Californians believe global warming is real and want state to act

Most Californians believe their state should take action now to regulate human activities that are heating up the planet. According to a survey conducted by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California, 86 percent think global warming will affect them or their descendants, and more than half of those think changes are already under way. Even among Golden State Republicans, only 20 percent say global warming will never happen, and only 9 percent of Californians overall are greenhouse deniers. The survey revealed that Californians don’t trust the federal government on eco-issues, and they’re not impressed with the local talent either: both President Bush and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) got only 32 percent approval ratings for their environmental policies. Most Californians would like the state to mandate caps on greenhouse-gas emissions for new cars, create a statewide hydrogen-fueling network, and offer incentives for installing solar systems on buildings.