September 26th, 2023, Bhawna Singh
Recently news about Jakarta being the most polluted city emerged after Swiss company IQAir released data showing that Jakarta’s air quality had deteriorated in recent weeks to become the worst in the world.
Latest data from YouGov Surveys shows that air pollution is a cause of concern for a majority in Indonesia. Seven in ten residents in *Greater Jakarta area find it worrisome (71%), and most of them expect it to continue being a cause of concern in the next one month.
In general, people in Greater Jakarta find the quality of air in their region bad or very bad (72%). Less than a fifth (18%) think it is normal and only one in ten believe it is good (9%).
Emission from motor vehicle is believed to be the biggest cause of air pollution in Greater Jakarta (76%), followed by pollution from industrial/ manufacturing activities (58%) and burning of trash or garbage (53%). Waste disposal (45%) and cigarette smoke (35%) are some of the other reasons for air pollution.
When asked about the effect of air pollution on their lives, more than half of Greater Jakarta residents claim that they have been very affected by air pollution (56%). Two in five (41%) have been affected a little and only 3% claim they haven’t been affected at all.
Two-thirds (67%) claim they experienced Acute Respiratory infections such as cold, flu, sinusitis, etc because of air pollution. Nearly half have suffered irritation to eyes (49%) or breathlessness (48%). Three is ten developed skin problem (30%), and slightly fewer have been impacted to the extent of feeling anxious or depressed (22%).
In order to deal with the poor air quality, more than three-quarter of residents in Greater Jakarta say they wear a mask when indulging in outdoor activities (77%). Many take vitamins and minerals to stay healthy (58%). Cutting down on outdoor activities (50%), increasing indoor activities (42%) and exercising to stay healthy (37%) are some of the other ways through which people are trying to fight this situation.
The data shows that more than half of residents in Greater Jakarta advocate working from home as a temporary solution to the air pollution crisis (54%). Using public transportation (50%) and weather modification techniques such as artificial rain (49%) are some of the other ways to tackle the problem in the short term.
However, when it comes to long-term results, planting more trees is looked at as the top solution (70%), followed by better waste management using the 3Rs (58%) and increased use of public transportation (54%).
Methodology
YouGov Surveys: Serviced provides quick survey results from nationally representative or targeted audiences in multiple markets. This study was conducted online in 28 – 30 August 2023, with an online representative sample of 2070 adults (aged 18+ years) in Indonesia, using a questionnaire designed by YouGov. Data figures have been weighted by age, gender, and ethnicity to be representative of all adults in Indonesia (18 years or older). Learn more about YouGov Surveys: Serviced.
*Greater Jakarta area includes Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi