The local municipal and village councils play a main role in executing the environmental policies and in preparing and implementing the development and physical plans. The environmental awareness of the councils’ members, therefore, is of high importance for promoting the environmental values in the society. This study aims to analyze the levels of the environmental awareness of the municipal candidates in the 2017-elections in the West Bank. The study explores the awareness of the candidates by analyzing the printed and broadcasted materials of the election campaigns.  In addition, the study includes a personal questionnaire that is designed to measure the individual levels of awareness towards the environmental issues. The results of the campaigns analysis show very low levels of awareness as, for example, 4% only of the campaigns materials focused on the environmental issues. On the other, the results of the individual questionnaire show higher levels of awareness with minor differences among the candidates depending on their gender, age, level of education and political affiliation. Finally, the study recommends that national training programs should be designed for municipal candidates in order to prepare them for taking their environmental responsibilities. In addition, national policies were recommended to increase the public awareness which will push the decision-makers to put the environmental issues on the top of their agenda.

Conference Title

Environmental Awareness and Education in Palestine

Conference Country

Palestine

Conference Date

Dec. 5, 2017 - Dec. 7, 2017

Conference Sponsor

مركز التعليم البيئي الفلسطيني-بيت لحم - فلسطين