What predicts climate concern and pro-environmental behavior? Case study on Eastern Hungarian settlement.

“Demain” is a French documentary film launched in 2015 by Melanie Laurent and Cyril Dion which presents many feel-good stories of people that are taking concrete actions to combat the ecological crisis. In contrast to most environmental campaigns, the filmmakers decided to use positive emotions instead of negative emotions to encourage people to adopt behaviors in favor of the environment. Surprisingly, this innovative approach has received limited attention in the literature. This paper aims to fill this gap in investigating the role of hope about climate change (hope) on adoption of pro-environmental behaviors. Two studies looked at the distinct effect of feeling hope on the commitment of the population to a big range of pro-environmental behaviors. In the first study, we measured the level of hope of a sample of 202 Mechanical Turk respondents and evaluated its correlation with the level of pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors. We controlled for dispositional hope and optimism in order to have a clear picture of the main and isolated impact of hope. We found that hope was significantly, positively correlated to pro-environmental behaviors and attitude toward the environment. Dispositional hope did not impact this relationship, and optimism about climate change did not have any statistically significant correlation to pro-environmental behaviors. Knowledge regarding climate change influenced hope in such a way that an increase of knowledge was beneficial to hope until a certain level and detrimental after. In the second study (N = 229), to insure the causal effect of hope on pro-environmental behaviors, we used a writing task to manipulate the level of hope among respondents. The first group was asked to write down the reasons why we can be hopeful about climate change (hope condition; n = 70), the second the reasons why we cannot be hopeful (absence of hope condition; n = 78), and the third (control condition; n = 81) was asked to write down what they think about climate change. We then measured their intention to engage in various environmental behaviors in the next year. Results supported the outcomes of study 1. Hope was positively related to intention to engage in pro-environmental behaviors. To conclude, hope appeals should be used in awareness-raising campaigns to increase consumers’ engagement in pro-environmental behaviors and to reduce denial and counter effects of educative messages about climate change effects.

To address environmental problems, such as climate change, we need two types of public action: pro-environmental behaviour and support for environmental policies. However, from current research, it is unclear whether people who behave pro-environmentally will also support pro-environmental policies. Based on a novel theoretical perspective, we argue that people who behave pro-environmentally are likely to support environmental policy too as both are related to their intrinsic pro-environmental motivation. We test our reasoning in two large-sample, cross-country correlational studies. In Study 1, we mostly find positive relationships between two pro-environmental behaviours and support for three environmental policies in 23 countries. In Study 2, we similarly find positive relationships between indicators of pro-environmental transport behaviour and support for six environmental policies in seven countries. Importantly, across both studies and 18 behaviour-policy pairs, we only find two weak negative relationships between engagement in pro-environmental behaviour and support for environmental policy. In support of our reasoning, across both studies, we mostly find positive relationships between indicators of intrinsic proenvironmental motivation (i.e., biospheric values and personal norms) and both engagement in pro-environmental behaviour and support for environmental policy. Taken together, our results suggest that people who behave pro-environmentally are likely to support environmental policy too, and vice versa. Further, it is very unlikely that pro-environmental actions, both behaviour and policy support, will inhibit one another. Finally, our results suggest that people are more likely to engage in pro-environmental behaviour and support environmental policies when they have a stronger intrinsic pro-environmental motivation.

Environmental education is important in the face of the climate crisis. Although previous studies suggest that knowledge could boost pro-environmental attitudes, behavioural change is complex and may go beyond knowledge acquisition. Previous research highlighted biospheric and altruistic values as motivational factors related to pro- environmental behaviour (PEB). Video-based education has arisen as an accessible environmental learning medium. Video-sharing platforms offer accurate educational videos, although, it is unclear if they can increase knowledge, PEB or change attitudes. An online experiment randomly allocated 72 students in two conditions to watch an informational video on climate change, with one condition engaging in a values clarification task. Participants completed questionnaires on environmental attitudes, PEB, environmental self-efficacy and knowledge. Cross-correlations indicated complex inter-relationships and a non-significant relationship between knowledge and PEB at baseline. The values clarification task did not offer an advantage on PEB or pro-environmental attitudes. Both conditions experienced increases in knowledge, indicating that watching an educational video on climate change contributes to knowledge acquisition. The findings highlight complex mechanisms involved in increasing pro-environmental attitudes and behaviours. The study was part of the project “Be the Change: Innovative Higher Education for Environmental Sustainability,” co-funded by the ERASMUS+ Programme of the European Union (Project number: 2022-1-SE01- KA220-HED-000087275).

Although individuals are exposed to a variety of pro-environmental influences in childhood, it is unclear which has the biggest impact on adult beliefs and behaviour. The aim of the current study therefore examined how formal sustainability education and childhood caregiver pro-environmental motivations, beliefs and behaviour, influence motivations and behaviours in adulthood. An Australian adult sample (n = 230) completed a survey measuring pro-environmental motivation, anthropogenic climate change beliefs and pro-environmental behaviour. Recollections of childhood caregivers’ anthropogenic climate change beliefs and pro-environmental behaviours, and formal completion of sustainability education were obtained. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis found childhood caregiver pro-environmental behaviour significantly and uniquely predicted pro-environmental behaviour. Moderation analysis found no influence from formal sustainability education on this relationship. Caregiver and individual climate change belief were associated, but caregiver belief was not associated with pro-environmental motivation. No differences in adult pro-environmental behaviour were noted when considering childhood sustainability education. Results suggest transmission of anthropogenic climate change belief and pro-environmental behaviour occurs from childhood caregivers. Comparatively, formal childhood sustainability education was not significant in establishing ongoing pro-environmental behaviour patterns. This research adds to limited existing literature demonstrating caregiver impact on sustained pro-environmental behaviour and provides possible future direction for promoting sustainable behaviour.

