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Statewide Survey · July 2004

PPIC Statewide Survey: Special Survey on Californians and the Environment

Mark Baldassare

This is the 47th PPIC Statewide Survey and the seventh in a series of eight surveys focusing on population growth, land use, and the environment. This survey focuses in particular on public perceptions, policy preferences, and political choices relating to air quality and energy-related issues.

Some findings of the current survey

  • A majority of Californians (55%) say that the environment should be the top policy priority-even at the expense of economic growth.
  • Despite California’s fiscal woes, 55% of likely voters want the state to continue funding environmental programs at current levels.
  • The Central Valley ties Los Angeles (both 47%) as the region where the highest proportion of residents say air pollution is a big problem in their own region.
  • Nearly three-fourths of the state’s residents (71%) believe that unchecked amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases released into the air will lead to global warming.
  • When asked which candidate they trust more to handle environmental issues, voters choose Kerry over Bush by a wide margin (56% to 30%).

Topics

Political Landscape Statewide Survey