From Objective Environmental Problems to Subjective Environmental Concern: A Multilevel Analysis Using 30 Indicators of Environmental Quality

This article analyzes the effect of environmental degradation, the affluence hypothesis, and postmaterialist theory to assess the environmental concern of individuals in 51 countries. The hypotheses are tested using a multilevel analysis that employs an unprecedented number of objective indicators of environmental degradation, using the World Values Survey 6th wave (2010–2014). The results support the degradation hypotheses, where the importance of water scarcity in a country and national biodiversity are the major variables that explain individual environmental concern among all the indicators of environmental degradation. The affluence hypothesis is rejected and the postmaterialist theory is supported only at the individual level.