Voters tiring of climate change

[Anonymous]

Global warming is so yesterday. The diehards aside, does any American still care? Not according to polling, which consistently shows the public is unwilling to support climate change policies if there's a cost attached. There's pretty much nothing the public cares less about than climate change.



When pollsters asks the American public to rate the importance of climate change versus other public-policy issues such as health, education, crime and homelessness, climate change comes last or next to last. When it asks the public to compare its concern over climate change with concern over other environmental issues, such as air and water quality or the state of forests, global warming again comes last.



Europeans also aren't fussed much by global warming. A study of 35,000 participants in 18 European countries by NatCen, Britain's largest independent social research agency, found that in most countries fewer than one quarter were either "extremely worried" or "very worried" at the prospect. The blasé three-quarters-plus cut across most demographics: educated and uneducated, young and old. A 25- or 35-year-old was no more likely to express concern than a 65- or a 75-year-old. The only factors that changed the degree of concern involved politics. Those on the left were more concerned than centrists or those on the right, but even then, a mere 38 per cent of these leftists considered themselves to be either extremely or very concerned.



To NatCen's disappointment, the high level of public apathy rules out any prospect that governments will muster the wherewithal to implement reforms. "Action to tackle a problem as significant as climate change will require the consent or support of a plurality of voters," concludes the NatCen report. "Currently we are a long way short of this."



Politicians may claim to be concerned — no doubt some personally are — but their commitment to the cause can be seen in their actions, not their words. Throughout most of the Western world, governments are slashing subsidies to renewables. The U.S. under Trump — who was elected on a promise to scuttle climate policies — has done so dramatically and decisively, pulling out of the Paris climate agreement, cutting funding for the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and pretty much withdrawing across the board. Other developed countries have withdrawn support with less fanfare, among them the U.K., Italy, Germany, Denmark, Portugal and Japan. Countries are failing to meet their carbon-cutting targets and refusing to make binding commitments for the future. Investment in the renewable industries has plummeted and bankruptcies abound. Wind turbines are beginning to be taken down.



As the sun slowly sets on the global warming industry, fossil fuel use is soaring, with oil and gas consumption at all-time highs and 1,600 new coal plants set to expand the world's coal-fired electricity capacity by 43 per cent.



The public's boredom with global warming hype is also seen in media coverage. "According to a yearlong study, climate change was largely ignored by the corporate broadcast evening news and Sunday shows on ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox Broadcasting Co.," states Media Matters, the George Soros-funded watchdog organization. "The study also found that the four corporate broadcast networks combined aired only four segments that discussed climate change in the context of natural disasters in the U.S. in 2017, despite it being a record year for weather and climate disasters."



The press once cared about climate change; politicians did, too, whenever it appeared to further their political careers. But the public may never have truly cared, if election results, rather than public opinion polls, are the measure. Canada was a pioneer in proving how little the public cared when, in 2008, Liberal leader Stéphane Dion vowed to introduce a carbon tax if elected prime minister, earning the Liberals' worst defeat since Confederation. Australia's Labour Party in 2013 also suffered a crushing defeat when it explicitly made carbon taxes a major campaign issue. Since then, political parties — the Trudeau Liberals included — have prudently downplayed climate-policy costs during their campaigns. There won't be any downplaying in Trudeau's next election, though, in 2019, when his carbon taxes will be front and centre.



Will he be able to prevail, where all others have failed? Good luck with that!

http://business.financialpost.com/opinion/lawrence-solomon-trudeau-will-learn-a-painful-lesson-voters-really-dislike-climate-crusading">http://business.financialpost.com/opini ... -crusading">http://business.financialpost.com/opinion/lawrence-solomon-trudeau-will-learn-a-painful-lesson-voters-really-dislike-climate-crusading



I guess Trudeau and the premiers of Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, and BC did not get the message. They are all either increasing or introducing costs on consumers and businesses under the guise of climate change leadership.

[Anonymous]

If this is true, it's a troubling development for the multi-billion dollar climate alarmism industry.

[Bricktop]

There will be a new scare now. The left needs a rallying point.

[Anonymous]

There will be a new scare now. The left needs a rallying point.

How much will it cost?

[Bricktop]

As much as you've got. Their whole premise is to take YOUR money and give it to someone else.

[Angry White Male]

Bricktop, why does Fash fawn over old men that act like 10 year old little boys?

[Berry Sweet]

Is the booze flowing early tonight?

[Angry White Male]

No booze yet!  Just trying to get a simple question answered!

[Anonymous]

As much as you've got. Their whole premise is to take YOUR money and give it to someone else.

They don't even pretend anymore that the confiscated money is used for anything, but general revenues. Very dishonest.

[Anonymous]

As much as you've got. Their whole premise is to take YOUR money and give it to someone else.

They don't even pretend anymore that the confiscated money is used for anything, but general revenues. Very dishonest.

Particularly when they never mentioned carbon sales tax during elections.

[Angry White Male]

The left are idiots!



We are already paying over $1.50/liter here for fuel, with Diesel not being much far behind that...



They want to add even more taxes into that.  Eventually my business rates will need to rise to cover this added cost, which as with all construction costs just eventually get passed on to the home buyer.

[Anonymous]

The left are idiots!



We are already paying over $1.50/liter here for fuel, with Diesel not being much far behind that...



They want to add even more taxes into that.  Eventually my business rates will need to rise to cover this added cost, which as with all construction costs just eventually get passed on to the home buyer.

We had another increase in our provincial carbon tax on January first of this year..



Everything is more expensive and the money is used for general revenue.

[Angry White Male]

Gotta make sure we give lots of money to the Indian Chiefs, so they can have fun at the Casino with it!

[Anonymous]

Gasoline prices here are the higher right now than they have been in years.

[Angry White Male]

Yesterday it was like $1.53/liter here for regular grade.  Highest price in North America.



Yet we have unemployed welfare bums (both White and Native) spending their days protesting the pipeline in Burnaby.



If I was Diktator, that trash woud have been swept away with powerful water cannons days ago!