Gallup Poll Shows Support for Environmental Movement

A new

Gallup poll on the environment shows continued broad support for the goals of the environmental movement—but not as a top priority. Of the 1,004 adults polled during April 3-9, 83% agree with the goals of the environmental movement, including 43% who “strongly agree.” Among those surveyed, 55% describe current environmental problems as serious, including 17% who describe them as “extremely serious.” Environmental concern is higher today than it was both during the first Earth Day in 1970 and in 1980, according to Dr. Riley Dunlap of The Gallup Organization, but not as high as it was in 1989 when concern about the environment was at an all-time high because of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill and other highly visible environmental problems. While general concern about the environment may have dropped somewhat since 1989, concern has risen in two key areas: loss of tropical rainforests (42% in 1989 to 51% today) and global warming (35% in 1989 to 40% today). As for issues of importance in the upcoming presidential elections, 66% rank environmental protection as very important or extremely important—above such issues as tax reductions (63%), abortion (53%), and campaign finance reform (40%), but below education (89%), health care (82%), crime (81%), and gun control (69%). For details, visit

www.gallup.com and click on “Poll Surveys.”