環境保護與經濟成長關係的認知分析

A Cognitive Analysis of the Relation between Environmental Protection and Economic Growth

本文從經濟景氣、城鄉差異、世代更替與環境污染意識，探討台灣民眾對環境保護與經濟成長關係的認知。利用1991、1994與2001年全國性調查資料分析，結果發現當國家經濟維持正比例成長時，台灣民眾在環境保護與經濟成長支持率的差距隨著消費物價上升率提高而變小。但當經濟呈負的成長率時，此差距不僅變小，甚至變成負值。這種認知差距從年輕至年老世代呈遞增。環境污染意識與教育是提昇民眾環保觀念的重要因素。三年資料顯示，當環境污染知覺程度提高時，無論是相對於經濟成長或獨立機率的推估，支持環保優先的機率從1991到2001年大略有下降的趨勢。這顯示經濟景氣可能是中介民眾污染意識是影響其環保重要性認知的重要因素。相反的，教育對提昇民眾環境價值認知則不因經濟景氣而改變。 This paper examines the changes of Taiwanese' perceptions of the relative importance of environmental protection and economic growth associated with inflation, rural-urban difference, intergenerational replacement, and pollution awareness. The analyses of three datasets from nation-wide surveys conducted in 1991, 1994, and 2001 revealed a trade-off between the support of environmental protection and that of economic growth. Such a trade-off declined with the increase of inflation rate.The results also showed a cohort replacement that the young were more supportive of environmental protection versus economic development. Pollution awareness and education were two important factors that would enhance the consciousness of environmental protection. Comparatively, the probability of supporting environmental protection declined with the increase of pollution awareness but consistently remained almost the same from 1991 to 2001.

This paper examines the changes of Taiwanese' perceptions of the relative importance of environmental protection and economic growth associated with inflation, rural-urban difference, intergenerational replacement, and pollution awareness. The analyses of three datasets from nation-wide surveys conducted in 1991, 1994, and 2001 revealed a trade-off between the support of environmental protection and that of economic growth. Such a trade-off declined with the increase of inflation rate.The results also showed a cohort replacement that the young were more supportive of environmental protection versus economic development. Pollution awareness and education were two important factors that would enhance the consciousness of environmental protection. Comparatively, the probability of supporting environmental protection declined with the increase of pollution awareness but consistently remained almost the same from 1991 to 2001.