Public Awareness of Nature and the Environment During the COVID-19 Crisis

TLDR

The COVID‑19 crisis has altered human behavior, reducing pollution but also heightening awareness of local green and blue spaces, which may shift public support toward a sustainable economic transition. The study investigates how public awareness of nature and the environment has evolved during the COVID‑19 crisis by analyzing online search behavior in twenty European countries. The authors analyze online search data from twenty European countries to track changes in public awareness of nature and environmental topics during the crisis. The crisis coincides with significant pollution reductions and a positive shift in public awareness of nature topics, while environmental topic awareness remains unchanged.

Abstract

As our behavioral patterns change due to the COVID-19 crisis, our impact on nature and the environment changes too. Pollution levels are showing significant reductions. People are more aware of the importance of access to local green and blue spaces. By analyzing online search behavior in twenty European countries, we investigate how public awareness of nature and the environment has evolved during the COVID-19 crisis. We find that the crisis goes hand in hand with a positive shift in public awareness of nature-related topics, but that awareness of environmental topics remains unaffected. While the decreasing pollution levels and media attention may reduce the overall sense of urgency to tackle pollution problems, the increased experience with local natural resources may strengthen public support for a recovery program that puts the transition towards a more sustainable economic system centrally.