Global Poll Reveals Widespread Fear Of Official Energy Policies - BBC

[hatrack]

People fear energy policies are threatening the environment and global stability, a BBC poll suggests.
The findings from across 19 countries come in the run-up to the G8 summit in St Petersburg, Russia, which will focus on energy security.

Carried out for the BBC World Service, the poll of nearly 20,000 people indicates concern that some energy suppliers will withhold oil exports. The study also found wide support for alternative energy strategies. The poll illustrates a perceived triple threat from the way the world produces and uses energy.

Majorities across all 19 countries indicate that citizens fear:

the climate and environment are being harmed
that the global economy will be destabilised
that competition for energy will lead to greater conflict

EDIT

Doug Miller, president of the poll firm GlobeScan, said: "What's fascinating is that in the midst of historically high energy prices and geopolitical tensions, the number one energy concern in every industrialised country we surveyed is the environmental and climate impacts." Creating tax incentives to encourage the use of alternative energy sources such as wind and solar power found favour with 80% of respondents. But there was lukewarm support for more nuclear energy to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. On average, 49% were in favour of building more nuclear plants.

EDIT

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/5170152.stm

[pberq]

1. K&R

[lvx35]

2. That's good news.

at least we know a global majority are aware of the core problems we are facing, and see now how things like global warming and the Iraq war are attached via oil.

[NNadir]

3. Actually it isn't good news.

People have enormous misconceptions about energy. If they understood the subject of polling, the world would have a much better shot than it actually has.

I'm sure that more than 51% of the people polled in some countries would be in favor of Jesus returning to solve our energy problems. This doesn't imply that such a wish is practical or realistic. In matters of energy, most people want to lie to themselves and often they lie to each other.

[lvx35]

4. What poll are you reading? Its great news.

people are worried:

the climate and environment are being harmed
that the global economy will be destabilised
that competition for energy will lead to greater conflict

in other words they are worried about all the right things by my take. and hell, I am in favor of jesus coming back and teaching us the solution to our energy problems:

"pollute the environment as you would have 6 billion other pollute it, my children" hehe ;)

[NNadir]

5. They say they are worried.

Saying and doing are very different things.

One of the first exercises in doing is developing both a sense of scale and personal responsibility.

Everyone on the Titanic was worried when they heard the band playing "Nearer My God To Thee," but all some people did was to dance to the music.

[lvx35]

7. I hear you.

and I think your right....Its just tought to know what to do. I mean I bike and bus more now days, like others, and all we do is drive the cost of gas slightly lower so others can drive more. I have no idea how to help us move beyond oil in a serious way.

[Dead_Parrot]

6. Point taken, but

I'll happily welcome that most people are at least aware that there's a problem. It's moving out of hippie-tree-hugger land and into stuff-to-talk-about-in-bars territory, which is an improvement.

How much this now passes over into political will to tackle it: Well, we'll see.