Europe and Asia 'most satisfied with air and water quality'

Residents in Europe and Asia have been found to be the most satisfied with air quality and water quality, according to a recent poll.

The survey was conducted through telephone and face-to-face interviews of 1,000 adults over the age of 15, and spanned across more than 140 countries. It was conducted by Gallup, who conduct data-driven news based on US and world polls, daily tracking and public opinion research.

Overall, 75 per cent of adults from the countries surveyed said they were happy with air quality in the area they resided, which compared to 68 per cent for water quality. The best result for air quality was in Ireland, where 95 per cent of residents said that they were satisfied with the quality of the air in the country.

Other countries to perform well included New Zealand, Australia, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Singapore, Germany, United Kingdom, India and Tajikistan. The countries where residents were least satisfied were largely around Eastern Europe and Asia, with Hong Kong, Angola, Malta, Iraq, Haiti, Lebanon, Albania, Russia and Ukraine home to residents least satisfied with their air quality.

Water quality satisfaction was the highest amongst developed parts of the world, such as Europe, the Americas and parts of Asia. 97 per cent of residents in the United Kingdom were satisfied with water quality, 96 per cent in Germany, 96 per cent in Sweden, 96 per cent in Denmark and 95 per cent in Singapore.

Overall, sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and countries that were formerly in the Soviet Union were perceived as having the worst quality of water.

In America, another poll has found that severe weather conditions are increasingly being linked with climate change. The study asked people in America about unusual weather conditions in the country, finding that the majority attributed the effects to global warming and climate change.

Posted by Lauren Steadman