Environmental quality: issues and causes of deterioration – A survey on environmental awareness among the public in Liaoning Province, China

Abstract

A large-scale and comprehensive survey of public environmental awareness was carried out in Liaoning Province, China, where one of the largest heavy industrial bases is located. This survey was organized by the EU-CHINA Liaoning Integrated Environmental Program. The aim of the survey was to collect public information and awareness of environmental issues and therefore provide a valuable reference source for the government to formulate environmental policy. Statistical survey specialists and environmental protection experts worked together to establish survey items and questionnaires, and the design and survey were performed in strict accordance to the requirements of the project. The survey involved five large cities and 5996 respondents, representing residents, policy-makers, teachers, students, workers in enterprises, and farmers in suburban regions of the five cities. The evaluation of public opinion on current environmental issues and diversity among different survey groups were summarized statistically. The findings of the survey research are: the public is very concerned about air, water, and food pollution, improvement of the environment for community life and further global environmental changes. The survey also emphasized the need for better education to raise environmental awareness and the importance of public initiatives in environmental protection and management.

Keywords:

• environmental awareness
• environmental assessment
• public survey
• environmental issues

Acknowledgements

This research survey was supported by the EU–China Liaoning Integrated Environmental Program and partly supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program 2004CB418506). The authors would like to thank Dr Tom McRae of Deakin University, Australia, for his English proofreading and editing of the paper.