Evaluating the Impact of Environmental Education on Ecologically Friendly Behavior of University Students in Pakistan: The Roles of Environmental Responsibility and Islamic Values

Abida Begum,Salim Khan,Heesup Han,Imran Ullah Khan Marwat,Liu Jingwei,Antonio Ariza-Montes

doi:10.3390/su131810188

Abstract

With increasing global environmental problems, considerable evidence now suggests that environmental education can influence students’ ecologically friendly behavior significantly. Addressing increased environmental problems requires better understanding of the relations between focused and explicit environmental education, environmental responsibility, and religious values. The current study examined the relationship between environmental education and ecologically friendly behavior, utilizing insights from resource conservation theory. The relationship between the variables mentioned above was examined to determine the mediating effect of environmental responsibility and the moderating effect of Islamic values. Through a cross-sectional approach, data were gathered from 413 university students. The data were analyzed using analytical techniques such as “structural equation modeling” and “PROCESS.” The study’s findings support the predicted conceptual model, indicating that environmental education was positively related to environmentally friendly behavior. Furthermore, environmental responsibility partially mediated the relationship above, whereas Islamic values positively moderated the relationships between environmental education and ecologically friendly behavior as well as between environmental education and environmental responsibility. These findings emphasize the critical role of environmental education and Islamic values in comprehending the ecological behaviors of Muslim students.

Highlights

Environmental education is critical in understanding high-level ecological concerns and behaviors
As the preceding discussion implies that Environmental education (EE) will influence an individual toward EFB, we propose that environmental education is positively associated with ecologically friendly behavior
In the first alternative model, the items measuring the Islamic values and ecologically friendly behavior were loaded on a single latent factor

Summary

Introduction

Environmental education is critical in understanding high-level ecological concerns and behaviors. Environmental education imparts a high level of information and awareness regarding environmental issues and solutions, resulting in sustainable and ecologically friendly behavior (EFB) [2,3]. Environmental education enhances understanding and sensitivity to environmental problems, broadens knowledge, and contributes to developing favorable attitudes toward ecological challenges [4]. Younger generations will be disproportionately affected due to current global environmental problems, which will only worsen if they are not Sustainability 2021, 13, 10188. It is critical to understand and improve individuals’ ecological behavior. Universities could play a critical role in enforcing ecologically friendly behavior and transforming societies toward environmental sustainability [6,7]

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Conclusion