Factors Influencing Personal Carbon Footprint of the Croatian University Students

Abstract

AbstractGiven the underrepresentation of the information on the size and composition of personal carbon footprints, this paper explores the relationship between the students’ socio-demographic characteristics such as education, gender, age, and place of residence or income level related to their carbon footprint. In addition, the paper also addresses the effect of barriers and incentives to reduce carbon footprints. The analysis is based on a convenient sample using data collected through a self-administered online questionnaire completed by 182 students from Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Croatia, in 2021. The results of the multiple linear regression method, which was applied to assess the influence of explanatory variables, show a significant effect of disposable income and a place of residence on the students’ carbon footprints. In addition, among various examined barriers and internal incentives aimed at low-carbon behaviour, the lack of knowledge and financial savings has a favourable effect on personal carbon footprints. The study contributes to empirical evidence on the personal or system-level hotspots that influence carbon footprint reduction in the context of higher education. Consequently, raising students’ carbon footprint awareness can have a multiplicative effect on carbon emissions in the future.KeywordsPersonal carbon footprint calculatorIncentivesBarriersCroatiaSocio-demographic profileMultiple linear regression