IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i19p12760-d934348.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Citizens’ Perception on Air Quality in Portugal—How Concern Motivates Awareness

Author

Listed:
  • Nuno Canha

    (Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Estrada Nacional 10, Km 139.7, 2695-066 Bobadela, Portugal)

  • Ana Rita Justino

    (Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Estrada Nacional 10, Km 139.7, 2695-066 Bobadela, Portugal)

  • Carla A. Gamelas

    (Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Estrada Nacional 10, Km 139.7, 2695-066 Bobadela, Portugal
    Instituto Politécnico de Setúbal, Escola Superior de Tecnologia de Setúbal, Centro de Investigação em Energia e Ambiente, IPS Campus, 2914-508 Setúbal, Portugal)

  • Susana Marta Almeida

    (Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Estrada Nacional 10, Km 139.7, 2695-066 Bobadela, Portugal)

Abstract

This study aimed to understand the knowledge of Portuguese citizens about air quality and the extent to which the concerns about specific environmental problems can motivate their acquaintance of information. Moreover, this study also allowed to understand which information about air quality needs further dissemination to provide the citizens with all the available tools and the correct knowledge. For this, a national online survey about air quality perception was conducted, where 1131 answers were obtained and two different populations were compared: the general population and a sub-population from an urban-industrial area of Lisbon metropolitan area that had experienced frequent air pollution events in the past. Air pollution was considered the environmental topic of higher concern among this sub-population (61.4%), while in the general population it ranked thirdly (27.4%). Generally, the sub-population showed higher knowledge about air quality than the general population, with 61% being able to identify at least one air pollutant. The perception of the local air quality was also very different between populations, with 61% of the sub-population considering it poor or very poor, while only 14% of the general population had the same perception, which highlights the different levels of concern between populations. A weak knowledge about air pollutants (50% of the general population could not identify any air pollutant) and an erroneous perception of the contribution of the different pollution sources to air quality levels were found. More than 50% of the respondents of both populations were considered to not have enough information regarding the air quality in their area of residence, with the national air quality database being unknown to almost everyone. Overall, strong efforts should be made to increase the awareness about the importance of air quality, which may promote a higher acceptance of the implementation of future actions to improve air quality.

