Ermittlung des oekologischen Problembewusstseins der Bevoelkerung Schlussbericht

The study reflects a representative survey in order to investigate the awareness of ecological problems in the German population. It is based on an investigation carried out in March and April 1992 of 1.978 persons in the old federal states and 1.037 persons living in the former GDR. With reference to a study implemented from 1983 - 1985 the questions cover the environmental awareness, the readyness to considerate environmental action as well as concrete fields of personal environmental action. An interesting focus was the comparison between the old and new federal states. In addition to that new developments of social scientific research in the field of environmental awareness were as well included as the accentuation of risk awareness, communication concerning risks and the reinforcement of the behavioural element in the measurements of environmental awareness. The results of the study show that the awareness of ecological problems is highly developed in a large section of the population. In comparison to 1985 an increase in the environmental awareness of about 20% may be assumed (in the old federal states). The distinctive awareness of ecological problems is accompanied by a strong willingness to considerate environmental action. So the environmental awareness does no more express a criticism of the social system in principle but correlates with a factor that must be interpreted as critical consciousness concerning certain social phenomenons, however with a basic accceptance of the existing social system. Though there are inconsistencies concerning the personal environmental behaviour. For instance, the readyness to cut down the use of one's car or to pay higher prices for petrol is relatively low even with persons expressing a high environmental awareness. In this context it seems a likely supposition that personal groupings of values, situational conditions as well as infrastructural restrictions conflict with the implementation of awareness into action. It is notable that the general concern about the environment and the risks to health is judged higher for Germany in general than the pressures and risks felt by the person itself. Differences between the East-German and the West-German population become especially clear with the assessment of certain risks - among the accidents in the chemical industry, contamination with radiation and contamination of drinking-water. (orig.)Also published as: Umweltbundesamt. Texte, no. 7/94SIGLEAvailable from TIB Hannover: RN 8908(93-137) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekBundesministerium fuer Umwelt, Naturschutz und Reaktorsicherheit, Bonn (Germany)DEGerman