Air quality report 2022: public engagement

3. Examining knowledge and awareness around the causes of air pollution and the associated health impacts

Over three in five (62%) of the Scottish public say they are very or fairly knowledgeable about the environmental issues presented by air pollution. This makes it the fourth best-understood environmental issue amongst the Scottish public behind litter and plastics (79%), climate change (73%), and pollution of the oceans (66%).

Understanding of air pollution is higher amongst men (67% cf. 57% of women), among ethnic minority groups (78% cf. 62% of White respondents), and among those with an educational qualification at degree level or above (68% cf. 59% of those that have attained a lower educational level).

A03.A: How knowledgeable would you say you are you about the following environmental issues?

Unweighted base: 1,520

Respondents most commonly associate air pollution with poor air quality and emissions (27%), breathing issues (11%), or cars and vehicles (8%). It is important to note that respondents were asked this as an open question, and as a result, were not asked to provide any detail on their associations.

A05.A: What one word comes to your mind when you think about the phrase air pollution? Only showing codes mentioned by at least 3% of the sample

Unweighted base: 828

A similar proportion to the share that say they are knowledgeable about air pollution say they understand the effects of it on people’s health and wellbeing (68%). However, levels of knowledge about the impacts of air pollution are much lower than for smoking (89%), alcohol (88%), and obesity (86%).

As with knowledge of air pollution, those with an educational qualification at degree level or above are more likely to say they are knowledgeable about the effects of air pollution than those that have attained a lower educational level (73% vs 65%).

A04.A: How much do you know about the following issues?

Unweighted base: 1,520

The Scottish public most commonly associate air pollution with breathing difficulties/respiratory issues (28%) and lung problems (22%). Asthma (9%) and cancer (4%) are the most prominent more specific conditions that are mentioned. The public did not mention conditions linked to poor air quality like coronary heart disease or strokes.

A05.B: What do you understand as the main effects of air pollution on people's health and wellbeing? Open response question: only showing codes mentioned by at least 2% of the sample

Unweighted base: 867

Thinking about the main causes of poor air quality in Scotland, the public are most likely to see transportation and traffic as one of the primary contributors (81%), with more than half selecting it as the main cause when forced to select just one (56%). Industry (59%) and energy generation (48%) are the second and third most cited contributors respectively when respondents selected three options.

Those aged 16 to 24 are more likely than average to attribute air pollution primarily to energy generation (25%), and farming (7%) and less likely to attribute it to transport/traffic (41%).

B03/3A: Which THREE/ONE, if any, of the following do you think are the MAIN cause of poor air quality in Scotland?

Unweighted base: 1,520

Two-fifths (42%) of the Scottish public think they are more exposed to air pollution on the street than in their vehicle, while 14% think they are more exposed in their vehicle. 38% think it makes no real difference.

Scots aged 65+ are much more likely than those aged 16-24 to think that being on the street exposes them to more emissions (54% vs 30%). Those who are concerned about air pollution are also more likely than Scots overall to say they are more exposed on the street (44%).

B05: Please indicate whether you think you would be more exposed to air pollution on the street or in your vehicle?

Unweighted base: 1,520

Overall concern about air quality is generally high (79%), and similar to levels of concern for environmental issues such as conservation (81%) and deforestation (79%). However, the degree to which respondents are very concerned about air pollution (37%) is considerably lower than other metrics, particularly climate change (50%), litter/plastics (48%) and pollution of the oceans (48%).

Respondents who say they are knowledgeable about air pollution are also more likely to say they are concerned about air pollution than those who say they know little about the issue (88% cf. 64%).

AO3.B: How concerned are you about the following environmental issues?

Unweighted base: 1,520

In addition to high levels of concern about air pollution, three quarters (76%) say they are concerned about the effects of air quality on people’s health and wellbeing, this is in line with the proportion who are concerned the effects on people’s health and well-being of obesity (78%), smoking (77%) and alcohol (75%).

AO4.B: How concerned are you about the following health issues?

Unweighted base: 1,520

Concern about the effects of air pollution is much higher among older respondents (83% concerned for ages 65+).

While general concern is high, the Scottish public are less likely to be concerned about the air quality in their local area. Just 44% of respondents are concerned about local air pollution compared to 53% who are not concerned.

Concern about local air pollution is more prevalent among younger Scots, with 52% of those aged 16-24 saying they are concerned compared to just 31% of those aged 65 and over. Concern about local air pollution is much higher in large urban areas (54%), especially when compared to remote rural areas (20%). This gap in concern between urban and rural respondents is further evidenced at a regional level: those living in Glasgow are more concerned than average (60%), while those living in the Highlands and Islands (25%) and South Scotland (36%) are less concerned than average.

B01: How concerned, if at all, are you about the air pollution in your local area (an area within a 15-20-minute walk from where you live)?

Unweighted base: 1,520 Three in five (60%) Scots think that the air quality in their local area (defined as within a 15-20 minute walk from where you live) has stayed the same, although more Scots say their local air quality is getting worse (17%) than better (11%). Those aged 16 to 24 are more likely than average to think it is getting worse (22%), as are those living in Central Scotland (25%).

B02: In your opinion, is the air quality in your local area (an area within 15-20-minute walk from where you live) getting better, worse, or has it stayed the same?

Unweighted base: 1,520

While most of the Scottish public say they do not regularly experience health impacts due to poor air quality, a significant proportion say they still do at least some of the time. Two in five (40%) say poor air quality irritates their eyes, nose or throat at least some of the time, while a third (32%) say it makes them breathless or have breathing difficulty at least some of the time. These figures are notably higher amongst those aged 16-24 (58% experience irritation and 47% become breathless), and those in Glasgow (50% experience irritation and 39% become breathless). However, in all cases, relatively few say they experience these symptoms often or all of the time.

Only one in five (20%) Scots have to limit their outdoor activity because of poor air quality at least sometimes, but over two in five (43%) walk or cycle along quieter roads to protect themselves from poor air quality at least sometimes. The same groups (those aged 16-24 and those in Glasgow) are more likely to adapt their behaviours due to poor air quality.

B04.A: How often, if at all, does the following happen to you?

Unweighted base: 1,520