Suggested Citation

  • Nuno Canha & Ana Rita Justino & Carla A. Gamelas & Susana Marta Almeida, 2022. "Citizens’ Perception on Air Quality in Portugal—How Concern Motivates Awareness," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-17, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:19:p:12760-:d:934348
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/19/12760/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/19/12760/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Samuel D. Brody & B. Mitchell Peck & Wesley E. Highfield, 2004. "Examining Localized Patterns of Air Quality Perception in Texas: A Spatial and Statistical Analysis," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 24(6), pages 1561-1574, December.
    2. Liliana Cori & Gabriele Donzelli & Francesca Gorini & Fabrizio Bianchi & Olivia Curzio, 2020. "Risk Perception of Air Pollution: A Systematic Review Focused on Particulate Matter Exposure," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-27, September.
    3. Xiaojun Liu & Hui Zhu & Yongxin Hu & Sha Feng & Yuanyuan Chu & Yanyan Wu & Chiyu Wang & Yuxuan Zhang & Zhaokang Yuan & Yuanan Lu, 2016. "Public’s Health Risk Awareness on Urban Air Pollution in Chinese Megacities: The Cases of Shanghai, Wuhan and Nanchang," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-14, August.
    4. Daniel Shepherd & Kim Dirks & David Welch & David McBride & Jason Landon, 2016. "The Covariance between Air Pollution Annoyance and Noise Annoyance, and Its Relationship with Health-Related Quality of Life," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-15, August.
    5. Christian Oltra & Roser Sala, 2018. "Perception of risk from air pollution and reported behaviors: a cross-sectional survey study in four cities," Journal of Risk Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(7), pages 869-884, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Gorica Stanojević & Slavica Malinović-Milićević & Nina B. Ćurčić & Milan Radovanović & Aleksandar Radivojević & Teodora Popović & Srećko Ćurčić, 2023. "An Assessment of the Multidimensional Drivers and Determinants of Public Risk Perception of and Behaviors Related to Exposure to Air Pollution in Serbia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(24), pages 1-19, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Dalia M. Muñoz-Pizza & Mariana Villada-Canela & M. A. Reyna & José Luis Texcalac-Sangrador & Jesús Serrano-Lomelin & Álvaro Osornio-Vargas, 2020. "Assessing the Influence of Socioeconomic Status and Air Pollution Levels on the Public Perception of Local Air Quality in a Mexico-US Border City," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-22, June.
    2. Daxin Dong & Xiaowei Xu & Wen Xu & Junye Xie, 2019. "The Relationship Between the Actual Level of Air Pollution and Residents’ Concern about Air Pollution: Evidence from Shanghai, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-18, November.
    3. Kati Orru & Pekka Tiittanen & Sari Ung-Lanki & Hans Orru & Timo Lanki, 2022. "Perception of Risks from Wood Combustion and Traffic Induced Air Pollution: Evidence from Northern Europe," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-17, August.
    4. Sonja Grossberndt & Philipp Schneider & Hai-Ying Liu & Mirjam F. Fredriksen & Nuria Castell & Panagiota Syropoulou & Alena Bartoňová, 2020. "Public Perception of Urban Air Quality Using Volunteered Geographic Information Services," Urban Planning, Cogitatio Press, vol. 5(4), pages 45-58.
    5. Liliana Cori & Gabriele Donzelli & Francesca Gorini & Fabrizio Bianchi & Olivia Curzio, 2020. "Risk Perception of Air Pollution: A Systematic Review Focused on Particulate Matter Exposure," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-27, September.
    6. Francisco A. Buendia-Hernandez & Maria J. Ortiz Bevia & Francisco J. Alvarez-Garcia & Antonio Ruizde Elvira, 2022. "Sensitivity of a Dynamic Model of Air Traffic Emissions to Technological and Environmental Factors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-17, November.
    7. Hausman, Catherine & Stolper, Samuel, 2021. "Inequality, information failures, and air pollution," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    8. Hung‐Chih Hung & Tzu‐Wen Wang, 2011. "Determinants and Mapping of Collective Perceptions of Technological Risk: The Case of the Second Nuclear Power Plant in Taiwan," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(4), pages 668-683, April.
    9. Gorica Stanojević & Slavica Malinović-Milićević & Nina B. Ćurčić & Milan Radovanović & Aleksandar Radivojević & Teodora Popović & Srećko Ćurčić, 2023. "An Assessment of the Multidimensional Drivers and Determinants of Public Risk Perception of and Behaviors Related to Exposure to Air Pollution in Serbia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(24), pages 1-19, December.
    10. Zeynep Altinay & Eric Rittmeyer & Lauren L. Morris & Margaret A. Reams, 2021. "Public risk salience of sea level rise in Louisiana, United States," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 11(4), pages 523-536, December.
    11. Kevin Fox Gotham & Richard Campanella & Katie Lauve‐Moon & Bradford Powers, 2018. "Hazard Experience, Geophysical Vulnerability, and Flood Risk Perceptions in a Postdisaster City, the Case of New Orleans," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 38(2), pages 345-356, February.
    12. Juwon Chung & Seung-Nam Kim & Hyungkyoo Kim, 2019. "The Impact of PM 10 Levels on Pedestrian Volume: Findings from Streets in Seoul, South Korea," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-23, December.
    13. Zhihua Xu & Jingzhu Shan, 2018. "The effect of risk perception on willingness to pay for reductions in the health risks posed by particulate matter 2.5: A case study of Beijing, China," Energy & Environment, , vol. 29(8), pages 1319-1337, December.
    14. Liliana Cori & Olivia Curzio & Gabriele Donzelli & Elisa Bustaffa & Fabrizio Bianchi, 2022. "A Systematic Review of Radon Risk Perception, Awareness, and Knowledge: Risk Communication Options," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-27, August.
    15. Zhiwei Wang & Qiang Liu & Bo Hou, 2022. "How Does Government Information Service Quality Influence Public Environmental Awareness?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-15, December.
    16. Chia-Lee Yang & Chi-Yo Huang & Yi-Hao Hsiao, 2021. "Using Social Media Mining and PLS-SEM to Examine the Causal Relationship between Public Environmental Concerns and Adaptation Strategies," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(10), pages 1-23, May.
    17. Wu, Junfeng & Liu, Baohua & Chang, Samuel & Chan, Kam C., 2022. "Effects of air pollution on accounting conservatism," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    18. Eoin O'Neill & Finbarr Brereton & Harutyun Shahumyan & J. Peter Clinch, 2016. "The Impact of Perceived Flood Exposure on Flood‐Risk Perception: The Role of Distance," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 36(11), pages 2158-2186, November.
    19. Jamaludin, Husna & Patunru, Arianto & Lahiri-Dutt, Kuntala, 2020. "Role of rumours and locals’ perceptions on the level of environmental impacts of Lynas Advanced Material Plant, Kuantan, Malaysia," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    20. Nguyen, Thanh Cong & Le, Hoa Thu & Nguyen, Hang Dieu & Le, Thanh Ha & Nguyen, Hong Quang, 2021. "Estimating economic benefits associated with air quality improvements in Hanoi City: An application of a choice experiment," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 420-433.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:19:p:12760-:d:934348. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.