Poll: Concern over oil dependence up after Gulf of Mexico spill

A new poll suggests that concern over environmental issues and oil dependence since the Gulf of Mexico oil spill has increased in the United States and Europe’s five largest countries.

But the Financial Times/Harris survey — conducted in the U.S., Great Britain, France, Italy, Spain and Germany — found that concern was considerably less pronounced among Britons, possibly due to BP’s role in the spill.

{mosads}“There is a sense of patriotism among Britons on these matters, as Britons are consistently less likely to be more concerned about the various environmental issues since the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico,” according to Harris Interactive, which conducted the poll. “But one question remains regarding those more concerned in the other countries: Will this sense of concern be something that continues after the camera crews leave the Gulf or will it dissipate as news teams move on to the next crisis?”

Two-thirds of Americans surveyed aware of the spill say they are more concerned now about dependence on oil. The same was true for 63 percent of Spaniards, 59 percent of Italians, 58 percent of Germans, 48 percent of French and 45 percent of British adults.

Stronger majorities in Germany (79 percent), Spain (75 percent), Italy (74 percent), the U.S. (72 percent) and France (63 percent) expressed more concern now about water pollution. Less than half (48 percent) of Britons reported being more concerned.

Responses were similar on increased concern for wildlife and environmental conservation.

Air pollution, on the other hand, is not causing much more angst overall, at least not in the U.S. and Great Britain. Half of Americans and nearly two-thirds of Britons reported being no more or less concerned about air pollution since the spill.

On climate change, 52 percent of Americans and two-thirds of Britons said they were no more or less concerned.

There does seem to be agreement on one thing: Oil companies should be more regulated.

At least 90 percent of French, Italians and Spaniards; 82 percent of Germans; 77 percent of Americans; and 73 percent of Britons agree with that sentiment, according to the poll.

The poll was conducted online by Harris Interactive between July 20 and 29; it involved 6,180 adults ages 16 to 64.