Results of our studies

IN BRIEF

The level of awareness of Russians concerning the environmental situation in their communities is extremely low. At the same time, 80% of respondents express their interest to know more about it.

MOSCOW, October 1, 2015. Russian Public Opinion Research Centre (VCIOM) presents the results of the survey describing Russian assessments regarding the environmental situation and their interest in this topic.  

Russians are divided in their opinions concerning the level of availability of the environmental information. One-third of them (32%) say that any information can be easily accessed (41% of residents of Moscow and St. Petersburg; 29% of rural area residents); one-third (33%) say that information is hardly available or even lacking. A further 29% say that they are not interested in this matter.

Generally, Russians express their inertest in environmental state in their communities: an overwhelming majority of them (86%) would like to get this sort of information (including 51% of those who are “very interested”). People also want to know more about the state of environment in their city, region, krai or republic (84%). Fewer Russians show interest in data concerning the environmental situation in Russia in comparison with other states (71%); 29% are very interested to see these figures.

Most of Russians would like to know information about water (59% of respondents are interested) and air pollution (54%). Russians are also anxious about landfills (40%) and soil pollution (32%). Thirty-four percent of respondents want to know about the radiation levels. Least important information refers to natural resources and subsoil water (only 6% of respondents).

The VCIOM opinion poll was conducted September 5-6, 2015; 1600 respondents were interviewed in 132 settlements in 46 regions of Russia. The margin of error does not exceed 3.5%.    

 

In your opinion, is the information about the state of environment in your pace of residence available today? (closed-ended question, one answer, %)

 

Total respondents

Moscow and St.Petersburg

Million cities

More than 500 ths

100–500 ths

Less than 100 ths

Rural area

Completely available

12

14

15

10

8

15

10

Rather available

20

27

22

23

19

17

19

Rather unavailable

14

16

11

12

14

16

12

Unavailable

19

13

16

15

21

18

22

I do not look for this kind of information 

29

26

26

31

30

28

31

Don`t know

6

4

10

9

7

4

5

How interested are you in getting information about the state of environment …? (за closed-ended question, one answer per each line, %)

 

Very much

Likely  interested

Unlikely interested

Absolutely not interested

Don`t know

In your place of residence / community

51

35

5

6

3

In your region/republic/krai/city

41

43

6

7

3

In Russia  compared with other states

29

43

12

12

4

What kind of information about environment are you interested in? Choose not more than five answers. Are you interested to know about…?  (closed-ended question, not more than 5 answers, %)

 

Total respondents

Water pollution

59

Air pollution

54

Landfills

40

Radiation level intensity

34

Soil pollution

32

Deforestation, forest disease, forest fires

27

Factories, plants that have negative impact on environment

26

Fauna

20

Fish in reservoirs

19

Reserves, natural  and national parks

14

Natural resources and subsoil water

6

I am not interested in environment information / nothing

11

Other

1

Don`t know

3

 

Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!

 

Read the article in Russian