Objective problems, subjective values, and global environmentalism: Evaluating the postmaterialist argument and challenging a new explanation

Objective. This paper examines the viability of the latest explanation for global environmentalism. This new view sees global environmentalism as the combined product of direct experiences of the citizens of "poorer" nations (objective problems thesis) with the subjective values shift of the citizens of "wealthier" countries (postmaterialist values thesis). Methods. Using two statistical tests, data from the 1992 Gallup Heath of the Planet survey and a two-dimensional measure of environmental concern, local and global, the paper examines citizen attitudes from twelve relatively wealthy countries against those from twelve relatively poor ones on fifteen different items. Results. While citizens from poorer countries (with relatively low numbers of postmaterialists) were far more concerned about local environmental problems than citizens from wealthier countries (with relatively high numbers of postmaterialists), no statistically significant differences between the two groups were found on questions concerning more symbolic global environmental problems. Conclusions. Using an objective problems plus subjective values explanation fails to describe adequately the bases of southern and northern enviror mental concern, respectively, and hence environmental concern globally. In addition, using a postmaterialist explanation for environmentalism at the wider cultural level becomes incoherent versus the much more modest claims found at the social-psychological level. In sum, global environmentalism is a complex social phenomenon consisting of multiple movements, driven by multiple engines requiring further specification and discussion.