This indicator presents the results from the Ontario Biodiversity Awareness Survey, conducted in October 2014, October 2016 and again in January 2020.
Figure 1. Biodiversity awareness survey responses, by percentage, to the question ‘Are you aware of the term biodiversity?’ in 2014, 2016 (n = 1,000/yr.) and 2020 (n = 1,500).
Figure 2. 2020 Ontario biodiversity awareness levels compared to awareness levels reported between 2012 and 2019 for select countries around the world. Image reproduced (with modification) with permission from the Union for Ethical BioTrade.
Figure 3. Survey respondents’ definitions of biodiversity in 2014 (n = 598), 2016 (n = 636) and 2020 (n = 1,105). Only respondents that were aware of the term biodiversity were asked this question. ‘Parks and protected areas’ was a new option added in 2016 and retained in 2020.
Figure 4. Percentage of survey responses to the statement, ‘Biodiversity plays an important role in maintaining my health and well-being’ in 2014, 2016 (n = 1,000/yr.) and 2020 (n = 1,500).
Figure 5. Percentage of survey participants’ responses regarding which aspect of biodiversity has the greatest impact on their health in 2014, 2016 (n = 1,000/yr.) and 2020 (n = 1,500).
Status:
- In 2020, 74% of respondents were aware of the term biodiversity, representing a 14% increase over 2014.
- Of the respondents aware of biodiversity, 61% defined it correctly and another 30% chose a partial definition of the term.
- 82% of respondents agreed with the statement that biodiversity plays an important role in maintaining their health and well-being (i.e., 27% agreed and 55% strongly agreed), representing a 9% increase over 2014.
- In 2020, cleaner air and water was chosen as the aspect of biodiversity with the greatest impact on human health (47%), with the next most mentioned aspect being availability of healthy food (16%). Climate regulation followed at 12%—representing a 6% increase over 2014—and prevention of diseases was selected by 9% of respondents.
- The survey results show that Ontarians’ awareness about biodiversity and its importance to their health have reached the 50% target outlined in Ontario’s Biodiversity Strategy, 2011.
Data about Ontarians’ understanding of biodiversity were collected as part of a phone survey done on behalf of the Ontario Biodiversity Council by ECO Environmental Communication Options and Oracle Poll Research in October 2014 (ECO 2014) and again by Oracle Poll Research in October 2016 (Oracle Poll Research 2016) and in January 2020 (Oracle Poll Research 2020). Respondents were asked 10 questions related to biodiversity. This indicator uses data from four of the survey’s questions related to understanding of the term biodiversity and its relationship to our health and well-being, and compares results over time.
In 2014 and 2016 the poll was administered to 1,000 people aged 18 years or older, and in 2020 was administered to 1,500 people 18 years of age or older. The margin of error for the 2020 sample of 1,500 people is ±2.5%, 19/20 times
Results from the Ontario survey are also reviewed against data collected for select countries around the world for comparative purposes.
Related Theme(s)
Web Links:
Union for Ethical BioTrade http://ethicalbiotrade.org/
Canadian federal, provincial and territorial working group on biodiversity http://www.biodivcanada.ca
References:
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). 2010. United Nations. [Available at: http://cbd.int/2010/biodiversity/].
Environmental Communication Options and Oracle Poll Research (ECO). 2014. Biodiversity awareness survey. Ontario Biodiversity Council, Peterborough, ON. [Available at: https://sobr.ca/_biosite/wp-content/uploads/Ontario-Biodiversity-Awareness-Report-October-2014.pdf]
Hughes, J., M. Richardson, and R. Lumber. 2018. Evaluating connection to nature and the relationship with conservation behaviour in children. Journal for Nature Conservation 45:11-19.
Ontario Biodiversity Council. 2011. Ontario’s biodiversity strategy, 2011: renewing our commitment to protecting what sustains us. Ontario Biodiversity Council, Peterborough, ON.
Oracle Poll Research. 2016. Biodiversity 2016 Report. Ontario Biodiversity Council, Peterborough, ON.
Oracle Poll Research. 2020. Biodiversity in Ontario 2020 Report. Ontario Biodiversity Council, Peterborough, ON. [Available at: https://sobr.ca/_biosite/wp-content/uploads/Ontario-Biodiversity-Awareness-Report-January-2020.pdf]
Federal, Provincial and Territorial Governments of Canada (FPTGC). 2014. 2012 Canadian nature survey: awareness, participation and expenditures in nature-based recreation, conservation and subsistence activities. Canadian Council of Resource Ministers, Ottawa, ON. [Available at: www.biodivcanada.ca]
Simaika, J.P., and M.J. Samways. 2010. Biophilia as a universal ethic for conserving biodiversity. Conservation Biology 24:903-906.
Union for Ethical BioTrade. 2019. UEBT Biodiversity Barometer 2019 – Special Edition Asia. [Available at: http://www.biodiversitybarometer.org/s/UEBT-Biodiversity-Barometer-2019.pdf].