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American Public Says US Government Not Facing Reality That Oil is Running Out

COLLEGE PARK, Md., April 20 PRNewswire-USNewswire — A new WorldPublicOpinion.org poll finds that a majority of Americans think that their government is failing to prepare for the ultimate depletion of oil reserves.

Three out of four Americans (76%) say that the government should assume that "oil is running out and it is necessary to make a major effort to replace oil as a primary source of energy."

However 57 percent believe that the government is acting as if "enough new oil will be found so that it can remain a primary source of energy for the foreseeable future." The United States is the world's largest consumer of oil.

"Americans think their government is not facing the reality that oil is running out and needs to be replaced," comments Steven Kull, director of WorldPublicOpinion.org. He adds: "The enormous support for replacing oil may also be prompted by concern about climate change."

An overwhelming 88 percent say that the price of oil will continue to go higher, with 63 percent saying that 10 years from now it will be much higher.

Democrats are somewhat more likely to believe that oil is running out and that prices will go much higher, but Republicans are just as likely to believe that the government is acting as if oil is not running out. Those with less education are more likely to assume that the government is adapting.

The poll of 1,309 Americans was fielded Jan 18-27, 2008 by Knowledge Networks using its nationwide panel, which is randomly selected from the entire adult population and subsequently provided internet access.

This poll of Americans is part of a larger international poll conducted in 16 countries around the world. The poll of 14,896 respondents was conducted by WorldPublicOpinion.org, a collaborative research project involving research centers from around the world and managed by the Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA) at the University of Maryland.

Interestingly, the United States is the only country out of 16 polled where majorities perceive that both oil is running out and that their government fails to recognize this. In all other countries polled most think that their government should assume that oil is running out. On average 70 percent take this position.

For more information, visit http://www.WorldPublicOpinion.org.

SOURCE Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA) at the University of Maryland

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