The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 47% of US voters say global warming is caused by long-term planetary trends rather than human activity; 42% say human activity is the cause, while five percent (5%) say there is some other reason.

Results of Rasmussen polling on causes of global warming since April 2008, with trendlines. Click to enlarge.

Although the percentage have varied at times widely from poll to poll, since April 2008, the trend in responses has been toward assigning long-term planetary change as the cause of warming, and away from anthropogenic emissions.

The latest poll finds:

• Most men (53%) say long-term trends are to blame, while women are closely divided on the question. Younger voters are more likely than their elders to see human activity as the root cause of global warming.

• Sixty-two percent (62%) of Democrats fault humans, while 65% of Republicans and a plurality (49%) of voters not affiliated with either party say planetary trends are the culprit.

• 52% of all voters think that President Obama believes global warming is caused primarily by human activity. Only 20% say the president blames planetary trends. Nine percent (9%) say the president faults some other reason, and 19% are not sure what Obama thinks.

• Sixty-four percent (64%) say global warming is at least a somewhat serious problem, with 35% who regard it as very serious. Twenty percent (20%) say it’s not very serious, and another 14% view it as not at all serious. These numbers have been largely the same for months, according to Rasmussen.

• Thirty-five percent (35%) of Americans favor the climate change bill intended to curb global warming that was passed by the House in June and is set for review by the Senate when it returns next week. Forty percent (40%) are opposed to it. However, the antis feel more strongly: Twenty-six percent (26%) Strongly Oppose the bill versus 10% who Strongly Favor it.

  Sixty percent (60%) of voters believe it is more important to find new sources of energy than to reduce the amount of energy Americans now consume. Thirty-two percent (32%) disagree and say energy conservation should be the priority.

But in a separate survey, just 23% of Americans believe that new, cost-effective energy sources will be found. Fifty-nine percent (59%) say people in the United States must cut back on their lifestyle to conserve energy instead. Fifty percent (50%) of voters say more nuclear power plants should be built in the United States. Thirty-four percent (34%) are opposed, and 16% are not sure.

Generally speaking, 48% of Americans favor increased government spending on programs that encourage Americans to be more energy-efficient. Thirty-six percent (36%) oppose additional government spending with this goal in mind.

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