Tuesday, December 20, 2016

70% of Canadians Approve Rapidly Transitioning to a Low Carbon Economy

Justin Trudeau being sworn into office (Photo Credit: Day Donaldson via Flickr, CC by SA, 2.0 License) Click to Enlarge.
Although Donald Trump’s election casts a long shadow on energy matters, a new poll finds that it is making little impact on public opinion north of the border.  Only 17% of the respondents think Canada should follow Trump’s lead and stick with fossil fuels.  “If anything, this survey suggests that the new US leader’s position actually makes Canadians more inclined to support clean energy here at home,” said Merran Smith, Executive Director, Clean Energy Canada.  They perceive the future in terms of a low carbon economy and 70% of Canadians approve rapidly transitioning to a low carbon economy.

There was little support for the suggestion we “Take our time moving off fossil fuels” outside of the prairies.  Alberta was the only province where this was the majority opinion, and then only by 52%.  In Saskatchewan, where Premier Brad Wall advocates a very cautious approach to energy policies in lieu of Trump’s election, 62% of the respondents agreed that “We should get off fossil fuels as quickly as possible.”

This opinion was strongest among Canadian respondents under the age of thirty-five, 82% of whom favored the transition to a low carbon economy.

Read more at 70% of Canadians Approve Rapidly Transitioning to a Low Carbon Economy

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