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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Sustainability and Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 March 2026 | Viewed by 25823

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Genovaitė Liobikienė

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Guest Editor

Department of Environmental Sciences, Vytautas Magnus University, Vileikos st. 8, LT-44404 Kaunas, Lithuania
Interests: climate-friendly behavior; climate change; pro-environmental behavior
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Climate change is one of the main environmental problems. The agenda provided in the last United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow is insufficient to achieve the radical transformation needed to keep the global temperature at the required safe level. This indicates that the political will to fight climate change is rather weak, and the role of society is particularly important. Society can influence and contribute to climate mitigation via behavior, which is usually distinguished as public and private. The residents participating in environmental meetings or signing petitions can place more pressure on policymakers to reach stricter climate change policy commitments. In their private lives, individuals can directly contribute to climate change mitigation by changing their behavior to be more climate-friendly (e.g., using public transport instead of their own cars or choosing climate-friendly products and saving energy resources). Therefore, research analyzing the determinants of climate-friendly behavior in general, and of separate specific behaviors, is very important. By applying various theories, the determinants of climate-friendly behavior could be defined. Research works on new and expanded theories considering climate-friendly behavior are also requested for this Special Issue. The analysis of changes in the level of climate-friendly behavior, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic or the war in Ukraine, is very important as well.

Furthermore, the tools which are usually suggested by researchers to promote climate-friendly behavior (e.g., environmental education, information, financial initiatives) should also be analyzed. These studies could provide new insight for policy makers on how to more effectively enhance climate-friendly behavior. We also encourage the submission of studies revealing the efficiency of implementing environmental programs focused on climate change mitigation to this Special Issue.

Therefore, this Special Issue encourages the submission of articles related to:

Climate-friendly behavior (in general and for separate types of behaviors);
Various tools (energy price, choice of green energy supplier, improvement of transport infrastructure etc.) impact on climate-friendly behavior;
Environmental impact (particularly greenhouse gas emissions) related to changes in pro-environmental behavior;
Climate change policy implementation promoting climate-friendly behavior;
Cross-culture and cross-generation analysis;
Implications of COVID-19 and war in Ukraine for changes in pro-environmental behavior.

Dr. Genovaitė Liobikienė
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

climate change policy
climate-friendly behavior
greenhouse gas emissions
energy consumption
environmental programs
environmental education
renewable energy consumption

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

23 pages, 1939 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enhancing Mobile App Development for Sustainability: Designing and Evaluating the SBAM Design Cards

by Chiara Tancredi, Roberta Presta, Laura Mancuso and Roberto Montanari

Sustainability 2025, 17(6), 2352; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17062352 - 7 Mar 2025

Viewed by 631

Abstract

Behavioral changes are critical for addressing sustainability challenges, which have become increasingly urgent due to the growing impact of global greenhouse gas emissions on ecosystems and human livelihoods. However, translating awareness into meaningful action requires practical tools to bridge this gap. Mobile applications, utilizing strategies from human–computer interaction (HCI) such as gamification, nudging, and persuasive technologies, have proven to be powerful in promoting sustainable behaviors. To support designers in developing effective apps of this kind, theory-based design guidelines were created, drawing on established theories and design approaches aimed at shaping and encouraging virtuous user behaviors fostering sustainability. To make these guidelines more accessible and enhance their usability during the design phase, this study presents their transformation into the SBAM card deck, a deck of 11 design cards. The SBAM cards aim to simplify theoretical concepts, stimulate creativity, and provide structured support for design discussions, helping designers generate solutions tailored to specific project contexts. This study also evaluates the effectiveness of the SBAM cards in the design process through two workshops with design students. Results show that the cards enhance ideation, foster creativity, and improve designers’ perceived self-efficacy compared to the exploitation of the same design guidelines information presented in traditional textual formats. This paper discusses the SBAM cards design and evaluation methodology, findings, and implications, offering insights into how the SBAM design cards can bridge the gap between theory and practice in sustainability-focused mobile app development. To ensure broader accessibility, the SBAM cards have been made available to the public through a dedicated website. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Behavior and Climate Change)

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25 pages, 4376 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Carbon Footprint of Clothing Considering the Relationship Between Clothing Layering and Heating Usage

by Toshiro Semba, Atsushi Inaba, Ryuzo Furukawa and Norihiro Itsubo

Sustainability 2025, 17(2), 470; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17020470 - 9 Jan 2025

Viewed by 823

Abstract

Approximately 20% of CO₂ emissions from Japanese households are attributed to heating usage. Consequently, as part of its climate change policy, the Ministry of the Environment has promoted the “WARM BIZ” campaign, which encourages setting room temperatures to about 20 °C during heating, through practices such as layering clothing. However, according to the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of clothing, the environmental impacts of clothing production, washing, and drying are significant. Therefore, it is essential to evaluate heating usage within the clothing lifecycle to assess the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction effect of practicing WARM BIZ. In this study, we calculated the household heating energy consumption in four regions of Japan, and, by incorporating these data, estimated the GHG emissions over the clothing’s lifecycle, from production and use to disposal. The results showed that those practicing WARM BIZ had approximately 9 to 26% lower GHG emissions over the entire lifecycle than those who were not. Furthermore, by using the Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) index, it was shown that by adding a light long-sleeved shirt (0.18 clo), light long pants (0.18 clo), and a cardigan (0.37 clo) to the standard clothing scenario, the room temperature could be set 3.1 °C lower than the current setting, potentially reducing GHG emissions over the entire lifecycle by approximately 18%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Behavior and Climate Change)

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23 pages, 1646 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparison of Urban Climate Change Adaptation Plans in Selected European Cities from a Legal and Spatial Perspective

by Maciej J. Nowak, Milena Bera, Miltiades Lazoglou, Jorge Olcina-Cantos, Dimitra G. Vagiona, Renato Monteiro and Andrei Mitrea

Sustainability 2024, 16(15), 6327; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16156327 - 24 Jul 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2084

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to identify and compare the key institutional features of urban climate change adaptation plans in three geographically, systemically, and climatically distinct European countries (Greece, Spain, and Poland). The paper concentrates on the tool indicated and confirms the circumstances and potential outcomes of its usage in the selected countries. A case study of a particular city was chosen in each country and the applicability of the climate change adaptation plan there was confirmed. Analysis was also performed on the plans’ legal aspect, connection to national-level strategic planning, and spatial planning. The research questions formulated and addressed are as follows: how do urban climate change adaptation plans in the selected countries define key climate challenges? Is the content of the municipal climate change adaptation plans consistent with the content of the diagnosis of climate challenges at the supra-local level and in the scientific discussion? How are climate change adaptation plans translated into the implementation sphere? Τhe example of Spain and Greece confirms that plans can combine general climate change adaptation objectives with specific (evasive) guidelines for urban policies, while the example of Poland shows that the content of climate change adaptation plans can often be too vague and difficult to further integrate into urban policies. The research results obtained are relevant from the perspective of comparing institutional responses to climate challenges. The research proposes possible methods for making such comparisons. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Behavior and Climate Change)

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34 pages, 11582 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Coupled Climate–Environment–Society–Ecosystem Resilience Coordination Analytical Study—A Case Study of Zhejiang Province

by Shuying Zhan and Xiaofan Zhang

Sustainability 2024, 16(13), 5746; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16135746 - 5 Jul 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1571

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to evaluate the coupled coordination degree of climate, environmental, socio-economic, and ecosystem resilience in Zhejiang Province from 2010 to 2022 and to propose optimization strategies. With the increasing impact of global climate change, the need to explore the construction of resilient cities and sustainable development models has become increasingly pressing. Assessing the coupled coordination among climate, environment, socio-economic, and ecosystem resilience aids in suggesting more precise and effective social and ecological recovery strategies in the context of climate change. Zhejiang Province, serving as a model for China’s urbanization development, demonstrates a balance between the natural environment, economic growth, and social development but still suffers from ecological and environmental pollution problems. In this study, an evaluation system was constructed utilizing the entropy weight method (EWM), and the coupled coordination among climate, environmental, socio-economic, and ecosystem resilience in Zhejiang Province was empirically analyzed over the period from 2010 to 2022. The results show that (1) the climatic-environmental, socio-economic, and ecological subsystems of cities in Zhejiang Province generally show an upward trend, despite fluctuations over different periods. (2) The climatic-environmental-social-ecological system resilience of the cities in Zhejiang Province increased as a whole, and six cities (Hangzhou: 0.805, Quzhou: 0.811, Huzhou: 0.827, Taizhou: 0.829, Wenzhou: 0.856, and Jinhua: 0.857) reached the “well-coordinated” level by 2022; however, the coupling coordination of Jiaxing City and Lishui City decreased from good to intermediate coordination. (3) The coupled coordination degree of climatic-environmental-social-ecological system resilience generally stagnated in each city during 2020–2022. Thus, the climate change adaptation strategy proposed in this study aims to enhance urban adaptive capacity to climate change impacts by controlling pollutant emissions, restoring ecosystems, optimizing industrial structures, and designing urban green spaces. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Behavior and Climate Change)

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15 pages, 771 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Antecedents of Collaborative Behavior for Climate Change Mitigation among South Koreans: The Moderation Analyses of a Sense of Community as Responsibility, Neighborliness, and Trust

by Bumsub Jin

Sustainability 2023, 15(16), 12145; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151612145 - 8 Aug 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1415

Abstract

The collective efforts of various social actors from different sectors have contributed to climate change mitigation. Identifying the important antecedents of collaborative behavior to address climate change helps us understand the underlying process. This study focused on important theoretical frameworks that determine collaborative behavior as civic engagement. Specifically, the study examines perceived societal risk to future generations, sense of community as responsibility (SOC-R), neighborliness, and trust in collaborative behavior to mitigate climate change. It also investigates the boundary conditions of the effects of societal risk perception on collaborative behavior change by examining the moderating roles of SOC-R, neighborliness, and trust. A nationwide online survey was conducted in South Korea. The findings reveal significant effects of societal risk perception and SOC-R on behavioral intention. Moreover, SOC-R and trust moderated the causal relationship between societal risk perception and behavioral intention, such that the relationship was more pronounced at lower SOC-R and trust. These findings have implications for communication practices and policy making that motivate collective action against climate change in South Korea. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Behavior and Climate Change)

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23 pages, 2965 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Explaining the Sustainability of Universities through the Contribution of Students’ Pro-Environmental Behavior and the Management System

by Yaser Mohammadi, Feyzallah Monavvarifard, Laleh Salehi, Reza Movahedi, Saeid Karimi and Genovaitė Liobikienė

Sustainability 2023, 15(2), 1562; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15021562 - 13 Jan 2023

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 9505

Abstract

As the sustainable university makes sustainability a central priority in its teaching and research, it is important to understand how universities are transitioning towards sustainability. Their pioneering of new practices, and their education of future generations, are giving sustainable universities a special ability to create and influence change. However, the effective implementation of sustainability policies in universities is highly dependent on the willingness and commitment of the management and students to engage in sustainable activities, and there is a lack of systematic effort in how best to map this interaction. To address this gap, this study mainly aimed to explain the sustainability process of universities by emphasizing the roles of students and the management system. A mixed method approach was used to achieve the goal. First, a qualitative content analysis of related research papers was performed through the PRISMA method to figure out the most important factors affecting the integration of sustainability into the university structure. The results of this section showed that six factors contribute to the effective implementation of sustainability in universities, which are: university culture, university leadership, sustainability education, sustainability knowledge, attitudes towards sustainability and commitment to sustainability. Then, structural equation modeling was used to ensure the validity of the model obtained from the qualitative section. The results indicated that both university leadership and culture positively influence the implementation of sustainability education in universities, which in turn has a positive effect on students’ knowledge and attitudes towards sustainability. The students’ sustainability knowledge and attitudes along with university leadership and culture showed a positive effect on their commitment to sustainability. Also, the students’ commitment to sustainability issues had the most direct effect on their participation in sustainability-oriented activities, and then their sustainability attitude and knowledge, respectively. Finally, sustainability knowledge, attitude and participation in sustainability-oriented activities were significantly related to the integration of sustainability into the university structure. Transitioning to sustainable universities will make society greener and healthier, setting an example for other organizations and the results of this study will help policy makers, managers and students to understand how to contribute to this transition. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Behavior and Climate Change)

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Review

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33 pages, 464 KiB

Open AccessReview

From Persuasion Theory to Climate Action: Insights and Future Directions for Increasing Climate-Friendly Behavior

by Lindsay B. Miller

Sustainability 2025, 17(7), 2832; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17072832 - 22 Mar 2025

Viewed by 424

Abstract

Combatting climate change requires motivating individuals to adopt climate-friendly behaviors, whether to make individual lifestyle changes, vote for environmental policy, or accept technological innovations. Efforts to promote such behaviors can be more effective when informed by theoretically and empirically driven insights into human behavior change—an endeavor led by persuasion research. This review explores the intersection of persuasion research and climate-friendly behavior, demonstrating how persuasion theory can be applied to encourage climate action. Key theoretical approaches are examined, including the theory of planned behavior, social norms, narrative-based persuasion, framing, and emotional appeals, along with considerations for their practical applications. Additionally, promising future directions for integrating persuasion research into climate change interventions are highlighted; these include tailoring messages based on moral foundations theory and the transtheoretical model, as well as leveraging artificial intelligence to personalize climate-friendly recommendations. By synthesizing insights across persuasion and environmental research, this review provides valuable guidance for environmental researchers, policymakers, intervention designers, communication strategists, and environmental activists in developing robust and effective strategies to increase climate action at a time when accelerating these behaviors is more urgent than ever. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Behavior and Climate Change)

28 pages, 417 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Human–Nature Relationship as a Tangible Target for Pro-Environmental Behaviour—Guidance from Interpersonal Relationships

by Michael L. Lengieza, Rosemary Aviste and Miles Richardson

Sustainability 2023, 15(16), 12175; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151612175 - 9 Aug 2023

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 7907

Abstract

Major environmental institutions around the globe are realising that the failing human–nature relationship is a root cause of environmental issues. Despite this shift in thinking, there is more work to be done to highlight the human–nature relationship as a tangible target for pro-environmental behaviour. This review argues for the importance of targeting human–nature relationships. It emphasises that nature connectedness, with its robust links to pro-environmental behaviour, is a useful operationalisation of such relationships. Following a review of recent references to the human–nature relationship in policy documents, this paper draws on theories of interpersonal relationships to illustrate how they can inform efforts to repair the human–nature relationship. Parallels between nature connectedness research and research on interpersonal relationships are highlighted. The potential for new routes to a closer human–nature relationship—including a more meaningful (e.g., intimate) engagement with nature, a cultural shift in support for human–nature relationships, fostering trust in nature and recognising reciprocity with nature—are noted. This review concludes that the human–nature relationship can be seen as an extension of interpersonal relationships, provides a tangible pathway to a sustainable future, and suggests that such explicit relationship-focused thinking can guide both policy and research. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Behavior and Climate Change)

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