PPIC Poll Shows Californians Very Concerned About Global Warming and Air Pollution and Want Stronger Action by State Government

• 62% say air pollution is a problem in their region of the state, with the numbers higher in the Central Valley, Inland Empire, and Los Angeles regions; 59% see it as a serious heath threat to them or their immediate family.

• 68% would be willing to see tougher air pollution standards on commercial and industrial activities even if it made it more costly for those businesses to operate with 18% opposed, and 50% say the same for tougher air pollution standards on agriculture and farming, even with increased costs (to 34% opposed).

• Even if it is more costly, 68% would like to see tougher air pollution standards on ships, trucks and trains that transport freight and cargo--and the same percentage supports a container fee on owners of cargo moving through California's ports (including 57% of Republicans!).

• 67% do not feel the federal government is doing enough to protect the environment and 49% feel the state of California is not doing enough. Only 9% think California is doing "more than enough."

• 70% of California Democrats say that Presidential candidate's positions on the environment such as air pollution, global warming and energy policy is very important to them in determining who to vote for (this rises to 93% who feel it is at least somewhat important) and this is very important to 34% of Republicans and somewhat important to 37% to them.

The PPIC surveyed 2500 Californians, a very large sample and the overall margin of error was 2%, with registered voters at 3%, and likely voters at 3%. This makes it a very reliable reporting of the state as a whole. It is also remarkable for its oversampling of San Joaquin Valley residents where the margin of error in that subgroup is 3.5% and the views of those in the Valley, where air quality is an increasing problem, can be seen and analyzed separately. The San Joaquin Valley numbers do not affect the overall statewide results, as they have been scaled to reflect statewide proportions of this subset.

Air pollution continues to be named as the state's most important environmental issue in all regions of the state, getting that response from 29% of those polled. The attention to global warming, however, has shown dramatic increases. In 2003, only 1% of Californians named it the most important environmental issues, and as late as July of 2005, it only was ranked that way by 2% of the state. Last year, it climbed to 8% and is now at 11%. Global warming when combined with air pollution (which it is intertwined with) garners 40% of the responses. Water supply is listed as the most important by 8% of respondents, and the remainder include energy, pollution in general, and water pollution.

Global Warming

California Democrats and independent voters by margins of 77% and 69% respectively believe that the effects of global warming have already begun, and even 47% of Republicans believe this. The totals for likely voters show that 64% believe this and another 20% believe this will happen, while only 11% say it will never happen.

Across all regions of the state a majority of Californians see global warming as a "very" serious problem with only 15% saying it is "not too serious" or "not serious at all." The numbers here are staggering and range from a high of 86% of Los Angeles area residents who say it is a serious threat to the economy and quality of life for California to a low of 77% of those in the Inland Empire. The PPIC reports that, "This is the first time a majority of Californians are saying that the threat of global warming is very serious, a 5-point increase from last July and a 15-point increase from July of 2005."

There also is overwhelming agreement that it is necessary to take immediate steps to counter the effects of global warming, which has risen from 73% in 2003 to 81% in this survey. At least three out of 4 Californians in all regions and racial and ethnic groups hold this view. This includes 92% of Democrats, 82% of independents, and even 60% of Republicans.

The PPIC finds that "large and growing proportions of residents are in favor of California making its own policies, separate from the federal government," up from 54% in 2005 to 67% today. This includes 74% of Democrats, 72% of independents, and 59% of Republicans.

84% support the Pavley Bill (AB 1493), signed into law by Governor Davis in 2002 which requires all automakers to further reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases from new cars sold in the state beginning in 2009. This includes 81% of likely voters, 92% of Democrats, 84% of independents, and 71% of Republicans.

These numbers start to get interesting in light of the difficulties that a package of Senate bills on global warming and air pollution had earlier this month in the Assembly Transportation Committee due to heavy industry opposition, including the auto industry.

As for AB 32, the landmark greenhouse gas bill passed by the California legislature last year, 78% of Californians and likely voters support it, including 65% of Republicans. It need only be remembered that last year only one Republican legislator out of 32 in the Assembly and 15 in the Senate voted for AB 32. That was Assemblymember Shirley Horton, who was in a contested race. There remains opposition from Republican legislators to implementation of AB 32, including the current attempt by Republican Senators to change California's Environmental Quality Act as part of the wrangling over the budget.

82% of likely voters, including 71% of Republicans favor requiring auto manufacturers to significantly improve the fuel efficiency of cars sold in the country. 85% of these likely voters support spending more to develop renewable energy including 79% of Republicans. 78% favor increased government spending on biofuels and ethanol, including 70% of Republicans.

