Energy

While Republicans and independents continue to favor constructing the Keystone XL pipeline, Democrats are divided. Opposition to the pipeline is most widespread among highly educated Democrats, liberals and Democrats with high family incomes.

The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline across the U.S.

Most Americans support building the Keystone XL pipeline and increasing energy production from traditional sources. Yet the public also favors stricter greenhouse gas emission limits for power plants and is more opposed to fracking and nuclear power.

Two-thirds of Americans (66%) favor building the pipeline, which would transport oil from Canada’s oil sands region through the Midwest to refineries in Texas.

Seven-in-ten Japanese say their country should reduce its reliance on nuclear energy. Skepticism about nuclear power is coupled with widespread dissatisfaction with the government’s performance: eight-in-ten say the government has done a poor job dealing with the Fukushima crisis and six-in-ten disapprove of how Tokyo has handled the overall recovery from the earthquake and tsunami.

While Japanese prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda has been trying to persuade local communities it is safe to restart two nuclear reactors, 70% of Japanese say their country should reduce its reliance on nuclear energy.

Nearly nine-in-ten (89%) Republicans favor allowing more oil and gas drilling in U.S. waters compared to about half of Democrats -- a gap of 39 points.

Public support for increased federal funding on research into alternative energy technology, including solar technology, has decreased substantially since the early months of the Obama administration, with nearly all the decline coming from Republicans and Republican-leaning independents.

Support for the increased use of nuclear power has declined amid the ongoing nuclear emergency in Japan. But with the surge in gas prices, support for increased offshore oil and gas drilling is growing.

Americans want expanded exploration and development of coal, oil and gas in the U.S. but also want limits on carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions. Michele Obama's favorability stays strong but the president's and Sarah Palin's popularity slip.