Hi, Thanks, I will send out a polex message shortly presenting some of these poll results,

many thanks, David

—–Original Message—–

From: Luiz Carlos de Miranda Joels [mailto:joels@mct.gov.br]

Sent: Thursday, February 06, 2003 11:58 PM

To: ’Kaimowitz, David (CIFOR)’; ’shressp’; CIFOR-Polex Listserve

Cc: Benoit Mertens (CIRAD)

Subject: RES: Beefing up the Brazilian Amazon; opinion poll

Dear Coleagues,

Please find attached below a text on a public opinion poll conducted in the Brazilian Amazon –

and in Portuguese – about peopl’s opinion on forest conservation and related subjects. The

main aspects of the poll:

– 2049 people were interviewed both in urban and rural areas of 3 Brazilian Amazon states

– Forest conservation is considered the main priority;

– 46% considered sustainable of natural resources to be a priority;

– 59% don’t want more pollution, even if it means more jobs;

– 69% don’t consider progress more important than conservation; the conscept of sustainable

development is not well known: only 21 % of the people have heard about it

More information can be obtained from: http://www.codigoflorestal.com.br/english/pesquisa.asp

Another public opinion research “What Brazilians think about the environment”, conducted in

all Brazilian regions, shows that deforestation is considered the worst environmental problem

with 49% of the answers, followed by water pollution (29%) and air pollution (15%). More about

it at http://www.iser.org.br/portug/meio_ambiente_brasil.pdf.

Talkink from my extensive personal experience in the Amazon, I believe that there is a small

bias, just a small one, in the Amazonian poll, as people tend to say what they think the

interviewer wants to hear. The item on jobs is the one that I find tricky.

For those who can’t read Portuguese and are interested in knowing more about specific

subjects, I can try to help.

Atenciosamente,

Luiz Carlos de Miranda Joels

Gerente de Programa

Ciência e Tecnologia para a Gestão de Ecossistemas

Ministério da Ciência e Tecnologia

Esplanada dos Ministérios, bloco E, sala 256

Brasília DF 70067-900

tel: (61) 317-7401

fax: (61) 226-0834

joels@mct.gov.br