"With one-fifth of all U.S. CO2 emissions coming from light trucks and cars, any serious effort to significantly reduce U.S. emissions would have to encourage fuel conservation in personal automobiles," said David Ridenour, vice president of the National Center for Public Policy Research. "But almost half of all Americans oppose spending more for gasoline, despite polls indicating wide public concern over global warming. These results suggest Americans' concern may not be as deep as we've been led to believe."
Opposition to increased gasoline taxes was especially strong among minorities. "It's not surprising that many minorities oppose higher gas taxes, as such taxes are sharply regressive, harming the economically-disadvantaged disproportionately," said Ridenour.
Voters were told: "Congress is currently considering legislation that would raise the tax on gasoline in an attempt to motivate Americans to conserve fuel and reduce greenhouse gas emissions." They were asked how much more they'd be willing to pay in gasoline taxes and given seven choices: nothing, less than 50 cents, 50 cents, one dollar, two dollars, five dollars, eight dollars or more.
18% were willing to pay 50 cents or more; 8% a dollar or more and 2% $2 or more. Opposition to gas tax hikes was strongest in the Great Lakes (56%), New England (51%) and the Farm Belt (50%). Opposition grew when respondents were informed that eliminating cars in the U.S. altogether would only reduce world emissions by a fraction.
Among those willing to pay more for gasoline to reduce emissions, 58% are less willing to do so, and 42% much less willing, when informed their sacrifice would produce little positive results. "Many global warming polls ask the wrong questions," said Ridenour. "We shouldn't ask Americans if action is needed on global warming, but how much more they're willing to pay for that action. We need to also ask whether people would still be willing to pay more, given the almost certain futility of it."
