A comprehensive global public
opinion survey on attitudes about fresh water sustainability, management and
conservation finds that people around the world view water issues as the
planet''s top environmental problem, greater than air pollution, depletion of
natural resources, loss of habitat and climate change. The poll surveyed 1,000
people in each of 15 countries, and probed 500 in each of the following
countries on specific questions: Canada, China, India, Mexico, Russia, the
United Kingdom and the United States. The results were released in Stockholm as
part of World Water Week. A close look at the results shows that people around
the world view water pollution as the most important facet of the fresh water
crisis, and that shortages of fresh water are very close behind. Across the 15
countries surveyed 93 percent say water pollution is a very serious or somewhat
serious problem. Ninety-one percent believe that a shortage of fresh water is a
very serious or somewhat serious problem. Across the seven focus countries the
government is considered among the most responsible for ensuring clean water.
Seventy-eight percent say "solving drinking water problems will require
significant help from companies," indicating that partnerships are an
important component to resolving the world''s fresh water sustainability
challenges. Seventy-six percent say they need more information to be able to
protect water. While people around the world agree on the importance of the
issue, some key differences between the countries surveyed support the idea
that solutions will have to be carefully tailored to local conditions: Across
the seven countries surveyed, people in Mexico are the most concerned about
"lack of water for agriculture" (75 percent are very concerned).
People in India are most concerned about "the high cost of water" (60
percent) compared to other countries. People in Mexico express the most urgency
about the severity of the pollution and water scarcity issues they face, but
also the most optimism about their ability to solve the problems. In all
countries, more than half of those surveyed agree that government is
responsible for ensuring clean water. When asked whether individual citizens
are responsible, however, responses vary widely by country, from a high of 76
percent in Mexico to a low of 30 percent in China. More than five million
people die each year due to a lack of safe drinking water, and the United
Nations estimates that 5.5 billion people will lack adequate access to fresh
water in the next 20 years. Water scarcity and threats to water quality have
emerged as serious threats to people and businesses around the world. The independent
survey was commissioned by Circle of Blue-the Michigan-based international
network of leading journalists, and scientists and communicators focused on
global water issues. Molson Coors Brewing Company supported the research, which
was conducted by GlobeScan a global survey research firm.