At a time when the environment and global warming are major concerns for society, are the French familiar with biodiversity? To answer this question, the Office français de la Biodiversité, in partnership with the Harris Interactive polling institute, has conducted a survey on the relationship between the French and this concept.
To carry out this survey, 2058 people were questioned between 27 March and 2 April 2024.
According to Harris Interactive, the French are increasingly familiar with the concept of biodiversity.
99% say they have already heard of it, and 52% say they know exactly what it means. “Spontaneously, the French define it as the plurality of living things (species, living beings, fauna, flora) within a natural whole,” explains the polling institute. “Three quarters of the public are aware that human beings are also part of it.”
For a large majority (58%), it was television that made them aware of the issue. The press (39%) and discussions with friends and family also stand out as channels of information. “The data reveals major differences between the generations: older people get more information from traditional media, while younger people get slightly more from social interaction (word of mouth and social networks),” says Harris Interactive.
Man’s impact on nature
“When it comes to changes in biodiversity over the last few decades, there is no consensus: while 54% believe that biodiversity has declined in France over the last 30 years, 42% think that it has increased.”
Generally speaking, the panellists are convinced that human activity …
