Support for zero-carbon pollution target for 2050
Q. To what extent would you support or oppose setting a zero-carbon pollution target for 2050 if it were adopted by the Federal Government?
| Federal Voting Intention (Lower House) | Jan’20 | |||||
| Total | Labor | Coalition | Greens | NET: Other | ||
| Strongly support | 31% | 38% | 22% | 59% | 19% | 32% |
| Somewhat support | 44% | 42% | 46% | 33% | 44% | 39% |
| Somewhat oppose | 15% | 13% | 17% | 6% | 17% | 18% |
| Strongly oppose | 11% | 7% | 15% | 2% | 20% | 12% |
| NET: Support | 75% | 80% | 68% | 91% | 63% | 71% |
| NET: Oppose | 25% | 20% | 32% | 9% | 37% | 29% |
| Base (n) | 1,090 | 336 | 390 | 104 | 146 | 1,080 |
- 75% of participants support setting a zero-carbon pollution target for 2050 if it were adopted by the Federal Government, up from 71% in January.
- The majority of all party voter support the introduction of targets. 91% of Greens voters, 80% of Labor and 68% of Coalition party voters all support the introduction of targets.
- Women (79%), capital city residents (77%) and Greens voters (91%) are most likely to support this initiative.
- Men (70%), non-capital city residents (70%) and independent/other party voters (63%) are least likely to support this initiative.
Climate Change Policy Proposals
Q. To what extent would you support or oppose the following policy proposals if they were adopted by the Federal Government?
| NET: Support | NET: Oppose | Strongly support | Somewhat support | Somewhat oppose | Strongly oppose | |
| Accelerate development of new industries and jobs that are powered by renewable energy | 81% | 19% | 41% | 40% | 12% | 7% |
| Setting a zero-carbon pollution target for 2050 | 71% | 29% | 32% | 39% | 18% | 12% |
| Requiring mining companies to fund bushfire hazard reduction | 68% | 32% | 25% | 43% | 21% | 11% |
| Remove taxpayer funded subsidies to the fossil fuel industry | 68% | 32% | 30% | 38% | 22% | 11% |
| Setting a zero-carbon pollution target for 2030 | 64% | 36% | 26% | 38% | 21% | 15% |
| Ban all political donations from fossil fuel companies | 62% | 38% | 28% | 34% | 25% | 13% |
| Prevention of new coal mines opening in Australia | 62% | 38% | 27% | 35% | 23% | 16% |
| Voting Intention | |||||
| NET: SUPPORT | Total | Labor | Liberal + National | Greens | NET: Other |
| Accelerate development of new industries and jobs that are powered by renewable energy | 81% | 86% | 75% | 87% | 77% |
| Setting a zero-carbon pollution target for 2050 | 71% | 81% | 56% | 89% | 62% |
| Requiring mining companies to fund bushfire hazard reduction | 68% | 78% | 54% | 76% | 68% |
| Remove taxpayer funded subsidies to the fossil fuel industry | 68% | 77% | 56% | 83% | 64% |
| Setting a zero-carbon pollution target for 2030 | 64% | 77% | 47% | 87% | 52% |
| Ban all political donations from fossil fuel companies | 62% | 72% | 48% | 79% | 57% |
| Prevention of new coal mines opening in Australia | 62% | 70% | 48% | 84% | 51% |
| Base (n) | 1,080 | 351 | 342 | 110 | 156 |
- 81% of participants support the accelerated development of new industries and jobs that are powered by renewable energy and 71% support a zero-carbon pollution target to be set for 2050.
- Support for all policies was higher among Labor and greens voters, and lower among Coalition.
