Search Results (64)

This study extends the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to examine the factors influencing the employees’ intentions to save energy in the workplace (INSER), incorporating organizational culture (ORGCULT) and environmental knowledge (ENVKNOW) as mediating variables. Structural equation modeling (SEM) of survey data reveals that attitudes toward energy saving (ATESs) and perceived behavioral control (PERBCON) significantly predict INSER, while subjective norms (SUBNORMS) do not exert a direct effect. ORGCULT emerges as a strong mediator, highlighting its role in translating pro-environmental attitudes into actionable intentions. In contrast, ENVKNOW does not mediate the examined relationships, challenging the assumption that knowledge alone is sufficient to drive energy-saving behavior. These findings suggest that organizational commitment and leadership engagement exert a greater influence than peer norms or informational efforts in shaping sustainable workplace behaviors. From a practical perspective, the study underscores the importance of cultivating a sustainability-oriented organizational culture, implementing structural supports, and employing behavioral interventions beyond traditional awareness campaigns. Theoretically, it refines the TPB by illustrating that institutional factors may precede normative pressures in professional settings. Overall, the research contributes to the corporate sustainability literature by advocating for leadership-driven engagement strategies and policy-level interventions to promote long-term energy efficiency. Full article

This study presents a systematic approach to designing and optimizing a 100% renewable hybrid microgrid system for sustainable rural electrification in Khlong Ruea, Thailand, using HOMER Pro software (Version 3.15.3). The proposed system integrates photovoltaic (PV) panels (20 kW), pico hydro (9.42 kW), and lithium-ion battery storage (264 kWh) to provide a reliable, cost-effective, and environmentally sustainable energy solution for a remote village of 306 residents. The methodology encompasses site-specific resource assessment (solar irradiance, hydro flow), load demand analysis, and techno-economic optimization, minimizing the net present cost (NPC) and cost of energy (COE) while achieving zero emissions. Simulation results indicate the optimal configuration (S1) achieves an NPC of USD 362,687 and COE of USD 0.19/kWh, with a 100% renewable fraction, outperforming the current diesel–hydro system (NPC USD 3,400,000, COE USD 1.85/kWh, 61.4% renewable). Sensitivity analysis confirms robustness against load increases (1–5%), though battery capacity and costs rise proportionally. Compared to regional microgrids, the proposed system excels in terms of sustainability and scalability, leveraging local resources effectively. The lifecycle assessment highlights the battery’s embodied emissions (13,200–39,600 kg CO₂e), underscoring the need for recycling to enhance long-term sustainability. Aligned with Thailand’s AEDP 2018–2037 and net-zero goals, this model offers a replicable framework for rural electrification in Southeast Asia. Stakeholder engagement, including community input and EGAT funding, ensures practical implementation. The study demonstrates that fully renewable microgrids are technically feasible and economically viable, providing a blueprint for sustainable energy transitions globally. Full article

This research investigates the role residents’ place attachment plays in developing their trust in the government in the city of Budapest. Rooted in different domains such as politics, environmental, and social psychology and aligned with the related SDGs (goals 3, 11 16, 17), an integrative model of residents’ place attachment, trust in the local government, QoL, social impacts, and pro-social engagement is proposed, which the authors argue are important mechanisms to be explored in determining support for sustainable tourism development to promote responsible consumption and production (SDG 12). We applied SEM on a sample of 350 residents. Findings suggest that place attachment significantly influences residents’ trust in the local government, which also has a positive influence on quality of life. Quality of life has a significant influence on perceived social impacts, which strongly leads to pro-social engagement; pro-social engagement underpins support for tourism development. This paper sets a future research agenda for sustainable tourism by indicating its possible antecedents. Sustainable tourism development has important implications for the achievement of other sustainability goals. The study aligns well with the United Nations Tourism’s vision of tourism as an important driver of positive change for responsible consumption and advancing other SDGs. Full article

