Preliminary results from a Public Attitude Survey that was commissioned by the Malta Environment & Planning Authority (MEPA) earlier this year reveals that 70% of respondents stated that they sometimes purchase products with less packaging in order to reduce the problem of waste whilst 89% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed to restrict car use when air quality emission exceed health limits.

“These preliminary results provide us with important baseline information about public concerns and aspirations. This is crucial for MEPA due the importance of public participation involving all sectors and players of society, both in planning and environmental processes.” MEPA Chairman Austin Walker said during a prize-giving ceremony for ten winning participants of the survey.

In line with MEPA’s legal obligation to publish a report on the State of the Environment (SOE) every three years, public perceptions on the most relevant environmental and planning issues highlighted by ongoing SOE reporting, have been investigated through a public attitude survey. This survey provides important baseline information about public concerns and aspirations. This is crucial for MEPA due the importance of public participation involving all sectors and players of society, both in planning and environmental processes.

These preliminary results are based solely on frequency rather than detailed statistical analysis, and provide an early picture of environmental concerns and values in Malta in 2008. Furthermore accurate analysis will be carried by MEPA in the near future, exploring statistical correlations and comparing the results with the 1990 and 1999 attitude surveys. This data will be feed into the final 2008 State of the Environment Report that will be published early 2009.

These results, along with the rest of the report findings, will help to inform policy development in the environmental and land use planning fields, in a way that contributes to sustainable development.

Preliminary findings:

On the theme of air quality 89% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed to restrict car use when air quality emission exceed health limits and 85% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed to accept a stricter vehicle test in order to improve air quality.

On the land use side, 84% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that Malta is too built up, whilst 61% of the people interviewed agreed or strongly agreed that there should be penalties on vacant properties to encourage their use. The height of building was also one of the questions raised in the questionnaire, where 51% of the respondents agreed or strongly agreed that new buildings should not be higher. Interestingly, 63% of respondents believe that the provision of public recreational space in the countryside is low. When asked whether noise is a problem, 79% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that noise is a problem in the Maltese islands.

Waste was another environmental theme addressed by the questionnaire and 94% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they make an effort to reduce their waste. Interestingly, 70% of respondents stated that sometimes purchase products with less packaging in order to reduce waste, while 72% of respondents are well or very well informed on how to dispose of their waste.

When asked whether the environment is equally, more or less important than the economy, 69% of the respondents stated that the environment is equally important as the economy and 23% stated that the environment is more important than the economy.

Survey Methodology

The survey was conducted through a consultancy firm, on the basis of face-to-face interviews with a statistically representative sample of the Maltese population of 1,064 citizens. The sample was drawn from the general population, found in the electoral register, of people aged 18 and over. The actual number of interviews carried out was 1,042, resulting in a margin of error of less than 5%. The survey interviews took place during the months of August and September 2008,

The questionnaire contained 65 questions, concerning the following sectors: air, chemicals, climate, land and planning, marine and coast, water, nature and biodiversity, noise, resources, waste and other selected issues. A number of demographic characteristics were also collected, as follows: gender, status, occupation, age, number of children, income level and education. These variables, including the locality of residence of each respondent, already provided in the database, were chosen on the basis of relevance and in order to be able to accurately highlight the differences amongst the groups.

Photo above shows MEPA Chairman Mr Austin Walker presenting one of the prizes to one of ten winning participants of the survey.

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