A majority off consumers polled in 15 of the 16 nations surveyed around the world think that oil is running out and governments should make a major effort to find new sources of energy.

Most respondents also think that future oil prices will rise much higher.

Only 22 per cent on average believe that "enough new oil will be found so that it can remain a primary source of energy for the foreseeable future." Only in Nigeria does a majority (53 per cent) endorse the view that governments can rely on oil in the long term.

Instead, an average of 70 per cent takes the position that governments 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." The largest majorities endorsing this view are found in South Korea (97 per cent), France (91 per cent), Mexico (83 per cent) and China (80 per cent). The smallest are in Russia (53 per cent) and India (54 per cent), while in Nigeria only a minority (45 per cent) holds this view.

"The widespread consensus that oil needs to be replaced as an energy source may be prompted by concerns about the effect of oil on climate change as well as the belief that oil will run out," said Steven Kull, director of WorldPublicOpinion.org, a collaborative research project involving research centres from around the world and managed by the Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA) at the University of Maryland, that conducted the global poll. 

The poll covered 14,896 respondents. Interviews were conducted in 16 nations including most of the largest nations -- China, India, the United States, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Russia--as well as Mexico, Britain, France, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Egypt, Turkey, the Palestinian Territories and South Korea. The nations included represent 58 per cent of the global population.

In the United States, the world's biggest consumer of oil, 57 per cent believe that their government is acting on the assumption that oil can remain a primary source of energy. This is also true in Nigeria (63 per cent). However, while most Americans believe their government's assumptions are incorrect, most Nigerians think it is correct.

In 12 of the 16 nations, the dominant view among those polled is that their governments assume oil is running out and needs to be replaced. This is especially true in South Korea (79 per cent), China (70 per cent), and Egypt (67 per cent). In Iran, which is developing a nuclear energy programme, 63 per cent say that oil must be replaced while only 12 per cent -- the lowest percentage among the countries polled -- say their government assumes enough oil can be found.

Consumers in two other countries express doubts that their governments are making plans to develop alternative sources of energy - Azerbaijanis say their government assumes enough oil will be found by a margin of 50 per cent to 31 per cent; Russians are divided: 37 per cent think their government assumes there will be enough oil and 34 per cent do not. In both countries, modest majorities among those who think their government is counting on oil also believe that this is a mistake.

Interestingly in four of the five countries that are net oil exporters the perception that their government is planning for oil running out is below the average of 53 per cent. These include Azerbaijan (31 per cent), Nigeria (32 per cent), Russia (34 per cent), and Mexico (49 per cent). The exception is Iran which is well above the average, with 63 per cent believing that that their government is planning for oil running out.

There is a strong consensus around the world that the cost of oil will be higher in 10 years. On average four out of five (79 per cent) say that oil prices will be higher, including 55 per cent who say they will be much higher.

Although oil prices recently retreated somewhat from their latest spike, this has not reassured world publics, according to Kull.

"People around the world seem to assume that these higher prices are not only here to stay but will even go higher," Kull said.

Consumers differ only about whether oil prices will be much higher or only somewhat higher. The most pessimistic are Indonesia (74 per cent) France (81 per cent) and Egypt (67 per cent). The lowest percentages saying oil prices will be much higher are found in China (29 per cent), Russia (35 per cent), and Nigeria (42 per cent).