Pollution not the greatest global threat: Russians

MOSCOW: Most Russians do not regard pollution as one of the greatest global threats, an opinion poll by the nation's public opinion studies centre VCIOM has said.

Military threat from the United States, NATO and the West in general is at 11%, demographic crisis and depopulation at 6%, terrorist attacks and international terrorism at 5%, poverty, impoverishment and low living standards at 4%, and weak industry and agriculture at 4%.

The ecological threat's rating was three%, equal to that of alcoholism, drug addiction, degradation of the population, growing prices, inflation, corruption, bribe-taking, theft, red-tape, low morality, low culture, demoralization of society, risk of Ukraine and Georgia joining NATO, inter-ethnic conflicts, tensions, inter-ethnic animosity and migrants from the CIS countries and China.

Unemployment and the authorities' indifference towards the people, as well as risk of Russia's collapse and loss of territorial integrity were described as global threats by a tiny 2% of respondents.

Forty-nine% of the polls say the condition of the environment looks unsafe while nine% say it is catastrophic.

Air and water pollution are the main parameters Russians complain about (51% each). Poor health of the people is next at 44% and at third position is bad drinking water with 37%.