SOCIO-GEOGRAPHICAL STUDY OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL BEHAVIOR OF THE POPULATION OF CHERNIHIV IN RELATION TO THE TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGES OF THE URBAN SPACE

Abstract

Sustainable development has become a new worldview concept for all countries of the world, which are making the transition to finding an optimal balance between economic, environmental and social components. It is focused on people, improvement of socio-economic and ecological environment. The participation of citizens and in particular every person in ensuring sustainable development is an integral part of life on the planet, as the intellectual level, ecological behavior of the population and knowledge of the main problems help to solve them. In this study, we present the results of a survey of the population of one of the largest cities in the north of Ukraine. Chernihiv is an administrative, industrial and cultural center, an important transport hub. As part of the sociological study and comparison of environmental behavior of the population, a survey was conducted among the residents of Chernihiv in 2018 and 2021. It is established that more and more people are interested in the ecology of the city and are gradually introducing ecoattributive practices into their everyday life. The main measures used by the citizens of the city to preserve the environment are energy saving, use of public and bicycle transport, economical consumption of natural resources. Residents of Chernihiv and the authorities understand the need to build a waste processing plant. Garbage sorting is supported by the majority of the population, but there is a certain lack of awareness among people, as well as a lack of proper equipment. The article identified environmental problems that Chernihiv residents consider to be the most serious. They include the organization of waste management, air pollution, drinking water quality. The second stage of the research showed that more people are ready to take concrete actions to improve the state of the city and the environment in order to live in a comfortable space. An important role in solving problems depends on environmental education and environmental education of citizens.