How to communicate the issue to the public?

1. Environmental Communication for Cleaner Air -Elements of a Proposed Strategy for MalaysiaBetter Air Quality 2004 6 – 8 December 2004, Agra/IndiaRoland Haas (GTZ)roland.haas@gtz.de

2. Develop a Environmental Communication Strategy which covers at least The public perception of the Environment Protection Agency (“The Agency protects the well-being and lives of people”) The image of environmental protection (“Those who help in protecting the environment also support our social and economic development”) Public awareness raising among all groups of people and for all individuals (“It is also my behaviour which counts”) How to communicate the issue to the public?

3. The Project – The Partners Department of Environment (DoE) – Putrajaya Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH – Eschborn/Germany - German Technical Cooperation -

4. The GTZ – The German Technical Cooperation Agency • ... owned by the Federal Republic of Germany • ... operating as a private sector enterprise with development policy mandate • ... major clients: German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, other German ministries, other Governments, EU, World Bank and others • ... 2,700 projects in more than 130 countries • ... 10,000 employees among those some 1,000 in Head Office

5. Emission Standards Social Communication & Participation Fuel Quality Urban Development DoE and other institutions responsible for air quality are implementing measures for air pollution control PROJECT OBJECTIVE Business Contacts Inter-institutional cooperation Data Quality & Scientific Base International Cooperation

6. Awareness raising Change of behaviour Create public support Understanding for “painful“ immediate measures Create understanding for the benefits of preventive measures against curative action Respect the public! Why communicate environmental issues to the public?

7. How to communicate the environmental issue to the public?

8. Fuel quality Transport Air pollution prevention & control plan Comprises... Industry & services Urban development Measures to control sectors, causes and sources of pollution Monitor reception, reactions & social behavior changes Evaluate social participation pro-environmental results. Improve messages, media and social organization. Define... Target audiences for information & educational campaigns Design and prepare campaign information, materials and sequence of events. Also institutional response capacity Quantify perceptions Estimate responses Analyze in focus groups Opinions & perceptions Feedback Potential messages understanding, reception and acceptance Learn... W/ polls

9. Air Quality ranks high in the perception of the public. 1995 - 2000 Air Quality significantly improved, however: 60% of the population: air quality has worsened 30% of the population: air quality has remained the same ==> 90 % believe nothing has changed or it is worse! 60% of the population: air quality will get worse in future BUT: Authorities thought the public would know and acknowledge the achievements!!! Some Examples from a Poll in Santiago/Chile in 2000

10. Educational target groups Media to use High political figures & decision makers, Federal & State Governments. MPs, parliament committee presidents etc Personal attention, brief individualized reports, media covered events. Private sector (industry, commerce, transportation, fuels, services, etc.) Conferences & technical Reports, magazine and newspapers articles. Special groups. TV & radio anchors, press editors, field reporters, ecologists, religions Leaders, famous people, public opinion leaders Personal attention, easy to understand reports. General public, drivers, housewives, workers, students, employees, etc. Brief messages radio/TV, music & sports events, famous people support. Formal education system, authorities, teachers, book editors. Printed and audio-visual Materials, easy to grasp reports, events.

11. Population groups and their information sources? How to improve their environmental knowlege? General population: 90% from TV Educate TV anchormen and TV editorial writers Executives and officials: (less than 10% of population) TV and newspapers Educate TV anchormen and newpapers editorial writers Environmentalists: (0.5% of total population) fromTV, newspapers and many others Direct and permanent contact feed them ample information Government evironmental officials: all national and international sources Implement workshops to plan common goals and share knowledge and information

12. Tools for public opinion research... Individual or small group: obtain qualified opinions Interviews Explore how opinions form and change Focus groups Classify and quantify opinions Polls Allow you to tailor a specific and effective message

13. Perceptions of Problems by the Public Reactions of the Public Effectiveness of Measures seen by the Public Do not guess... Know!

14. After assessing the perception of editors and journalists a first draft of a strategy was provided by an international consultant Now: Discussion and adoption of recommendations to local conditions by local poll and media specialists The strategy will be finalised with DoE and other relevant Government agencies. Next Steps:

15. Regular background information for press on specific issues Regular background talks by executive DoE personnel with selected journalists and editors Car parks: Air Quality in Car Parks will be reached soon outside if BusinessAsUsual Measure the Air Quality and make results public Pollution in Street Markets through small power generators Connect the stalls to the electricity grid at nearly no cost All measures implemented with media presence and visibility of Environmental Authorities “We protect our people” Some immediate action for public attention proposed: