Americans notice the loss of biodiversity in their lives and would like more regulations and more information on the topic. These are the results of the survey commissioned by Fondazione Capellino and conducted by IPSOS in nine European and North American countries, including the United States of America.
A common belief holds that people are not very interested in environmental issues—topics perceived as elitist or boring. Yet when they are asked about them, a very different picture emerges. This is confirmed by the study promoted by Fondazione Capellino—the 100% owner of the pet food brand Almo Nature, which uses its net profits for biodiversity protection projects. The survey involved more than one thousand people between the ages of 18 and 75 in Italy, the United Kingdom, Spain, France, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, the United States of America, and Canada.
For those in a hurry:
Americans are beginning to see biodiversity loss with their own eyes
Researchers asked American respondents to estimate their level of interest in the issue of biodiversity loss, expressing their answer on a scale from one to ten. More than 60% gave a score higher than six, and more than 30% gave a score higher than eight. These are significant figures, similar for example to those recorded in Canada, but still lower than the responses provided by several European samples. The results change very little when respondents are asked how concerned they are about biodiversity loss.
IPSOS also obtained notable results regarding the visible effects of the ecological crisis. For example, 62% of respondents have personally noticed a decline in the number of pollinating insects, and the same percentage have noticed the degradation of lakes, rivers, and waterways. The environmental issue that concerns Americans the most is climate change, followed by air quality and excessive waste production. Biodiversity loss ranks sixth out of nine in the ranking of environmental concerns.
Pollsters also asked respondents about action. Seventy-seven percent of Americans want stricter regulations. 68% support allocating more public resources to protect biodiversity, with the majority expecting the government to take the lead. About 50% believe that traditional media—newspapers, television, and radio—should talk more about the issue. Finally, for almost everyone, biodiversity protection is directly linked to human health: 84% of Americans are convinced of this.
The other countries: differences and common ground
The American responses fit within broader trends shared by the countries involved in the study. Mediterranean countries are, overall, the most concerned about biodiversity loss, while the United States and the Netherlands rank at the bottom of the list. Climate change is the primary concern for all countries, but as mentioned earlier, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands also place biodiversity at the center of their concerns—a concept that all countries primarily associate with the diversity of ecosystems.
One respondent out of two wants to see more biodiversity-related content in the media, six out of ten have noticed the decline in environmental conditions in their local areas, and six out of ten are convinced that agriculture and biodiversity can coexist. There are, however, some findings that run counter to these trends: only one-third of those surveyed feel there is a need to act urgently to protect biodiversity, and only one-third unequivocally condemn the use of pesticides. Finally, seven out of ten want to see more public funding allocated to protecting nature.
In short, the urgency imposed by biodiversity loss, along with certain specific issues, has not yet been fully absorbed by the general population. But overall, the message that emerges is clear. Americans—and not only Americans—are concerned about biodiversity loss and want to take action to stop it.