How do beliefs and attitudes of people influence energy conservation behavior in Pakistan?

Abstract

Policymakers in developing countries like Pakistan mostly ignore the behavioral aspects of climate change mitigation, whereas literature is also deficient in advocating evidence-based mitigation strategies. This study aims to analyze the impact of personality traits, social norms, and attitudes on energy conservation behavior. Face-to-face interviews of 361 households are conducted in the capital city of Pakistan using random sampling. According to the characteristics of the data, the ordered logistic regression model is applied. The results reveal that education and gender do not contribute significantly toward energy conservation. In contrast, the behavior is more influenced by convenient lifestyle, the number of vehicles, distance of residence from the workplace, income, perception of energy security, and availability of transport. Furthermore, knowledge about sustainability and age is also critical to influencing energy conservation behavior. Therefore, the study recommends using different mediums to enhance the knowledge base of households about energy conservation and environmental sustainability, aligning the urban planning in view of location choices and use of public transport.