Perceived Environmental Threats and Pro-Environmental Behaviors: Investigating the Role of Political Participation Using a South Korean Survey.

Kuk-Kyoung Moon,Jae Young Lim

doi:10.3390/ijerph17093244

Abstract

Climate change and environmental pollution are increasingly ravaging countries around the world. This study examines the direct effects of perceived environmental threats and political participation, as well as their joint effects, on individuals’ support for a lower standard of living and the increased government spending necessary for environmental protection. Using the 2014 South Korean General Social Survey and an ordered probit, the study finds that individuals’ perceptions of environmental threats are associated positively with their support for government spending and a lower standard of living. Political participation is statistically significant and positive only in its relationship with support for a lower standard of living. Nevertheless, political participation is a powerful moderator and amplifies positive relationships between individuals’ perceptions of environmental threats and their support for a lower standard of living and government spending on environmental protection. In estimating predicted probabilities of strong support, perceived environmental threats and political participation jointly increased support for lower living standards by 35.67% and for government spending by 69.58%.

Highlights

This study focuses on two types of pro-environmental behaviors among individuals: supporting a lower standard of living and advocating the government spending necessary for environmental protection
Step 2 was focused on the joint effects of environmental threat perception and political participation on support for a lower standard of living
Step 2 was focused on the moderating effect of political participation on the link between environmental threat perception and support for government spending for environmental protection

Summary

Introduction

Climate change and pollution have been wreaking havoc in countries around the world [1,2,3]. In the words of a popular climate change author, “It is worse, much worse, than you think” [3]. The consequences of global warming may be inevitable, but efforts are being made to mitigate and adapt to them. Pro-environmental behaviors can be considered the manifestations of mitigation efforts, whereas adaptation requires changes in political and social systems in reaction to the consequences of global warming and pollution [3,5]. This study focuses on two types of pro-environmental behaviors among individuals: supporting a lower standard of living and advocating the government spending necessary for environmental protection

Results

Discussion

Conclusion