Eurobarometer: Environment protection is important for Romanians, but fewer recycle selectively than EU average

Most Romanians – 91% believe environment protection is important for them personally, and 60% of them think air pollution is the most important of such problems, according to a recent Eurobarometer. Over three quarters of Romanians – or 82% of them – believe they can play a role in protecting the environment and that environment issues have a direct impact on their daily lives. Around half of Romanians think they are rather well informed about environment issues, and 43% believe harsher penalties, including fines should be introduced for those who break environment laws and pollute. The data came from a recent Eurobarometer meant to show what Europeans feel about environment protection. Across the EU, 95% of the respondents said environment protection was important for them personally. Responses in Romania follow quite closely the EU averages in perception of environmental issues, with one major difference in selective recycling: while 72% of Europeans said they have recycled selectively in the past month, only 33% of Romanians say so. This can be due to the lack of habit, or due to the lack of proper infrastructure for selective recycling. Another major difference was in what Romanians believe to be one of the most effective ways of tackling environmental problems. While on average 33% of Europeans believe one of the solutions could be ensuring higher financial incentives, such as tax breaks and subsidies to industry, business and citizens, only 21% of Romanian respondents feel the same way. Introduction or increasing taxation on environmentally damaging activities is an option for 18% of Europeans, but only for 11% of Romanians, the Eurobarometer reveals. The full fact sheet with results for Romania (in pdf, in English) is here. editor@romania-insider.com