Public Perceptions of Urban Air Pollution with a Focus on Developing Countries
by Sumeet Saksena
East-West Center Working Papers, Environmental Change, Vulnerability, and Governance Series, No. 65
Understanding public perception and attitudes toward air
quality and regulation is critical for successful citizen involvement as shifts
toward new technologies and management alternatives take place. While urban air
pollution continues to be a major risk in most parts of the world, very few
studies and surveys have been conducted to systematically study public
perceptions related to air pollution. Even fewer studies have focused on developing
countries. This gap is critical because of the complex interaction between
poverty, livelihoods and sustainable development in developing countries. A
Pressure-State-Response framework is used to review studies of public
perceptions of air pollution and knowledge gaps are identified. The paper
highlights unique characteristics of urban areas in developing countries in the
context of air pollution related perceptions.