Role of Government
Q. For each of the following issues, do you think the Government does too much, too little or just about the right amount:
|
Too much |
Too little |
About right |
Don’t know |
|
| Providing quality health care services |
2% |
74% |
19% |
5% |
| Protecting citizens from industrial and other kinds of pollution. |
10% |
43% |
36% |
11% |
| Making sure the banks and other large financial institutions operate honestly and treat their clients fairly |
3% |
62% |
28% |
6% |
| Making sure that the roads, bridges and other public transportation facilities are in good repair and safe. |
1% |
63% |
30% |
5% |
| Ensuring that there is adequate, affordable and accessible public transport. |
2% |
67% |
25% |
6% |
| Ensuring that our population is protected from crime, terrorism and other threats. |
5% |
47% |
41% |
7% |
| Providing a quality education system |
2% |
54% |
37% |
7% |
Respondents were more likely to think the Government does too little on each of the issues measured.
In particular, they think the Government does too little in terms of health care services (74%), adequate, affordable and accessible public transport (67%), roads, bridges and other public transportation (63%) and making sure the banks and other large financial institutions operate honestly and treat their clients fairly (62%).
Issues over which they were more divided were protecting citizens from industrial and other kinds of pollution (46% about right/too much) and ensuring that our population is protected from crime, terrorism and other threats (46% about right/too much).
Carbon Tax
Q. Do you support or oppose the Government’s carbon pricing scheme which, from July 2012, will require industries to pay a tax based on the amount of carbon pollution they emit?
| 7 March | 18 April | 23 May | 14 June | 18 July | 1 Aug | 19 Sep | 17 Oct | Total | Vote Labor | Vote Lib/Nat | Vote Greens | |
| Total support | 35% | 39% | 41% | 38% | 39% | 39% | 37% | 39% | 38% | 66% | 13% | 86% |
| Total oppose | 48% | 49% | 44% | 49% | 49% | 51% | 52% | 53% | 53% | 26% | 80% | 11% |
| Strongly support | 9% | 13% | 14% | 13% | 15% | 15% | 14% | 14% | 14% | 28% | 1% | 48% |
| Support | 26% | 26% | 27% | 25% | 24% | 24% | 23% | 25% | 24% | 38% | 12% | 38% |
| Oppose | 19% | 15% | 15% | 19% | 16% | 19% | 17% | 17% | 17% | 11% | 22% | 5% |
| Strongly oppose | 29% | 34% | 29% | 30% | 33% | 32% | 35% | 36% | 36% | 15% | 58% | 6% |
| Don’t know | 18% | 12% | 15% | 13% | 12% | 10% | 12% | 9% | 10% | 9% | 7% | 2% |
Views on the carbon pricing scheme have changed very little since June and there has been no significant change since the legislation was passed. 38% support the scheme (down 1% since October) and 53% oppose (no change).
The only demographic group to support the scheme were aged under 35’s – 45% support/40% oppose. Among those aged 55+, 37% support and 59% oppose.
Most important environmental problem
Q. Which of these do you think is the most important environmental problem facing Australia today?
Q. And which would you say is the second most important?
| Most important | Second most important | Total | |
| Water supply | 33% | 20% | 53% |
| The health of rivers and waterways | 17% | 21% | 38% |
| Pollution | 14% | 17% | 31% |
| Climate change | 16% | 14% | 30% |
| Loss of native habitat | 8% | 11% | 19% |
| Logging of native forests | 4% | 8% | 12% |
| Greenhouse gases | 2% | 6% | 8% |
| Don’t know | 6% | 2% | 6% |
Water supply (53%) and the health of rivers and waterways (38%) were considered the most important environmental problems facing Australia today.
Younger respondents were more likely to nominate climate change (36% of aged under 45) while 47% of those aged 45+ nominated the health of rivers and waterways. Water supply was the top issue for all segments except Green voters who nominated climate change as their most important issue (51%).
COVID-19 RESEARCH
Read Essential's ongoing research on the public response to Covid-19.
Essential Report
In this week's report:
- Federal government response to Covid-19
- State government response to Covid-19
- Views towards reopening international borders
- Views towards state border closures
- Comprehension and confidence in PM’s plan to ‘safely reopen’ Australia
- Uptake of a Covid-19 vaccine
- Necessity of mandatory vaccinations in specific situations
- Views towards easing restrictions for fully vaccinated people
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