This study aims to develop the concept of self-social engineering in the context of tourism, focusing on tourists’ pro-environmental behavior. By integrating psychological theories such as Environmental Psychology Theory, the Theory of Planned Behavior, and Norm Activation Theory, the purpose of the investigation was to determine the extent of the direct influence of independent variables of perceived environmental quality (PEQ), attitude, subjective norm (SN), and perceived behavioral control (PBC) on self-social engineering (SSE) and their indirect influence through intention to engage in environmentally responsible behavior (ERB). The structural analysis results from a sample of 191 visitors indicated that the unified model demonstrates a satisfactory predictive capability for SSE. This study’s findings highlight significant and insignificant relationships among the research variables, providing insights into the dynamics of pro-environmental behavior. Significant positive relationships were observed between attitude and SSE and between SN and SSE, demonstrating the influence of individual attitudes and social pressures on fostering self-initiated environmental actions. Similarly, PBC was found to significantly impact both SSE and ERB, indicating that individuals who feel capable of taking environmental actions are more likely to do so. Conversely, some relationships were found to be insignificant. The relationship between PEQ and SSE was insignificant, suggesting that positive perceptions of environmental quality alone may not motivate individuals to engage in self-directed environmental behaviors. Additionally, PEQ showed a negative relationship with ERB, indicating that high environmental quality perceptions might reduce the urgency to act, potentially leading to complacency. These findings highlight pro-environmental behavior’s complex and context-dependent characteristics, underscoring the importance of adopting integrated approaches considering individual and situational factors. The limitations of this study include its cross-sectional design, which restricts the ability to analyze behavioral changes over time. Additionally, its relatively localized sample does not fully capture broader tourist populations’ diverse demographic and geographical contexts. Full article

Circular economy (CE) is a model that is gaining significance in the context of sustainable development and environmental protection, focusing on minimizing waste generation and maximizing the use of available resources through recycling and extending product life cycles. The implementation of CE in various European Union countries demonstrates diverse approaches to resource management, waste production, and energy efficiency improvement. These differences primarily stem from varying strategies, national policies, levels of social awareness, and technological advancements. The article identifies the key challenges and barriers associated with CE implementation in selected countries—Poland, the Netherlands, and Romania—and highlights specific areas requiring improvement and adaptation. It emphasizes the critical role of aligning national policies with the EU guidelines, promoting ecological education, and investing in innovative technologies and solutions that support sustainable development. Additionally, it points to the need for developing appropriate waste management infrastructure and encouraging businesses and consumers to change habits and engage in pro-environmental actions. Full article

Individual pro-environmental behaviors (PEBs) are essential for addressing critical global environmental challenges. Drawing on the social identity approach, this study examines how different types of social identity (including world, national, regional, and city identities) influence individuals’ engagement in PEBs. Using data from the seventh wave of the World Values Survey (2017–2022), which includes responses from 60,577 participants across 48 regions, a hierarchical linear model was used to analyze these relationships. The results show that world identity has a stronger effect than city, national, or regional identity on green orientation and subsequently on PEBs, emphasizing environmental sustainability as a global priority. Moreover, previous cross-cultural research has focused on individualistic and collectivistic cultures. Our study introduces a novel perspective to the existing literature by examining the moderating effect of long-term versus short-term societal orientations. The findings indicate that long-term cultural orientations strengthen the influence of green orientation on PEBs. This study provides actionable insights for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers seeking to develop culturally sensitive strategies to promote sustainable behaviors. Full article

Applying behavioral reasoning theory, this study examines the effect of social media food waste advertising on consumers’ intention not to waste food, with customer–brand communal engagement and awareness of food waste consequences acting as mediators, and fast-food customers’ altruism as a moderator. Structural equation modeling was applied to data from 422 customers of Malaysian retail fast-food chains. The findings reveal that social media food waste advertising positively affects customers’ intentions not to waste food directly and indirectly through two mediators: awareness of food waste consequences and customer–brand communal engagement. The stronger mediator was awareness, and it indicated that cognitive factors play a greater role in pro-environmental behaviors than emotional ones. Additionally, this study demonstrates that customer altruism moderates the cognitive pathway but not the emotional pathway. The results of these findings suggest that social media campaigns should focus on both cognitive and emotional dimensions as well as personal value to maximize effectiveness. The findings have implications for fast-food chains to design more effective social media campaigns that promote food waste reduction as part of broader sustainability goals in the food industry. Full article

The pro-environmental behavior of tourists is an important guarantee for the sustainable development of ecotourism scenic spots. This article is based on 806 tourist survey data from two ecotourism scenic spots, making use of exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and the structural equation model (SEM) to explore the impact of tourist experience quality on tourists’ pro-environmental behavior. The research findings indicate that (1) the quality of the tourist experience is an important factor affecting the formation of place attachment; (2) the quality of tourism experience directly and positively affects place dependence, and indirectly affects place identity through the mediating factor of place dependence; and (3) the direct impact of tourist experience quality on tourists’ pro-environmental behavior is significant, with place attachment playing a mediating role. This article provides inspiration for scenic spots to encourage tourists to engage in pro-environmental behavior. In the process of stimulating tourists to engage in pro-environmental behaviors, ecotourism scenic spots should pay more attention to the tourist experiences and emotional experiences. Scenic spots should make more efforts to improve the quality of the tourist experience, so that tourists can develop a sense of dependence on ecotourism scenic spots, gradually form self-identification with the scenic spots, and engage in environmentally friendly behavior, helping to achieve the sustainable development of ecotourism scenic spots. Full article

