Education and interest in environmental issues in Turkey: Evidence from a compulsory schooling law

Given the significant impact of individual attitudes in coping with environmental problems, understanding the effects of socioeconomic factors such as education on these attitudes is critical. Utilizing the exogenous variation in educational attainment created by the 1997 education reform in Turkey, I investigate the causal effect of education on individuals’ interest in environmental issues. I apply the fuzzy regression discontinuity design using data from Turkey’s Life Satisfaction Survey. The research provides an insight into the effects of the reform on the schooling behaviour of lower socioeconomic strata. The results indicate that the increase in the proportion of middle school graduates has not changed the interest in environmental issues for men and women in lower socioeconomic positions. The increased likelihood of this group’s exposure to environmental problems, coupled with their reduced capacity to protect themselves, may stimulate interest in environmental issues independent of the effect of education. Furthermore, the increase in economic activities harmful to the environment and the increase in public discourse on environmental issues may also stimulate environmental interest. Since education does not seem to affect environmental interest, targeted policies such as incorporating environmental education into the curriculum may be necessary to enhance environmental interest.