The research article "Environmental Versus Economic Concerns in Bolivia: Does Support for Extractivism Affect Environmental Concern?” by Dr. Carmen R. Marull Maita and Dr. Bettina Schorr was published with open access at the International Journal of Public Opinion Research on December 11, 2024. 

Abstract:

This article examines environmental concerns in Bolivia, a middle-income country with an extractivist economy, addressing a gap in the literature that predominantly focuses on the Global North. We investigate how extractivism, a common condition in many Global South countries, influences environmental concerns. Our approach highlights the multidimensional nature of environmental concern and the significance of context in shaping it. We explore whether individuals are willing to overlook the environmental costs of extractivism if they perceive it as economically beneficial. Drawing on the literature on environmental concern and extractivism, the study presents 2 key findings. First, it confirms that individuals supporting the extractivist development model are more likely to accept its environmental costs as long as they expect economic gains. Second, it reveals a positive relationship between support for extractivism and environmental awareness, suggesting that while people care about the environment, they prioritize economic over ecological concerns. These findings reinforce the argument that extractivism is an important contextual factor influencing environmental concern and highlight the trade-offs between economic and environmental priorities in extractivist economies. Our conclusions are based on descriptive statistics and multivariate regressions using data from the 2022 “Ecobarómetro—Environmental Culture Survey” conducted in 3 Bolivian cities.