Citizens Worldwide Want Tough Environmental Action Now

Laws "don't go far enough," world public says in largest environment survey

Majorities of people in the world's most populous countries want tougher laws to protect the environment, according to the largest-ever international survey of public opinion on the environment.

Almost three-quarters of British citizens (73%) are dissatisfied with environment laws, along with the majority of citizens in 28 of 30 countries surveyed. Dissatisfaction with current measures ranges from 91% in Greece to 54% in India. Two-thirds or more people in countries such as China, Japan, France, Italy, Spain, Mexico, Canada, Australia, Chile, Argentina, and South Korea say environmental laws as currently applied in their country "don't go far enough", while six of every 10 people feel that way in Russia, Brazil, Germany, and the USA and elsewhere.

Only in Nigeria and Finland do majorities of citizens feel environmental laws strike the "right balance", or "go too far" according to the 1998 International Environment Monitor survey, conducted in Britain by MORI.

"In the face of rising environmental concerns and dissatisfaction with pollution laws, it will be increasingly difficult for government and industry leaders to continue to emphasise voluntary corporate environment targets", says Doug Miller, President of Environics International Ltd. "Most citizens want to see legal teeth around the words."

This second annual International Environment Monitor survey was conducted by associated polling firms in 30 countries, the largest-ever survey of its kind. More than 35,000 in person or telephone interviews (at least 1,000 per country) were conducted in March and April, 1998, in India, China*, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, the United States, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Greece, Turkey, Poland, Hungary, Russia, Kazakstan, Australia, New Zealand, Nigeria, and South Africa.

Together, the countries surveyed contain two-thirds of the world's population. Each national survey is considered accurate to within plus or minus 3%.

* Surveys in India and China were conducted in urban centres only; all other surveys included urban and rural interviewees.

Growing majorities want major action taken now on climate change

The 1998 International Environment Monitor shows majorities or near majorities in 26 of the 30 countries believe strong action is needed immediately to reduce human impacts on climate. Furthermore, in 15 of the 20 countries where comparison to 1997 is possible, the number of people who share this view is growing.

Climate changes has received a great deal of public attention in the past year, especially in the lead up to and during last December's U.N conference in Kyoto, Japan, where industrialised countries agreed to reduce emissions of climate-changing gases.

To gauge the impact on public opinion of the war of words between environmentalists and industry leaders, the survey posed the same question as in 1997, asking respondents "whether, given scientific uncertainty over climate change, we should not take major action until we know more because of the great economic costs involved or we should assume the worst and take major action now to reduce human impacts on climate, even if there are major costs".

The survey shows a significant swing to the environmentalists' position, especially in Russia (73% support "major action now," up 46 points from 1997) and China (56%, up 24 points). Last year, majorities of citizens in Russia (58%) and China (54%) were undecided or unsure.

The largest majority in favour of major action now is in Greece (85%; 1197 n/a), followed by France and Italy (82%, up 8 and 11 points respectively), Korea (77%, up 24 points), Germany (74%, up 3 points), Russia (73%, up 46 points), Kazakstan (73%; 1997 n/a), Indonesia (71%; up 1997 n/a), Australia (70%, up 3 points), Japan (68%, down 1 point), Canada (67%, up 6 points), Finland (65%, up 11 points), Great Britain (64%, up 12 points), New Zealand (63%, down 2 points) Chile (63%, up 2 points), Mexico (62%, up 12 points), India (61%, down 2 points), Argentina (60%; 1997 n/a), Colombia (58%; 1997 n/a), China (56 %. up 24 points), Uruguay (54%; 1997 n/a), the USA (51%, up 5 Points) and Hungary(50%, up 15 points). Near majorities hold the same view in Brazil, Venezuela, Poland and Turkey.

The USA results on this question are particularly significant given the well-funded public debate that has raged over the past year. Last year's International Environment Monitor survey showed Americans split on the issue (with 46% saying "no action until we know more" and 46% saying "assume the worst, act now"). This year's results show 51% supporting immediate action and only 42% saying we should wait to know more.

Environmental concerns are top of mind

The survey found the environment to be an important top-of-the-mind concern, particularly in urban China and India.

The first question (without a choice of responses) asked interviewees to name the most important problems facing their nation. Some 40% of urban citizens of China and 27% in India volunteered an environment-related response (e.g. air, water pollution, ozone layer depletion, climate change) most often or second most often. The question posed was identical to that used in an international Gallup poll before the 1992 Earth Summit. The 27% result in India this year is up 21 points from the 6% result obtained by Gallup six years ago. (China was not surveyed in 1992).

The environment is also an important top-of-mind concern in Germany (23%, up 14 points from 1992), Australia (23%; 1992 n/a); Great Britain (22%, up 19 points), Japan (20%, up 8 points), Korea (19%, up 8 points) and Italy (17%, 1992 n/a). The environment is a top of mind concern of between 10% and 15% of respondents in Russia, Kazakstan, Spain, Turkey, Mexico, Canada, Chile, Columbia, Greece and New Zealand.

"These are very strong results for an unprompted question," said Mr. Miller. "These and other results suggest that a new green wave of public concern about the environment is on the rise in Asia and some European countries."

In North America, the environment is less of a top-of-mind concern than it was in 1992. Today, 12% of Canadians (down 5 points) and 8% of Americans (down 8 points) cite environmental issues as their nation's first or second most important problem.

"While North American concerns are down from their very high levels in 1992, it would be a mistake to think that the issue is receding here", Mr Miller said. "Indeed, this and other recent surveys in the USA and Canada show that concerns for the environment have bottomed out and are on the rise."

Rising levels of environmental concern

Prompted to describe their level of concern about the environment, those answering "a great deal" ranged from 69% (Venezuela) to 22% (Finland). When those answering "a fair amount" are added, the percentage of those expressing concern in most countries adds up to over 75%.

In 15 of the countries surveyed this year, an identical question had been asked by Gallup in 1992. Comparing results, the percentage of people expressing "a great deal" of concern is higher in 13 of the 15 countries: Mexico (62%, up 12 points), Chile (56%, up 26 points), India (52%, up 18 points), Turkey (51%, up 39 points), Russia (48%, up 7 points), Uruguay (43%, up 5 points), USA (39%, up 1 point), Korea (38%, up 16 points), Hungary (33%, up 1 point), Great Britain (31%, up 3 points), Japan (27%, up 4 points), Germany (23%, up 9 points) and Finland (22%, up 6 points).

Only in Nigeria (56%, down 15 points) and Canada (36%, down 1 point) is there a smaller percentage of people expressing "a great deal" of concern about the environment this year compared with 1992.

Strict laws considered best way to reduce industrial pollution

In 17 countries*, researchers sought opinions on the most effective way to reduce industrial pollution. In 15 of the 17 countries, strict laws were the most favoured instrument, as opposed to such options as economic incentives and penalties, voluntary targets, or requirements for the public reporting of emissions.

Support for so-called "economic instruments" (i.e. incentives, penalties, taxes, emission trading permits) as the most effective approach to reducing industrial pollution is the strongest in France (32%), the USA (31%), Germany (29%), Canada (28%), Poland (27%), Finland (26%), Mexico (24%) and Japan (23%). In Japan, mandatory public reporting of emissions is cited most frequently (25%) as the best approach to reducing industrial pollution.

* Asked only in the USA, Canada, China, Japan, Indonesia, India, South Africa, France, Italy, Turkey, Germany, Finland, Poland, Hungary, Argentina, Colombia, Mexico

Assessing industry's performance

The survey asked respondents to agree or disagree that "industry is working hard to ensure a clean environment." While majorities or pluralities in almost every country disagreed with the statement, industry's performance was judged less negatively in 12 of 20 countries where an identical question was posed last year. Assessments of industry's environmental performance have improved over the past year in Spain, Korea, Hungary Russia, Chile, Italy, Poland, France, India, Canada, Germany and China.

Overall these findings will serve as a wake-up call to national governments and private corporations to get moving on environmental issues or get bitten by their citizens and consumers who will not stand for inaction on what they see as "key survival issues."

Results for each question are influenced by such factors as education levels, gender and whether the respondent lives in an urban or rural setting. A complete report of the findings from the 1998 International Environment Monitor survey results will be available to subscribers in July.

Personal Concern about the Environment

Key160160160	1998 Environmental Monitor
	Gallup 1992
Mexico	62%
	50%
Chile	56%
	30%
Nigeria	56%
	71%
India	52%
	34%
Turkey	51%
	12%
Russia	48%
	41%
Uruguay	43%
	38%
USA	39%
	38%
Korea	38%
	22%
Canada	36%
	37%
Hungary	33%
	32%
Great Britain	31%
	28%
Japan	27%
	23%
Germany	23%
	14%
Finland	22%
	16%

"Great Deal" Only 1992-1998, Tracking Countries Only

Personal Concern about the Environment

As currently applied in country "don't go far enough" only

Greece	91%
Argentina	87%
Columbia	86%
Poland	80%
Turkey	80%
Spain	79%
Venezuela	78%
Italy	78%
Japan	76%
Chile	74%
China	74%
Canada	73%
Great Britain	73%
France	72%
Mexico	71%
Indonesia	71%
Australia	70%
Korea	69%
Hungary	69%
Uruguay	67%
Russia	62%
Kazakstan	62%
New Zealand	62%
Brazil	61%
Germany	61%
USA	59%
South Africa	57%
India	54%
Nigeria	42%
Finland	37%

Technical details

MORI interviewed 934 adults aged 15+ across Great Britain between 20 -23 March 1998. The survey was co-ordinated by Environics International Ltd of Canada and over 35,000 interviews were conducted worldwide (approximately 1,000 in each country) either face-to-face or by telephone in March and April 1998. The survey was conducted by associated polling in 30 countries worldwide: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kazakstan, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria, Poland, Russia, Spain, South Africa, Turkey, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela.

Citizens Want Tough Environmental Action Now No.1