Less than half of the population realizes that the richest pollute the environment the most, study shows
A survey by FGV EBAPE analyzed the population's perception of the social groups that contribute most to environmental degradation.

Currently, there is growing discussion about how poorer populations are disproportionately affected by the impacts of climate disasters resulting from environmental degradation. This situation persists even though the poorest contribute the least to pollution. In light of this dynamic, a study by the Brazilian School of Public and Business Administration (FGV EBAPE) analyzed Brazilians' perceptions of who the main contributors to environmental degradation are. The study found that most participants believe that the poor pollute as much as, or more than, the wealthy.
According to Yan Vieites, the lead researcher of the study, the research is based on perceptions of ecological footprint, a concept that considers factors such as carbon emissions, water usage, and land use.
“Various studies show that the wealthy have a significantly larger ecological footprint than the poor. While the magnitude of this difference varies across studies, the disparity is consistently substantial. This is because wealthier individuals take far more trips, consume more red meat, use more electricity in their daily lives, among other habits that demonstrate the disproportionate environmental impact caused by those with more resources,” the researcher explained, raising the question: “But do people perceive this?”
Experiments on Brazilians' Perception of the Ecological Footprint
To analyze people's perception of how lifestyle influences environmental pollution, the research conducted four studies, combining surveys and experiments. The first study involved 339 participants and aimed to examine how people fail to recognize the inequality in ecological footprints between the wealthy and the poor, while also exploring possible explanations for this failure.
“In this phase, we asked questions such as ‘Who has behaviors and lifestyles that harm the environment more? Who contributes most to global warming?’ and others,” Vieites detailed, affirming that regardless of how the question is posed, the result remains the same: just over half of respondents believe that both groups contribute equally or that the poor contribute more.
To delve into why people think this way, the researchers explored participants' reasoning for identifying the wealthy or the poor as the primary contributors to environmental degradation. A total of 28.3% justified their response with a correct theory: wealthier individuals have higher consumption patterns, which contribute more to the ecological footprint. However, 5% associated environmental pollution with the lack of access to services such as waste collection and sewage treatment.
For Vieites, this is a curious finding, highlighting the revictimization of populations already living in precarious conditions. “When looking at a community without access to sewage treatment or waste collection, some people may see this segment of the population as those who degrade the environment the most,” he explained.
Some participants also believe that sustainable behavior requires financial resources to purchase items such as solar panels, electric cars, or organic food. Consequently, 7.7% argued that the wealthy, due to having more resources, would be more sustainable.
“Another 10.3% of participants believe that wealthier individuals possess higher levels of formal education and, therefore, greater environmental awareness,” Vieites added.
According to the researcher, this effect is consistent regardless of the social group analyzed or how the question is posed. “On average, everyone underestimates the significant disparity in the contributions of the poor and the wealthy to environmental pollution, regardless of gender, social class, or political orientation,” he emphasized.
Additional experiments and conclusions
The research also conducted other experiments to further understand these perceptions. However, according to Vieites, most participants continued to underestimate the pollution disparity between the rich and the poor. The researcher stressed the importance of documenting the fact that those who pollute the environment the most do not perceive themselves as the primary drivers of environmental degradation. Recognizing this could lead them to use their resources to reduce consumption, for example.
“Moreover, these findings contribute to creating mechanisms to pressure wealthier individuals, particularly in a context where social movements are already demanding that certain groups reduce their environmental impact. The research also informs public policy, highlighting who pollutes the most and reinforcing the need for heavier environmental charges on these groups,” he concluded.
Leia também