The One Health approach often reaches classrooms through Environmental Education (EE), which aims to guide society’s response to current crises (environmental, health, economic, values). However, traditional EE teaching has focused on isolated ecological concepts and standardised solutions, ignoring the multidimensional nature of EE and failing to integrate the interdependence between environmental, animal, and human health. Moreover, teacher training often neglects didactic content knowledge, preventing students from acquiring the systemic vision needed to address eco-social problems and create sustainable solutions aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This limits teachers’ ability to influence students’ concerns and behaviours. In this context, this study aims to reflect on the current state of the issue and propose strategies informed by Science Education research to improve EE teaching, enabling the integration of One Health dimensions through effective didactics to achieve Transformative Environmental Education (TEE). For this purpose, we begin by addressing the limitations identified in recent systematic reviews, shifting the paradigm towards a symbiosis of EE and Science Education through scientific practices. We then present practical examples showcasing successful EE initiatives that foster a deeper understanding of socio-environmental issues, encourage innovative solutions, and nurture engaged citizens from early education onwards. These proposals can support classroom practice and ongoing teacher self-development. Pedagogical strategies include tackling issues that require systemic and critical thinking by developing scientific and epistemic practices while raising awareness of Environmental Justice. Thus, this study advocates for a new vision of EE, integrating the One Health approach, which could be applied to develop new educational programs, including teacher training. This would lead to a new learning evaluation model and help identify key determinants that trigger pro-environmental behaviours. Full article

The morphological aspects of urban growth on wetlands in Africa are under-researched. Using the Densu Delta Ramsar site in Accra, Ghana, as a case study, this paper analyses the morphological patterns and drivers of urban growth and its impact on wetlands. Data were obtained through remote-sensing, ground truthing, and limited key informant interviews. The analysis combined land use/land cover, building coverage and spatial autoregressive and ordinary least square regression techniques with the aid of ArcGIS version 10.8.2, QGIS version 3.34 and STATA version 17 software. The findings reveal that urban growth at the Ramsar site follows discernible spatial patterns consistent with the spreading pancake, village magnet, and ribbon development models. However, the primary force behind these patterns is growing demand for land to meet housing needs, aided by the failure of state institutions to perform their land use control and wetland protection functions. To achieve sustainable urban development, there is an urgent need to ensure effective wetland management by enforcing existing land use, development control, and wetland protection measures. This calls for the strengthening, resourcing, and closer collaboration of the relationships between the various state agencies responsible for urban planning and wetland management. There is also the need to engage and sensitise political leaders to increase their commitment to implementing wetland protection and pro-environmental policies. Full article

Based on research data from the renovation of old residential areas in Chengdu, China, this study provides empirical evidence regarding the causal relationship between urban renewal and the transformation of residents’ pro-environmental behaviors. The research results show a significant enhancement in residents’ engagement in pro-environmental behaviors due to the renovation of old residential areas. Robustness tests based on replacement samples and two-stage difference–difference model also confirm the reliability of the conclusions. The preliminary mechanism test indicates that the mechanism of the impact of renovation of old residential areas on the transformation of residents’ pro-environmental behaviors can be attributed to two main factors. Firstly, improving environmental infrastructure, such as upgrading waste segregation facilities and installing intelligent resource recycling devices, provides residents with better conditions for engaging in pro-environmental behaviors. Secondly, an increase in residents’ environmental awareness has led to more voluntary participation in pro-environmental behaviors. This study proposes that decision makers acknowledge that urban renewal serves as both a means of improving urban infrastructure and as a hands-on environmental education for the entire population. Taking urban renewal as an opportunity to enhance citizens’ awareness of environmental protection will effectively promote the transformation of pro-environmental behaviors and support sustainable social development. Full article

Previous research in Western nations has established a clear connection between pro-environmental public opinion and clean energy transition policies aligned with Sustainable Development Goals 7 and 13. However, little is known about this relationship in East Asia, the most important region of the world in terms of carbon emissions. Using the International Social Survey Program and Taiwan Social Change Survey results from 2010 and 2020, this study examines public opinion in Taiwan on environmental issues, comparing it with opinion in a group of 18 OECD countries. Results show high but stable support for the environment and the energy transition in Taiwan over this period, with no indications of climate denial. However, willingness to make sacrifices for the environment is sharply lower among the lower half of the income distribution, highlighting existing socioeconomic disparities and inequality. Further, political engagement around environmental issues remains relatively low in Taiwan compared to engagement in the OECD comparison group. This disjunction suggests a unique model of public opinion and policy outcomes in Taiwan, which is clearly distinct from patterns in the West. Comprehending this model is vital, considering East Asia’s necessary role in a global clean energy transition. Full article

