A new bipartisan poll Monday shows a broad majority of Americans believe that global warming is real and support proposed legislation to limit the emissions that add to it.

“The battle for legitimacy of this issue has largely been won,” said Democratic pollster Mark Mellman, who conducted the survey with Republican Bill McInturff.

Among the survey’s findings:

-A vast majority believes in global warming; 74 percent say it’s happening now and 17 percent say it will happen in the future;

-Only 4 percent say global warming will not happen. The most skeptical? 30 percent of Republicans and 32 percent of conservatives. Still, even among those groups, more people think global warming is happening right now;

-Most think it’s a real threat, 71 percent;

-Most also support action to reduce the emissions that cause global warming – 77 percent.

-Most support proposed legislation in Congress intended to reduce emissions by 17 percent by the year 2020 and by 80 percent by the year 2050 – 69 percent.

Despite the prospects that they will not yet have a treaty to sign, President Barack Obama may attend a UN climate change meeting in Copenhagen this December to personally lead the US negotiating team.

“I think continuing to make progress internationally on clean energy and climate change will be important, regardless of where we are in the domestic political debate,” White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Thursday.

“Obviously our involvement sends important signals to those -- what I'm saying is, being involved in the negotiations right now and moving forward is important to demonstrate to developing nations that have also in the past been reticent to enter into agreements -- places like China, places like Brazil, places like India -- I think being at the table right now to make progress and to seek those solutions sends an important signal throughout the world."

 
Worried that an upcoming climate summit might fall short of environmentalists’ hopes, President Barack Obama spoke with Chinese President Hu Jintao this week to urge that both nations lead the way to a new treaty reducing emissions that are accelerating global warming.

“Both leaders acknowledged each is taking significant actions to confront climate change and reduce emissions,” the White House said in a statement Wednesday summarizing the Tuesday night talk. “President Obama noted the importance of working toward a successful outcome at the December Copenhagen Conference and the importance of leadership from the United States and China in that regard.   

“To that end, the two Presidents committed to having their teams redouble efforts to work with each other and other countries to achieve success at Copenhagen.”

In broad terms, China acknowledged that there remain stumbling blocks to a broad international agreement that would commit countries to cutting the emissions from smokestacks and tailpipes that trap heat in the atmosphere.

“Although problems remain in talks for a final deal, there are hopes for a positive result at the Copenhagen Conference as long as the convening parties work together closely," Hu said, according to the Xinhua Chinese news agency.

The struggle to control emissions is likely to be high on the agenda during an upcoming trip by Obama to Asia, first at a summit of Asian leaders in Singapore and then in Beijing at a summit with Hu.

It’s also possible that Obama could travel to Copenhagen for the climate change meeting if the UN-sponsored meeting adds a summit for national leaders.

The good news for environmentally-friendly interests: Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Rep. Mark Kirk, R-Ill,. were named the "greenest" Republicans in Congress by a GOP environmental group.

Republicans for Environmental Protection lauded the two lawmakers, giving them high scores. Also doing well were former Sen. Gordon Smith, R-Oregon, and Rep. Frank LoBiondo, R-N.J. The rankings are based on votes in the last Congress.

But there was a lot of not-so-good news, the group said.

It found that "far too many Republicans had low scores"

Lowest scoring House of Representatives members were Reps. Rob Bishop and Chris Cannon, both from Utah, who scored minus 5. In the Senate, the lowest scores came from Sens. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., GOP Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, David Vitter, R-La., and former Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., all at 29.

To see the scorecard:
http://www.rep.org/2008_scorecard.pdf

President Obama is promoting this year’s souvenir Easter Egg Roll eggs as “the ‘greenest’ egg in White House Easter Egg Roll history.” The wooden eggs ($7 each or four for $25), for sale through the National Park Foundation, use 31 percent less paperboard than last year, eliminate the need for paper shred or filler, skip the cellophane, and are decorated with renewable, vegetable-oil based inks, according to a White House press release. The colorful eggs (in rose, orange, blue or a spring-green) come with signatures of the president and Michelle Obama. The annual egg roll is next Monday, the day after Easter.

Part of the White House lawn is being converted into a vegetable garden.

First Lady Michelle Obama will be on hand for the Friday midday groundbreaking, along with students from a local elementary school. The Bancroft Elementary students have had their own school garden for several years. The White House kitchen garden's planting will take place "in the coming weeks," the first lady's office says, and harvesting on a rolling basis.

The first lady has spoken publicly of her own efforts to make her family's diet healthy, and wants to promote the inclusion of fresh, locally grown produce in the diets of people at all economic levels. She also has admitted daughters Sasha and Malia don't always like to eat their vegetables; Sasha in particular has issues with creamed spinach.

There will be plenty more for the girls to try now. Per spokeswoman Katie McCormick Lelyveld, the southeast exposure garden will include bee hives for honey and seeds for 55 different vegetables, fruits and herbs. White House staff and the Obama family will be involved in the watering, weeding and picking.