Turkey's Environment vs. Economic Growth Dilemma: Unpacking Perceptions and Influential Factors.

This study analyzes the determinants of individuals' perceptions towards the dichotomy of achieving economic growth and environmental preservation in Turkey. Using logistic models, the study investigates the impact of various socio-economic and socio-demographic factors such as material well-being, life satisfaction, age, gender, education level, employment status, settlement type, religiosity, and political view on individuals' attitudes towards prioritizing the environment. The results of logistic regression analysis, based on a sample of 1.935 participants obtained using the World Values Survey, wave 7, indicate that individuals with higher material well-being and life satisfaction in Turkey tend to prioritize the environment over growth. The findings of this study confirm the neoclassical perspective on environment for the Turkish cohort, which indicates the environment can be accepted as a luxury good. Additionally, it is found that individuals aged 60 and above, parttime workers and retirees, those who do not identify as religious, highly educated individuals, those with more children, and individuals with a left-wing ideology are more inclined to prioritize environmental protection over economic growth compared to each category's reference group. On the other hand, no statistically significant differences based on settlement type (urban-rural dichotomy) or sex were detected in prioritizing environmental preservation over economic growth. The findings of the study indicate that, in designing Turkey's macro-level growth and environmental policies, socio-economic and demographic disparities need to be taken into consideration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]