Guest essay by Eric Worrall

A recent survey by Rasmussen Reports reveals that 2/3 Americans are unwilling to pay even $100 / annum additional costs to prevent global warming.

According to Rasmussen;

Most voters still aren’t ready to pay much, if anything, to fight global warming, but a slightly higher number are willing to spend more for the cause. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 41% of Likely U.S. Voters say they are willing to pay nothing more in higher taxes and utility costs annually to to generate cleaner energy and fight global warming. But that’s down from 48% last August and the lowest level measured in regular tracking since January 2013. Another 24% are willing to spend only $100 more per year, unchanged from earlier surveys. Twenty-six percent (26%) are ready to spend $300 or more a year to combat global warming, with six percent (6%) who are ready to spend at least $1,000 more annually. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Read more: http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/environment_energy/are_voters_willing_to_pay_to_combat_global_warming

Intriguingly, a lot of people questioned by Rasmussen think global warming is primarily caused by human activity.

GLOBAL WARMING IS PRIMARILY CAUSED BY… Date Human activity Planetary Trends Other Reason March 2015 45% 35% 8% …

Read more: http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/environment_energy/environment_update

To me this suggests 3 possibilities:

Many of the people who are concerned about the climate, don’t think paying more tax will help to cool the planet. A lot of people who say they are concerned don’t really mean it. A combination of the above.

However there is good news for people concerned about climate change. If the 26% of Americans willing to spend $300 / annum, and the 6% of Americans willing to spend $1000 / annum, really mean what they say:

26% x 300 million people x $300 + 6% x 300 million people x $1000

= $23 billion + $18 billion

= $41 billion / annum

$41 billion / annum is just under half of what rich countries promised to pay at Copenhagen 2009.

So my good news is, America’s fair share of the $100 billion rich country tithe can be amply covered by the voluntary pledges of people who say they are willing to pay to save the planet – no need to levy taxes on anyone.

Those who believe now have a real opportunity to make a personal difference. Furthermore, I’m happy to volunteer to help coordinate the effort, you can send your cash c/o WUWT. In the next decade it will become more than obvious how effective my secret $410 billion plan to prevent global warming has been – at least it will be, until NOAA revises their figures again.

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