The International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) is an annual program of cross-national survey collaboration, covering a wide range of topics important for social science research. Since 1985 the ISSP provides international data sets, enabling cross-cultural and cross-temporal research. "Environment" is one of the eleven ISSP topic modules. Central themes are attitudes towards environment-related issues, such as environmental protection, respondents' behavior, and respondents' preferences regarding governmental measures on environmental protection.
This dataset includes two types of variables: 1) percentage of respondents choosing a particular response option, and 2) average response per country, unweighted, primarily because weights are unavailable for some countries. Correlation between weighted and unweighted means for countries that do provide weights is above .95 for most of the included variables and does not go below .89.
Last updated by source: 2019-06-13
| Dataset type: | Other |
| Dataset level: | Country |
(ISSP Research Group,
1995)
(ISSP Research Group,
2003)
(ISSP Research Group,
2019)
Average reply to the question: "How much do you agree or disagree with this statement? We worry too much about the future of the environment and not enough about prices and jobs today". (1) Agree strongly, (2) Agree, (3) Neither agree nor disagree, (4) Disagree, (5) Disagree strongly. Replies (8) Can't choose are deleted. In Environment III (2010) - question 10a. In Environment II (2000) - question 4a. In Environment I (1993) - question 5a. A higher score means that smaller parts of the population think that there is too much worry about the environment. A lower score means that larger parts of the population think that there is too much worry about the environment and too little worry about prices and jobs.
More about this variablePercent of replies "fairly unwilling" and "very unwilling" to 12a: "How willing would you be to pay much higher prices in order to protect the environment?". Original replies include: (1) Very willing, (2) Fairly willing, (3) Neither willing nor unwilling, (4) Fairly unwilling, (5) Very unwilling, (8) Can't choose. In Environment III (2010) - question 12a. In Environment II (2000) - question 7a. In Environment I (1993) - question 8a. A higher score means that fewer people are willing to pay higher prices for environmental protection. A lower score means that more people are willing to pay higher prices for environmental protection.
More about this variablePercent of replies "fairly unwilling" and "very unwilling" to 12b: "And how willing would you be to pay much higher taxes in order to protect the environment?". Original replies include: (1) Very willing, (2) Fairly willing, (3) Neither willing nor unwilling, (4) Fairly unwilling, (5) Very unwilling, (8) Can't choose. In Environment III (2010) - question 12b. In Environment II (2000) - question 7b. In Environment I (1993) - question 8b. A higher score means that fewer people are willing to pay more taxes for environmental protection. A lower score means that more people are willing to pay higher taxes for environmental protection.
More about this variablePercent of replies "fairly unwilling" and "very unwilling" to 12c: "And how willing would you be to accept cuts in your standard of living in order to protect the environment?". Original replies include: (1) Very willing, (2) Fairly willing, (3) Neither willing nor unwilling, (4) Fairly unwilling, (5) Very unwilling, (8) Can't choose. In Environment III (2010) - question 12c. In Environment II (2000) - question 7c. In Environment I (1993) - question 8c. A higher score means that fewer people are willing to accept cuts in the standard of living for environmental protection. A lower score means that more people are willing to accept cuts in the standard of living for environmental protection.
More about this variableAverage reply to 13a: "How much do you agree or disagree with this statement? It is just too difficult for someone like me to do much about the environment". (1) Agree strongly, (2) Agree, (3) Neither agree nor disagree, (4) Disagree, (5) Disagree strongly. Replies (8) Can't choose are deleted. In Environment III (2010) - question 13a. In Environment II (2000) - question 8a. In Environment I (1993) - question 9a. A higher score means that fewer people believe that it is too difficult to do something about the environment as an individual. A lower score means that more people believe that it is too difficult to do something about the environment as an individual.
More about this variableAverage reply to 13b: "How much do you agree or disagree with this statement? I do what is right for the environment, even when it costs more money or takes more time". (1) Agree strongly, (2) Agree, (3) Neither agree nor disagree, (4) Disagree, (5) Disagree strongly. Replies (8) Can't choose are deleted. In Environment III (2010) - question 13b. In Environment II (2000) - question 8b. In Environment I (1993) - question 9b. A higher score means that fewer people are willing to spend more money/time to do what is best for the environment. A lower score means that more people are willing to spend more money/time to do what is right for the environment.
