ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS IN UKRAINE Researcher Mariya Potabenko.

ENVIRONMENTAL

AWARENESS

IN UKRAINE

Researcher Mariya Potabenko

Environmental awareness parameters:

attitude of the people to the state of the environment;

attitude to environmental movements; attitude to the nature; opinion on possible actions of a

respondent if he/she witnesses a case of environmental pollution;

estimation of a respondent’s personal ability to change environmental state

Ukraine

What is your opinion about the state

of the environment in Ukraine?

Attitude of the people to the state of the environment

They attract the attention to

environmental problems

39,4%

They really help to solve

environmental problems

8,0%They do not help,

just strain the situation in the

society35,8%

Don't know16,8%

What is your attitude to environmental non-governmental organisations in Ukraine?

Attitude to environmental movements

Probably, if I will join to other

citizens33,8%

No, my only initiative cannot yield any results

50,0%

Yes, I can help to a certain

extent 8,4%

Don't know7,7%

Estimation of the personal abilities to change environmental state

Can you practically contribute to the solution of certain environmental problems?

The nature should be

conserved in its virgin state

29,9%

Don't know1,6%

Nature is to serve to the human well-

being12,7%

Man can use nature until

environmental equilibrium is maintained

55,8%

Attitude to the nature

What is your attitude to the nature?

Don't know10,5%Other

5,2%

I will do nothing18,0%

I will inform the authorities

40,3%

I will inform mass media and NGOs

16,2%

I will be actively protesting

9,8%

What will you do if you become a witness of environmental pollution by a business?

Actions of a respondent if he/she witnesses a case of environmental pollution by a business

ConclusionsThe environmental awareness

depends on educational level, age of respondents and region of living. It confirms the hypothesis about different attitudes to the environment in the society and differences in environmental awareness depending on affiliation to certain social groups.

DYNAMICS OF UKRAINIANS’ ATTITUDE TO

ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS

Which of the following problems concern you the most?

Standards of living, Security of Ukraine, Environmental problems, Revival of Ukrainian nation, Relations with Russia, Criminality, Problem of Crimea, Situation with Russian language, Others

Range of the problemsProblem 1995 1997 1999

Standard of living

І72%

I79%

I88%

Criminality ІІ54%

II42%

II37%

Relations with Russia

ІІІ28%

IV21%

V9%

Security of Ukraine

ІV23%

V16%

IV10%

Environmental problems

V19%

III30%

III20%

Revival of Ukrainian nation

VI10%

VI9%

VI4%

Situation with Russian language

VII5%

VII5%

VII2%

Problem of Crimea

VIII4%

VIII3%

VIII1%

ConclusionsThe level of the environmental concern highly depends on the region, linguistic-national affiliation of the residents, other social-demographic indexes. The social, economical and political situation in the country highly influences the level of the environmental concern.Young people and middle-aged people more concern about the environment than old people. The educated people and women are more environmentally concerned. Residents of the polluted Eastern regions are more concerned than residents of the Western regions.