A recent survey shows that Chinese are paying more attention to environmental problems, as the number of volunteers for environment protection work reported a rapid increase.
The survey, “Unilever Cup Survey on Public Awareness of Environment,” was co-sponsored by the China Environment Journalists’ Forum and the Unilever (China) Company Ltd.
The questionnaire of the survey was designed by experts from the National Conditions Research Center of Beijing University.
The project, launched in January and ended in April this year, has received 14,999 effective answer sheets from across the country. People surveyed were aged from 10 to 89.
The results show that the public has attached a lot of importance to environment problems, as 65 percent of the surveyed said they regard environmental pollution as the most important issue in the world.
As many as 98 percent of those surveyed have participated in activities concerning environmental protection, and 31 percent are willing to join environment protection campaign.
Most of those surveyed volunteered to contribute to the country’s environment protection cause, among which 68 percent support the authorities increasing taxes for the use of environment protection, and 65 percent said they are willing to purchase environment-friendly products at a price 20 percent higher than regular products.
The survey also indicates that Chinese have formed their own views on national environment protection, and offered advices to the relevant departments.
About 70 percent of the surveyed hope that the authorities reinforce the supervision work and legal system for environment protection; 60 percent support further promotion of knowledge in the field; and 19 percent urge the media to promote the environmental cause.
Experts said that Chinese governments at all levels have, for many years, been dedicated to directing the popularization and education of environment protection among public. As a result, Chinese people have become more active in this field.
According to the survey, about 48 percent believe that citizens play the most important role in protecting the environment, while the percentage choosing local governments and central government were 33 percent and 12 percent, respectively. A small percentage of people choose non-governmental organizations and enterprises.
Lin Yue, president of the China Environment Journalists’ Forum, said that the survey aimed to objectively analyze the current situation of public awareness of environment protection, and to arouse the public interest and attention about environmental issues.
(Xinhua 05/24/2001)