More about this variableAverage reply to 13e: "How much do you agree or disagree with this statement? Many of the claims about environmental threats are exaggerated". (1) Agree strongly, (2) Agree, (3) Neither agree nor disagree, (4) Disagree, (5) Disagree strongly. Answers (8) Can't choose are deleted. In Environment III (2010) - question 13e. In Environment II (2000) - question 8e. In Environment I (1993) - question not part of the survey. A higher score means that fewer people think that environmental treats are exaggerated. A lower score means that more people think that environmental threats are exaggerated.
More about this variableAverage reply to 13g: "How much do you agree or disagree with this statement? Environmental problems have a direct effect on my everyday life". (1) Agree strongly, (2) Agree, (3) Neither agree nor disagree, (4) Disagree, (5) Disagree strongly. Replies (8) Can't choose are deleted. In Environment III (2010) - question 13g. In Environment II (2000) - question not part of the survey. In Environment I (1993) - question not part of the survey. A higher score means that fewer people think that environmental problems affect everyday life. A lower score means that more people think that environmental problems affect everyday life.
More about this variablePercent of replies for 15a: "If you had to choose, which one of the following would be closest to your views? (2) Government should pass laws to make ordinary people protect the environment, even if it interferes with people’s rights to make their own decisions". Other replies include (1) Government should let ordinary people decide for themselves how to protect the environment, even if it means they don’t always do the right thing, and (8) Can't choose. In Environment III (2010) - question 15a. In Environment II (2000) - question 13a. In Environment I (1993) - question 18a. The higher the score the higher the belief that the government should pass laws to make people protect the environment. The lower the score the lower the belief that the government should pass laws to make people protect the environment.
More about this variablePercent of replies (1) Coal, oil and natural gas to 18: "To which of the following should [COUNTRY] give priority in order to meet its future energy needs?". Other replies include: (2) Nuclear power, (3) Solar, wind or water power, (4) Fuels made from crop, (5) None of them. In Environment III (2010) - question 18. In Environment II (2000) - question not part of the survey. In Environment I (1993) - question not part of survey. The higher the score the higher the percentage of people that prefers fossil fuels over other sources. The lower the score the lower the percentage of people that prefers fossil fuels over other sources.
More about this variableAverage reply to 19a: "How much do you agree or disagree with each of these statements? For environmental problems, there should be international agreements that [COUNTRY] and other countries should be made to follow". (1) Agree strongly, (2) Agree, (3) Neither agree nor disagree, (4) Disagree, (5) Disagree strongly. Replies (8) Can't choose are deleted. In Environment III (2010) - question 19a. In Environment II (2000) - question 16a. In Environment I (1993) - question not part of the survey. A higher score means that there is less support in the population for international agreements. A lower score means that there is more support in the population towards international agreements.
More about this variableAverage reply to 19b: "How much do you agree or disagree with each of these statements? Poorer countries should be expected to make less effort than richer countries to protect the environment". (1) Agree strongly, (2) Agree, (3) Neither agree nor disagree, (4) Disagree, (5) Disagree strongly. Replies (8) Can't choose are deleted. In Environment III (2010) - question 19b. In Environment II (2000) - question 16b. In Environment I (1993) - question not part of the survey. A higher score means that fewer people think that poorer countries should do less than rich countries to protect the environment. A lower score means that more people think that poorer countries should do less than rich countries to protect the environment.
More about this variablePercent replying "The environment" to 1a: "Which of these issues is the most important for [COUNTRY] today?" plus percent replying "The environment" to 1b: "Which of these issues is the next most important for [COUNTRY] today?". The issues in the list include: (1) Health care, (2) Education, (3) Crime, (4) The environment, (5) Immigration, (6) The economy, (7) Terrorism, (8) Poverty, (9) None of these, (98) Can't choose. In Environment III (2010) - questions 1a and 1b. In Environment II (2000) - question not part of the survey. In Environment I (1993) - question not part of the survey. The higher the score the higher the percentage of the population that prioritizes the environment as the most or second most important issue. The lower the score the smaller the percentage of the population that prioritizes the environment as the most or second most important issue.
More about this variableAverage reply to 20a: "How often do you make a special effort to sort glass or tins or plastic or newspapers and so on for recycling?". (1) Always, (2) Often, (3) Sometimes, (4) Never. Responses (8) Recycling not available where I live are deleted. In Environment III (2010) - question 20a. In Environment II (2000) - question 19a. In Environment I (1993) - question 19a. A higher score means that fewer people make an effort to recycle correctly. A lower score means that more people make an effort to recycle correctly.
