Articles

Supreme Court hears global warming case

Public Agenda Alert
November 30, 2006

The U.S. Supreme Court entered the debate over global warming for the first time this week as it heard arguments on whether the EPA has the authority to regulate carbon dioxide emissions. Carbon dioxide is considered a greenhouse gas. A coalition of states and environmental groups say the agency has the authority to limit carbon dioxide under the Clean Air Act, but the Bush administration says the gas isn't covered by the law.

Surveys show most Americans believe in the theory of global warming. In our Confidence in U.S. Foreign Policy Index, nearly seven in 10 (68 percent) say they're at least somewhat worried about global warming, with one-third saying they worry "a lot." That's about the same number who say the government can do "a lot" to address the problem (35 percent). Even larger numbers, 58 percent, think it's realistic to believe that international cooperation can prevent global warming.

Yet other surveys show climate change ranks below other environmental concerns for the public, such as water pollution. Much of the debate over global warming centers over the economic cost of cutting emissions, but it's important to note that the public resists making choices between the environment and the economy. In surveys, the public doesn't believe this has to be an either-or situation.

Find out more in our Red Flags on the Environment:
http://www.publicagenda.org/issues/red_fl
ags.cfm?issue_type=environment

Copyright 2006 Public Agenda. More information: www.publicagenda.org.

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