Global Warming Low PriorityAmong U.S. Public, New Poll Finds

Global warming is at the very bottom of American voters’ top 20 concerns, even finishing behind moral decline and the influence of lobbyists, according to a new poll by the non-partisan Pew Research Center. The poll underscores President Obama’s challenge to rally the public behind climate change legislation, such as a carbon cap-and-trade regime, at a time of economic crisis. One bright spot for those arguing for forceful action to slow global warming is that energy ranks 6th out of the top 20 concerns, and experts said Obama could use programs to promote energy efficiency and renewable energy as a way to tackle the warming issue without immediately moving on more controversial legislation. Voters’ support for protecting the environment also slipped in the most recent Pew poll, with 56 percent saying it was a top priority last year and only 41 percent holding that belief today.