EUobserver

The results from the first global online poll on the environment, has pointed to a lack of confidence in the ability of governments to handle important environmental problems, problems which are viewed as getting worse.

The poll showed that while 74 per cent of respondents believe governments are responsible for solving environmental problems only 29 per cent believe that the work they are doing is positive.

Regarding what could be done to rectify the situation a number of proposals were put forward - the most popular of which where changing the way people live and increasing environmental education. Raising taxation on environmentally damaging products, often put forward by governments and think tanks, was the sixth most popular response.

The willingness of citizens to pay for environmental improvements was also hi-lighted by the poll. Two-thirds of respondents were willing to give up at least 1 per cent of their income for real environmental quality improvement and 23 per cent willing to give up more than 5 per cent.

This first online global poll was launched in conjunction with the United Nations Summit on Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg from August 26 - Sept 4. The poll, conducted for Andreas Papandreou Foundation, Greece, involved 25,164 people from 175 countries.