European Policy Analysis
spread to the rest of the world in 2008 ( Cameron 2013 ; Cotta and Memoli 2015 ; O ; Kallis 2011 ; Schneider , Kallis , and Martinez- Alier 2010 ). Considering that our analysis covers the years immediately following the 2007 crisis , we expect that its effects may still be ongoing in many advanced industrial countries , and hypothesize that :
H1 ( b ) Shrinkage of a country ’ s economic well-being will influence a decline in the salience attributed to environmental issues . increased public support for environmental protection . Additionally , studies taking into consideration measures for national environmental quality performance highlighted an existing correlation between low environmental quality levels and strong pro-environmental support measured with various environmental quality indexes ( Arbuthnot and Lingg 1975 ; Dasgupta et al . 2006 ; Dillman and Christenson 1972 ; Esty 2008 ; Esty and Porter 2005 ; Fiorino 2011 ; Harris 1970 ; Tognacci et al . 1972 ).
Environmental Quality of a Country
Over the years , most research on the environment explored connections between environmental quality and economic growth or economic performance indicators ( for a review , see Torras and Boyce 1998 ). However , researchers also considered the perception of environmental quality as an indicator for salience of the environment . In an article dating back to the early 1990s , Dunlap and Scarce reviewed the poll trends on environmental issues highlighting how , among different topics ( e . g ., environmental threats , government support , environment and business , economic growth ), public support for environmental issues was generally linked to individuals ’ perception of environmental threats and the capacity of governments to protect the environment through regulations ( Dunlap and Scarce 1991 ). In particular , this analysis indicated that public perception of environmental damages and threats in a country influenced not only the demand for stricter environmental regulation to be provided by the government , but also
72
The research on environmental quality measures and its relation with national environmental performance allows us to include this hypothesis in the study of environmental salience . Hence we hypothesize that :
H2 . Low levels of environmental quality in a country will increase the salience of environmental issues .
Socio-demographic Characteristics of a Leader
Following the 1970s “ environmental decade ”, many public opinion polls and academic surveys focused on citizens ’ environmental concern and quality of life ( Dunlap 1989 ). Exploring the “ social [ basis ] of environmental concern ” ( Jones and Dunlap 1992 , 29 ), Van Liere and Dunlap ( 1980 ) emphasized that , “[ b ] ecause of the reliance on sample survey techniques , the largest body of data on correlates of environmental concern exists for the social and demographic variables that are routinely included in such surveys ”
F
Researchers emphasize that individuals with prestigious occupations ( and good income ) and living in cities ( in comparison to those living in — less polluted — rural areas ) are more supportive of environmental issues ( Dunlap and Heffernan 1975 ; Harry , Gale , and Hendee 1969 ; Murdock and Schriner 1977 ; Tremblay and Dunlap 1978 ). However , considering that in our analysis we coded 127 Facebook pages of political leaders , we assume a similar occupational prestige and similar residence in cities for all the leaders under consideration . Additionally , researchers highlight a positive correlation between education and environmental concern suggesting that individuals with higher education were more inclined to support environmental issues ( Arcury , Johnson , and Scollay 1986 ; Buttel and Flinn 1974 , 1978 ; Carman