Information-based interventions are still the most commonly used intervention approach to motivate people to engage in pro-environmental behaviors. However, recently, researchers assume that the effectiveness of such information depends on the extent to which recipients endorse biospheric values (the so-called ‘values-as-moderator’ hypothesis). If this hypothesis is correct, it would have important implications for the use of information appeals: they could not motivate the entire population, but only those population groups with high biospheric values. Two experimental studies using case vignettes were conducted to investigate the effects of biospheric values prioritization, an informational and a socio-normative appeal, as well as the interaction between biospheric values and those two interventions on two different pro-environmental behavioral intentions: everyday ‘low-cost’ behavior of purchasing (organic) coffee (Study 1) and the more difficult ‘high-cost’ behavior of adopting a heating style that prevents rebound effects (Study 2). In Study 1 we additionally examined the influence of the degree of privacy in which a behavior takes place on the purchase intention. Both studies were conducted as online survey studies in Germany. A total of 800 participants took part in each study. We used moderated logistic regression models to examine the main and interaction effects of biospheric values and the two different appeals on participants’ pro-environmental behavioral intentions. Both studies showed a significant main effect of the informational appeal on pro-environmental behavioral intentions. In Study 1, but not in Study 2, the main effect of the socio-normative appeal was also significant, especially if the purchase decision took place in a public space. However, no consistent evidence of a meaningful effect of biospheric values was found: the main effect of biospheric values was statistically significant only in Study 1, and the postulated interactions between biospheric values and interventions were not statistically significant in either study. Further theoretical and practical implications of the reported results are discussed. Full article

This study explores the dynamics of food conservation behaviors and operations, shifting the lens from the prevalent narrative of food waste reduction to a marketing perspective that emphasizes consumer engagement in sustainable operations. Amidst the rapid urban transformation and economic progress of many countries, this research examines factors influencing individual behaviors toward responsible food operations. It aims to delineate the motivational drivers and deterrents affecting residents’ engagement in food conservation and operations, utilizing an adapted framework based on the theory of planned behavior. We employ partial least squares structural equation modeling to analyze responses from 390 residents. We find that perceived behavioral control, subjective norms, and attitudes significantly enhance intentions to conserve food. Moreover, environmental concerns amplify both attitudes and perceived behavioral control, while green marketing communications and knowledge elevate attitudes, environmental mindfulness, and conservation actions. A connection to nature is substantiated as a reinforcing factor for pro-environmental attitudes and operations. Notably, attitudes are identified as a critical mediator among the examined constructs. This investigation enriches sustainability scholarship by introducing a positive behavior-focused approach, advancing the discourse on sustainable operations. It offers actionable insights for market-driven interventions, policy-making (such as China’s lastest national policies on food security and rural region revitalization in 2024), and educational endeavors to mitigate food wastage and reinforce food supply chain resilience globally. Full article

A successful transition to a lower-emission society may require major changes in the patterns of individual behaviours. Yet, whilst awareness and concern about climate change have increased in recent years among the global population, global greenhouse gases emissions have not ceased to rise. This paper discusses potential reasons underlying the gap between individual knowledge of climate change and the actions implemented to contain greenhouse gas emissions. To investigate this phenomenon, we look at the scientific literature exploring the factors influencing pro-environmental behaviour. First, we highlight how an individual’s environmental knowledge is not only approximate but also biased by cognitive, affective, and cultural factors, influencing their appraisal of climate information and their motivation to act. Second, we discuss three major models of pro-environmental behaviour, such as the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), the Norm-Activation Model (NAM), and the Value-Belief-Norm (VBN), to highlight their failure to account for automatic cognitive and affective factors influencing an individual’s ability to implement pro-environmental intentions. Then, we discuss the Comprehensive-Action-Determination Model of pro-environmental behaviour (CADM), and its efforts to overcome the limits of the previous models. Finally, we examine the dispositional traits associated with pro-environmental engagement to highlight how the relationship between dispositions and pro-environmental behaviour performance appears related to self-regulation processes, supported by executive functioning; increased self-regulation would enable alignment of pro-environmental intentions and behaviours, and anticipation of the long-term consequences of present behaviours. We conclude by calling for more research to be carried out on the effect of enhanced self-regulation, and of self-regulation training, on individual reactions to the climate crisis. Full article