POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC-DETERMINANTS OF INDIVIDUALS SUPPORT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SPENDING

The ability of a government to pursue policy initiatives depends subst antially upon trends in public opinion. This research examines public attitudes toward environmental spending from 1974 to 1991. Using indiv idual-level data over seventeen years obtained from the US National Op inion Research Center, we find evidence that support for enhanced envi ronmental funding is influenced by an array of demographic and attitud inal factors including age, education, gender, ideology, party affilia tion and urbanization. In particular, we also uncover evidence that pe rsonal and macro-level economic conditions play a role in conditioning the acceptance by individuals of increased environmental funding. At the personal level, work status and income are significant indicators of individuals' attitudes. Our results imply that macroeconomic condit ions are also influential. While we find indications of increasing sup port for environmental funding independent of demographic, attitudinal and economic factors, our research suggests that policy-makers should be aware of a variety of socioeconomic influences on public opinion. (C) 1997 Academic Press Limited.