majorities spanning party affiliation support many of these policies.    

The survey found support for:  

• Funding more research on renewable energy, such as solar and wind power (85 percent)  

• Tax rebates for people buying fuel-efficient vehicles or solar panels (82 percent)  

• Establishing programs to teach Americans how to save energy (72 percent)  

• Regulating carbon dioxide as a pollutant (71 percent)  

• School curricula to teach children about the causes, consequences, and potential solutions to global warming (70 percent)  

• Signing an international treaty that requires the United States to cut emissions of carbon dioxide 90 percent by the year 2050 (61 percent)  

• Establishing programs to teach Americans about global warming (60 percent).  

These findings are reminiscent of polls early in the healthcare reform debate that showed broad cross party support. Healthcare support was never capitalized on effectively as the healthcare legislation lurched and stumbled its way through the legislative process.  

A similar lurch and stumble scenario may be playing out again with these issues.   This poll reports that majorities of Republicans and Democrats support renewable energy research, tax rebates, regulating carbon dioxide, and expanding offshore drilling for oil and natural gas.  

However it also shows that…

Sixty percent of Americans, however, said they have heard “nothing at all” about the cap-and-trade legislation currently being considered by Congress. Only 12 percent had heard “a lot.”