Key Scottish Environment Statistics 2009

Annual publication containing summary of key statistics on environmental trends in Scotland


Public Attitudes

Perceived Significant Environmental Problems: 2008

What is the most significant environmental problem? Other environmental problems?
(percentage of respondents)

Percentage of respondents

Environmental issue

most significant problem

other problems

Climate change / global warming / greenhouse effect / melting ice

27

14

Household waste / disposal

7

11

CO 2 emissions

7

8

Changes in weather / freak weather

7

12

Consumption / wasting natural resources

6

9

Pollution from road traffic / congestion

4

10

Pollution from factories / industry

4

10

Heavy traffic

3

5

Carbon footprint / carbon offsetting

3

5

Recycling

3

4

The Scottish Environmental Attitudes and Behaviours Survey 2008 1 included a question to gauge which specific environmental issues are most prominent in the public mind. Respondents were asked (unprompted): a) what they considered to be the 'most significant' environmental problem these days; and b) what they saw as 'other' environmental problems. 2

Climate change was by far the most common response - 41% of respondents in total mentioned the issue, and 27% identified it as the single most significant environmental issue. The next highest ranking issues were: changing weather patterns (mentioned by 19% overall), household waste (18%), CO 2 emissions (15%), and over-consumption (15%). It could be argued that all of these issues are in some way related to climate change. Overall, 53% of respondents mentioned climate change, CO 2 emissions or carbon footprint.

The Scottish Parliament passed the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 3 with the aim of reducing Scotland's emissions by 80% by 2050. This includes all greenhouse gases.

Source: Scottish Government

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