Concern about air and water pollution, as well as biodiversity, is significantly below where it was even in the Nineties, found the poll of more than 22,000 people in 22 countries.

Many of the sharpest falls have taken place in the past two years, as increased fears of economic meltdown pushed worries of man-made environmental catastrophe from the public consciousness.

Climate concern dropped first in industrialized countries, but this year's figures show that concern has now fallen in major developing economies such as Brazil and China as well.

The findings are drawn from the GlobeScan Radar annual tracking poll. A total of 22,812 people in 22 countries were interviewed face-to-face or by telephone during the second half of 2012.

Twelve of these countries have been regularly polled on environmental issues since 1992.