Further Research

The outcomes of the project suggest a number of further areas of research.

Firstly, more research could be done on the attitudes of older people. Although young people will become the main influences upon society in the future, many countries have an aging population whose views need to be heard. Understanding their perspectives and encouraging them to take action is an important area of research if declining biodiversity is to be reversed. Interviews and group discussions with elderly people are possible methods, alongside discussions with organisations promoting the interests of this age group.

If the main barriers to individual action relate to cost and accessibility to environmentally friendly goods and services, research should be undertaken on how to reduce costs and improve accessibility. This could be focued on local government and businesses which provide these services.

The difference between males and females in willingness to take action is also interesting. Further research into the reasons for these differences could provide insight in how to encourage men to do more and enable them to ‘catch up’ with women!

The research has changed my own perspective. At first I believed that many people didn’t care and were not doing enough to improve biodiversity. However the research has shown that many people, particularly young people, do care and are willing to take action. I now believe that barriers to changing lifestyles can be overcome – giving advice and guidance to people through education and the media can make a difference to people’s attitudes. Encouraging businesses and local government to provide accessible alternatives for goods and services that are environmentally friendly is a way forward. If more people buy these goods and services the price will come down and more people will follow. A virtuous circle to support the environment is possible!

Notes

1. Scientists have been warning of the dangers of environmental change and issues like pollution since the early twentieth century but it was in the 1960’s that the environmental movement really began, with the publication of books like Silent Spring by Rachel Carson (1962) and The Population Bomb by Robert Ehrlich (1968).
2. In schools throughout the world subjects like Biology and Global Perspectives address these issues and encourage young people to think about how to respond.
3. Examples of recent Kazakhstan government projects to improve biodiversity include introducing sustainable transport, energy-efficient lighting, steppe conservation, new monitoring systems and many others as part of the country’s contribution to the UN decade of action on biodiversity. See the National Biodiversity Planning to Support the implementation of the CBD 2011-2020 Strategic Plan in Republic of Kazakhstan published by the UNDP.

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