Original scientific paper
Environmental Concern. Perception of Environmental Problems as Disturbing
Ivan Cifrić
Abstract
The starting point is the thesis that environmental problems in the world and in Croatia have not been reduced. Their characteristic is successiveness and cumulativeness in arising and permanency in duration .The results of empiric research of perception of environmental problems are here presented (pollution of air, water and food, reduction of natural resources and arable land, accumulation of municipal and hazardous waste, forest decline and climate changes), as being nowadays 'disturbing', on a representative sample of 102 respondents in Croatia, during the year 2004. An instrument comprising eleven assertions has been applied.
Most disturbing are 'inappropriate municipal waste disposal', 'hazardous waste accumulation' and 'food
contamination', while the least disturbing are 'drinking water pollution', 'pollution of rivers, lakes and seas' and 'forest
decline'. Statistically significant differences have been estimated with some social and demographic features. Multivariant
analysis has isolated two factors: 'classical environmental problems' and 'new environmental problems'.
Correlations between these factors with social and environmental orientations (anthropocentrism, eco-centrism and
techno-centrism) and particular assertions on the instrument have been calculated.
The comparison of the results of several research (from 1988 and from 1994) with these (in 2004) has shown that
respondents estimated ‘more strictly’ – in fact ‘more realistically’, environmental problems. At the same time they
estimated ‘more mildly’ – in fact ‘more pessimistically’, how will the problems look like in the next period (for 10 to 15
years in the future). During the following evaluation, the respondents acted in the same way. Average values of the actual estimation (from 2004) are larger than those former (1988) actual estimations, and lesser than expected. An eco-barometer is required for Croatia.
Keywords
eco-barometer; environmental sensitivity; classical environmental problems; new environmental problems; climate changes; hazardous waste; environmental pollution
Hrčak ID:
9030
URI
Publication date:
15.1.2005.
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