More about this variablePercent of replies (8) Recycling not available where I live to 20a: "How often do you make a special effort to sort glass or tins or plastic or newspapers and so on for recycling?". In Environment III (2010) - answer not included. In Environment II (2000) - question 19a. In Environment I (1993) - question 19a. A higher score means that more people have access to recycling facilities. A lower score means that fewer people have access to recycling facilities.
More about this variableAverage reply to 20d: "How often do you reduce the energy or fuel you use at home for environmental reasons?". (1) Always, (2) Often, (3) Sometimes, (4) Never. In Environment III (2010) - question 20d. In Environment II (2000) - question not part of the survey. In Environment I (1993) - question not part of the survey. A higher score means that fewer people make a special effort to reduce energy consumption for environmental reasons. A lower score means that more people make a special effort to reduce energy consumption for environmental reasons.
More about this variablePercent of "yes"-replies to 21: "Are you a member of any group whose main aim is to preserve or protect the environment?". In Environment III (2010) - question 21. In Environment II (2000) - question 20. In Environment I (1993) - question 20. A higher score means that more people are members of environmental groups. A lower score means that fewer people are members of environmental groups.
More about this variablePercent of "yes"-replies to 22a: "In the last five years, have you signed a petition about an environmental issue?". In Environment III (2010) - question 22a. In Environment II (2000) - question 21a. In Environment I (1993) - question 21a. A higher score means that more people signed petitions for environmental issues in the 2 years prior to the survey. A lower score means that fewer people signed petitions for environmental issues in the 2 years prior to the survey.
More about this variablePercent of "yes"-replies to 22b: "In the last five years, have you given money to an environmental group (including NGOs and lobby groups)?". In Environment III (2010) - question 22b. In Environment II (2000) - question 21b. In Environment I (1993) - question 21b. A higher score means that more people gave money to environmental groups in the 5 years prior to the survey. A lower score means that fewer people gave money to environmental groups in the 5 years prior to the survey.
More about this variablePercent of "yes"-replies to 22c: "In the last five years, have you taken part in a protest or demonstration about an environmental issue?". In Environment III (2010) - question 22c. In Environment II (2000) - question 21c. In Environment I (1993) - question 21c. A higher score means that more people participated in environmental protests in the 5 years prior to the survey. A lower score means that fewer people participated in environmental protests in the 5 years prior to the survey.
More about this variableAverage reply to the question: "Generally speaking, how concerned are you about environmental issues?". (1) Not at all concerned - (5) Very concerned. Replies (8) Can't choose are deleted. In Environment III (2010) - question 6. In Environment II (2000) - question not part of the survey. In Environment I (1993) - question not part of the survey. A higher score means that more people are concerned about environmental issues. A lower score means that fewer people are concerned about environmental issues.
More about this variableAverage reply to 8a: "How much do you feel you know about the causes of these sorts of environmental problems?". (1) Know nothing at all - (5) Know a great deal. Replies (8) Can't choose are deleted. "These sorts of environmental problems" refer to (1) Air pollution, (2) Chemicals and pesticides, (3) Water shortage, (4) Water pollution, (5) Nuclear waste, (6) Domestic waste disposal, (7) Climate change, (8) Genetically modified foods, (9) Using up our natural resources. In Environment III (2010) - question 8a. In Environment II (2000) - question not part of the survey. In Environment I (1993) - question not part of the survey. A higher score means that more people feel that they know about the causes of environmental problems. A lower score means that fewer people feel that they know about the causes of environmental problems.
More about this variableAverage reply to 8b: "And how much do you feel you know about solutions to these sorts of environmental problems?". (1) Know nothing at all - (5) Know a great deal. Replies (8) Can't choose are deleted. In Environment III (2010) - question 8b. In Environment II (2000) - question not part of the survey. In Environment I (1993) - question not part of the survey. A higher score means that more people feel that they know about the solutions to environmental problems. A lower score means that fewer people feel that they know about the solutions to environmental problems.
More about this variableAverage reply to 9a: "How much do you agree or disagree with this statement? We believe too often in science, and not enough in feelings and faith". (1) Agree strongly, (2) Agree, (3) Neither agree nor disagree, (4) Disagree, (5) Disagree strongly. Replies (8) Can't choose are deleted. In Environment III (2010) - question 9a. In Environment II (2000) - question 3a. In Environment I (1993) - question 4a. A higher score means that there are fewer people who think that we believe in science too often and not enough in feelings and faith. A lower score means that there are more people who think that we believe in science too often and not enough in feelings and faith.
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