Ecobreves – CHILE: Environmental Opinions from the Poor

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SANTIAGO, Jun 2 2007 (IPS) - Ninety-seven percent of the low-income residents of the capital say the city's environmental quality is “mediocre” or “very poor”, 77.7 percent believe “environmental problems are not important to the politicians”, and 86.2 percent think the environment is neglected due to “lack of education”. These are the results of a poll conducted by the private Cardinal Raúl Silva Henríquez Catholic University for the fourth year in a row.

“The poll shows that the poorest population in the region has a very complete and complex view about the issue that is reported in the media,” Marcelo Yánez, in charge of the study released May 24, told Tierramérica.

“The respondents can identify all contaminant agents: from transportation to the industries of different areas of productivity,” he said.