EXPLORING VARIATION IN PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL-PROTECTION

Objective. Previous research has explored the determinants of support for environment protection using cross-sectional individual-level data . This paper, in contrast, examines the aggregate-level determinants o f support over the last two decades. Methods. From public opinion data from both the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) and the Roper S urveys that solicit respondents' views on environmental spending, the percentage of responses saying too little is spent is used to construc t a time series with a total of 38 data points consisting of two obser vations for every year from 1973 to 1991. Results. Regression analysis indicates that, as hypothesized, real per capita income influences at titudes toward environmental policy. As real income increases, support for additional spending also increases. The media also appear to prod uce a significant impact. As media concern increases, support for spen ding rises correspondingly. Conclusions. Consistent with earlier resea rch, the findings suggest that improving economic conditions make citi zens more likely to support the provision of collective goods. However , the role of the media in affecting this concern should also be taken into account. More generally, the gains attained by the environmental movement may, to a substantial extent, be vulnerable to a variety of forces.