By contrast, 55% of likely voters oppose allowing more offshore oil drilling in California and only 40% support it. Democrats and independents are opposed by margins of two to one, while Republicans favor this drilling 60% to 34%. When it comes to nuclear power, likely voters are split 47% against and 44% in favor with Democrats and independents solidly in opposition and Republicans solidly in favor by a margin of 56% to 37%.

Air Pollution

72% of Calfornians see air pollution as a problem in their region, from a high of 835 in Los Angeles, to 76% in the Inland Empire, and 75% in the Central Valley to a low of 69% in the San Francisco area and 31% in the Orange and San Diego area. 20% say the air has improved over the last 10 years, while 48% say it has worsened. 56% of those in the Central Valley say it has worsened there. There is a breakdown of the results from the San Joaquin Valley, with those in the southern part of the Valley having a decidedly more negative view of the air quality, and that will be discussed in a separate article.

Overall, 59% see air quality as a serious threat to themselves and their families. 25% describe it as "very serious," 34% as "somewhat serious" and 36% as "not too serious," with only 3% saying it is "not at all serious." The Los Angeles, Inland Empire, and Central Valley regions see this as much more of a serious problem to health. 40% of Californians report that they or a family member have asthma or respiratory problems.

While recent health studies have shown that there is an increased risk to health from those in poorer communities near freeways congested with trucks in particular, the poll results here show that in some regions of the state, the Central Valley and the Inland Empire, a majority or residents do not believe that air pollutions is more of a serious health threat to those in lower-income areas in their region. However, majorities believe that to be the case in other regions of the state, and one can only observe that in coastal areas of the state, where housing is more expensive, one can get away from the smog and pollution more easily than for those living in inland areas. In the Inland Empire and Central Valley, this is, for the most part, not possible.

The largest group of respondents feel that state government is the level that should have primary responsibility for setting air quality standards in their region. 71% say they do not know enough about their regional air quality district to say if they approve or disapprove of what kind of a job they are doing. The highest level of opinion was in the Central Valley where by a margin of 19% to 14% residents registered their disapproval, and with a lower 67% having no opinion.

Specific Actions on Air Pollution

There is much more support for tougher air pollution standards on commercial and industrial activities than on agriculture, but in both cases it is supported by a majority even if it makes it more costly for these entities to operate.

As to commercial and industrial activities, 69% support tougher standards even if it is more costly and only 18% are in opposition. 61% of Republicans favor this stricter regulation. For agriculture, 50% support more stringent standards even if it is more costly for farms to operate, including even 48% of those in the Central Valley wehre most of the state's agriculture exists.

There is very good news in the poll numbers for Senator Lowenthal who has been championing SB 974, the "Clean Ports Investment Bill." 68% of Californians say they would "be willing to see tougher air pollution standards on ships, trucks, and trains that transport freight and cargo…even if this made it more costly for these businesses to operate." This includes 62% of Republicans. When asked specifically about a container fee on the owners of cargo moving through the state's ports ( a key provision of SB 974), 68% were in support including 57% of Republicans.

Environmental Politics and Schwarzenegger/Bush Approval Ratings

Governor Schwarzenegger continues to enjoy relatively high approval ratings of 52% among Californians and 59% with likely voters, but his environmental job performance ratings, while still positive, trail his overall approval ratings. 47% of Californians and 51% of likely votes approve his handling of environmental issues. There is a gender gap on his overall ratings with 56% of men approving and 47% of women doing so. He has an overall approval from Latinos of 34% to 52% disapproval and wins Democratic approval 46% to 41%.

President Bush's overall ratings have reached a new historic low at 26% approval and 68% disapproval. The numbers are slightly worse at 25% approval and 71% disapproval with likely voters. The President's 255 approval on the environment is in stark contrast to that of Schwarzenegger's.

A full 67%, including 71% of likely voters feel the federal government is not doing enough to protect the environment, while only 5% think he is doing too much. A much lower 49% of all Californians and 48% of likely voters, still a strong plurality, feel the state of California is not doing enough, while 36% to 37% saying we are doing "just enough."

The PPIC reports that, "Californians' interest in the upcoming presidential election is high" and that 79% of likely voters say they are following the news about candidates at least fairly closely. 93% of Democrats say that the candidates' positions on the environment such as air pollution, global warming, and energy policy are important in determining who to vote for (70% "very important" and 29% somewhat important). This number drops to 81% of independents and 71% of Republicans, still very high.

There are more results in this poll about Californians' driving habits, the fuel efficiency of cars they are considering buying, and the effects of high gasoline prices that we will examine in a separate article.

Anyone interested should take a look at the poll online at the PPIC's site.