WHY WE DO ITAustralians are worried about what is happening to the environment. In a 2008 survey* in which they were asked to rank ‘national issues', their greatest concern was for ‘health', followed closely by ‘water shortages', ‘education' and ‘protecting the natural environment'. Asked to rank environmental concerns, their greatest worry was for ‘pollution of rivers and waterways'. ‘Protection of Australia's endangered species' was fourth, ‘protection of native plants and animals' seventh, and ‘protection of native forests' eighth. At the Thomas Foundation, we are heartened that these concerns of ordinary Australians are so closely aligned to our own strategic goals that were independently formulated without the benefit of such a survey. These results will also give heart to the other conservation organisations, strengthening their hand in approaches to elected legislators for further support in this area which clearly ranks so highly in the minds of all Australians. In terms of the population, the survey shows that just over two thirds of all Australians are very concerned about the pollution of our rivers and waterways. Just under two thirds are equally concerned about protecting our endangered species. More than half rate as "very important" the protection of our animals, plants and forests - and that's slightly more than the proportion with this level of concern about climate change. Three in four related a strong economy to maintaining a healthy environment, and more than half agreed there was no benefit in protecting people's jobs if those jobs involved destruction of our natural environment. * National Environmental Poll for The Nature Conservancy and the Pew Environmental Group by EMC Media Communications
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