4 Temmuz 2007Ottawa Citizen.com
A majority of Canadians feel it's their responsibility to improve the environment, but that the government should also have an active role in fighting climate change, a new poll has revealed.
The Ipsos Reid survey, conducted online in March and June for Sympatico/MSN, found that 91 per cent of Canadians believe "individuals need to take an active role, and not rely on the government to solve problems."
However, in the same poll, 72 per cent of respondents said it is "the responsibility of the government to fix environmental problems."
Julia Langer, director of the global threats program at World Wildlife Fund Canada, said the poll reflects the desire of Canadians to change their own habits and do their share, even as they rely on the government to introduce tougher regulations to crack down on large industrial polluters.
"The perspective of the public is that not enough is being done," she said.
The poll surveyed 1,000 adult Canadians from March 1 to March 5, and again from June 1 to June 3. It is considered accurate within 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
The poll's publication is timed to coincide with Live Earth, a 24-hour global benefit concert on July 7, that will feature more than 100 musicians and celebrities encouraging action to fight climate change. In the poll, 84 per cent of respondents said they believe large benefit events are effective in raising awareness, while 67 per cent said they agreed celebrities are "excellent champions of environmental causes like global warming."
Ms. Langer said the federal government should seize on the enthusiasm of Canadians and take action before the population loses hope that something can be done to fight climate change.
"What's scary about the poll is not that people are scared," she said. "It's that you can only sustain that level of concern for so long."
Overall, 78 per cent of the people surveyed said they believe global warming is a proven fact, while 22 per cent said they feel it is only a theory.
More information about the benefit concert can be found at: www.liveearth.org or http://liveearth.sympatico.msn.ca
