Journal of Natural Environment

Evaluating the level of public participation in reducing air pollution and socio-economic factors affecting it (Case study: Distract NO. 1 of Mashhad city)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Environmental Planning, Management and Education, School of Environment, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

2 Department of Environment, Faculty of Natural resource and Environment, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad Iran.

10.22059/jne.2022.348273.2467

Abstract

Air pollution is mainly the result of urbanization and industrialization, which is more effective with the development of cities and their transformation into metropolises. This phenomenon has caused many problems for health of humans living in these cities. Increasing people's participation in solving environmental issues in general and air pollution in particular requires understanding people’s attitudes of people, as the most important target group affected by the consequences of air pollution. The present study was conducted based on a social survey with the aim of assessing the level of participation of Mashhad citizens in reducing air pollution and identifying underlying factors affecting their participation in region one of Mashhad. The results showed that citizens' awareness of the consequences of air pollution was significantly higher than average. Citizens' participation and interaction in reducing air pollution was significantly higher than average and the most cooperation was related to separating reusable materials and on-site purchase with a frequency of 33.9%. Among the factors evaluated, only two indicators, awareness of the consequences of air pollution and education, have had the greatest impact on participation in reducing air pollution. There was no significant relationship between other demographic factors such as age, gender, marital status, monthly income, number of household members, etc. with the level of participation in reducing air pollution. Findings show that citizen participation in reducing air pollution requires public education, improving infrastructure and selecting proper policies.

Keywords

Andrée, B. P. J., Chamorro, A., Spencer, P., Koomen, E., Dogo, H., 2019. Revisiting the relation between economic growth and the environment; a global assessment of deforestation, pollution and carbon emission. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 114, 109221.
Castell, N., Grossberndt, S., Gray, L., Fredriksen, M.F., Skaar, J.S., Høiskar, B.A.K., 2021. Implementing citizen science in primary schools: Engaging young children in monitoring air pollution. Frontiers in Climate 3, 639128.
Chompunth, C., 2013. Enhancing public participation in air pollution management from coal-fired power plant projects in Thailand. Air Pollution XXI 174, 279.
Ebrahimi Zare, A., 2014. Investigating the factors affecting the behavior of Tehrani citizens in the face of air pollution. Master thesis, Islamic Azad University, Central Tehran Branch, Faculty of Social Sciences. (In Persian)
Eghtesad Rad, M., 2017. Assessing the challenges of citizen participation in urban management with an emphasis on sustainable participation, case study: Tehran District 10 Municipality. Master thesis, Hormozgan University, Khodgaran Qeshm Campus. (In Persian)
Fatahi, N., Ebrahimi Jamnani, L., Zolfali Porfar, F., 2021. Investigating and analyzing the causes of participation of citizens and tourists in environmental protection (case study: Mahmudabad city). Karafan Scientific Quarterly 2, 109-128. (In Persian)
Hashem Nejad, H., Behzadfar, M., Saleh Sadekpour, B., Seydian, S. A., 2012. Constructing, validating and validating the questionnaire of the role of design in order to attract people's participation in the process of contemporizing Iran's worn-out fabrics. Bagh Nazar 9(20), 63-72. (In Persian)
 Information and Communication Technology Organization of Mashhad Municipality, 2019. The geographical location of Mashhad city, the location of municipality region NO.1 and its adjacent regions. (In Persian)
Khorasan Razavi Department of Environment, 2019. Compilation of comprehensive and sustainable development document of Khorasan Razavi province with land-use planning approach. (In Persian)
Kim, B., Yoo, M., Park, K. C., Lee, K. R., Kim, J. H., 2021. A value of civic voices for smart city: A big data analysis of civic queries posed by Seoul citizens. Cities 108, 102941.
Li, L., Xia, X. H., Chen, B., Sun, L., 2018. Public participation in achieving sustainable development goals in China: Evidence from the practice of air pollution control. Journal of Cleaner Production 201, 499-506.
Lihua, W. U., Tianshu, M. A., Yuanchao, B. I. A. N., Sijia, L. I., Zhaoqiang, Y. I., 2020. Improvement of regional environmental quality: Government environmental governance and public participation. Science of the Total Environment 717, 137265.
Makhdoom Farkhunde, M., 2014. The foundation of land development. Tehran University Publications, 300 p. (In Persian)
Mazloum Khorasani, M., Noghani, M., Khalifa, M., 2012. Investigating the level of social participation of people in the city of Morvdasht and the factors affecting it in 2017. Applied Sociology 23(1), 51-80. (In Persian)
Najibzadeh, F., 2011. Analysis of air pollution in Tehran with thermodynamic indicators. Climatology master thesis. University of Tehran. (In Persian)
Nazarian, A., Shohani, N., 2011. Empowering the urban management system based on the citizen-oriented city model in Ilam. Human Settlements Planning Studies 6(16), 134-151. (In Persian)
Ngo, N. S., Kokoyo, S., Klopp, J., 2017. Why participation matters for air quality studies: risk perceptions, understandings of air pollution and mobilization in a poor neighborhood in Nairobi, Kenya. Public Health 142, 177-185.
Nikoyi, S., 2010. The role of the Islamic Republic of Iran in increasing the awareness of the audience in reducing air pollution (in the opinion of environmental and media experts). Master thesis, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting University. (In Persian)
Ozcan, B., Bozoklu, S., 2021. Dynamics of ecological balance in OECD countries: Sustainable or unsustainable?. Sustainable Production and Consumption 26, 638-647.
Rashidi Meybodi, K., 2019. Investigating the attitude of Meybodi citizens towards air pollution and social factors affecting it. Master thesis, Yazd University, Humanities and Social Sciences Campus - Faculty of Social Sciences. (In Persian)
Safaipour, Z., 2017. Investigating the effective factors on people's participation in urban development (case study: Shahreylam). Urban Civil Studies Quarterly 1(1), 111-140. (In Persian)
Shahnouri, M., Mohammadi Shalmani, M., Pirou, S., 2018. Investigating factors affecting participation in environmental protection. Environmental Management and Sustainable Development 1, 1-4. (In Persian)
Statistical yearbook of Mashhad city, 2016. Statistical yearbook of Mashhad city in 2015. Retrieved from https://mspl.mashhad.ir/file_manager (In Persian)
World Bank, 2016. W. World Bank. The Cost of Air Pollution: Strengthening the Economic Case for Action.
Xu, Z., Shan, J., Li, J., Zhang, W., 2020. Extending the theory of planned behavior to predict public participation behavior in air pollution control: Beijing, China. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management 63(4), 669-688.
Yazdanbakhsh, F., 2014. Analyzing the level of awareness and participation of citizens and developing participatory planning strategies to improve air pollution conditions in Isfahan city. Master's thesis, Faculty of Environment, University of Tehran. (In Persian)
Yearley, S., Cinderby, S., Forrester, J., Bailey, P., Rosen, P., 2003. Participatory modelling and the local governance of the politics of UK air pollution: a three-city case study. Environmental Values 12(2), 247-262.
Zebardast, L., Salehi, I., Momeni, M., Afrasiabi, H., Mohammad Amini, M., 2015. Providing a systematic approach in environmental planning of air pollution using the driving force, pressure, situation, effect and response (DPSIR) framework (case study: Tehran). Environment 41(1), 129-141. (In Persian)
Zhang, M., Sun, R., Wang, W., 2021. Study on the effect of public participation on air pollution control based on China's Provincial level data. Environment, Development and Sustainability 23(9), 12814-12827.
Zhang, T., Chen, C., 2018. The Effect of Public Participation on Environmental Governance in China–Based on the Analysis of Pollutants Emissions Employing a Provincial Quantification. Sustainability 10(7), 2302.
Journal of Natural Environment
Volume 76, Issue 4
March 2024
Pages 605-617