In the last decades, oil palm cultivation has increased rapidly to meet the rising demands for vegetable oils worldwide. While in the 1970s, two million tons of palm oil on 3.3 million hectares of land were produced worldwide, production levels have increased by 36 times in 2019, to around 72.3 million tons on 28.3 million hectares of land. There are two main reasons for the rapid expansion. Oil palms can produce more tons per hectare compared to any other crop. In addition, it is very versatile in its use and can be used in the food industry, for cosmetics, industrial and agrochemical products, and biodiesel.
\nIndonesia has been the biggest oil palm producer worldwide since 2008. The oil palm boom has brought economic benefits such as increases in incomes and living standards for the producers and others along the value chain. Besides the economic benefits that the oil palm industry has entailed, the massive land-use transformation and the common management practices applied have led to immense environmental degradation that affects the local population, rural and urban, but also beyond borders. 
\nAgainst this background, the focus of this dissertation is on the economic and environmental trade-offs of oil palm cultivation. The dissertation also addresses the environmental dimension of oil palm cultivation by examining climate change perceptions, environmental concern, and pro-environmental behavior among the local population. The present dissertation comprises three essays and addresses three broad research objectives: First, to assess the adoption decisions of an agricultural technology that generates positive environmental effects among small-scale oil palm farmers to support sustainable oil palm cultivation; second, to examine the environmental concern and pro-environmental behavior among the local population in a setting characterized by a rapid land-use transformation in the Global South; and third, to understand climate change perceptions among small-scale oil palm farmers in a setting of rapid land-use change. The analysis of the three essays relies on primary data collection in Jambi, Sumatra, Indonesia, from 2019 and 2020 and consists of a total of 757 respondents, where 408 are oil palm farmers and 349 are respondents from Jambi City. This research was conducted in the frame of the Collaborative Research Center (CRC) 990: Ecological and Socioeconomic Functions of Tropical Lowland Rainforest Transformation System (EFForTS) in Indonesia. 
\nThe first essay focuses on the adoption of an agricultural technology that is socially desirable and generates positive environmental effects with delayed private benefits for the adopters. In the case of welfare-enhancing technologies such as improved seeds or fertilizer, scholars have shown that subsidies can be an adequate instrument to motivate adoption. Yet, for agricultural technologies such as native tree planting, that are socially desirable and need maintenance evidence remains limited on how to stimulate adoption, tree survival, and additional investments into this technology effectively. We implemented two policy interventions with oil palm smallholders to analyze the adoption of native tree planting, tree survival, and engagement in additional planting efforts. In the first treatment, oil palm farmers received information with regards to native tree planting and three native tree seedlings for free (subsidy treatment). In the second treatment, oil palm farmers received the same information about native tree planting and had then the opportunity to buy three native tree seedlings through an auction mechanism (price treatment). Our results show that under a subsidy scheme, farmers have a higher probability to plant the tree seedlings they received and they also plant more tree seedlings compared to the treatment where farmers had the opportunity to buy the seedlings. The higher planting intensity in the subsidy treatment led to a higher tree survival rate. Yet, we find a tendency towards more additional planting efforts in the price treatment pointing towards crowding-out effects of farmers in the subsidy treatment. The cost-effectiveness analysis that we conducted, reflects our results when focussing only on the trees that we provided. More tree seedlings were planted in the subsidy treatment which was also more expensive compared to the price treatment. The cost-effectiveness is higher for the price treatment when including additional planting efforts. This is driven by few farmers though.
\nThe second essay addresses environmental concern and pro-environmental behavior among the local population living in an oil palm cultivating hotspot in the Global South. Scholars have shown that negative environmental repercussions have an effect on environmental concern and the engagement in pro-environmental behavior of individuals. Environmental concern and pro-environmental behavior both indirectly or directly influence decisions made about the sustainable use of natural resources. For policymakers, it is highly relevant to understand how the local population thinks and behaves to develop more targeted policy and outreach instruments to support sustainable land-use changes. While there exists literature on environmental concern and pro-environmental behavior in industrialized nations focusing on rural-urban differences, evidence is scarce for societies in the Global South. In this study, we examine environmental concern and pro-environmental behavior in the Global South where people live in an oil palm cultivating hotspot and in a setting characterized by a rapid land-use transformation. Our results reveal that overall rural residents are significantly more concerned than urban respondents. This is true for general environmental concern, as well as for the specific oil palm concern which shows that oil palm farmers might be aware of the environmental effects of oil palm cultivation. We also find that connectedness with nature, connectedness with oil palms, and the preference for more heterogeneous landscapes are important determinants for environmental concern. For pro-environmental behavior, we find that rural respondents engage more. A higher connectedness with oil palms decreased the engagement in pro-environmental behavior among the respondents while the hours participated in other environmental activities are positively correlated with pro-environmental behavior.
\nThe third essay of this dissertation analyzes climate change perceptions of Indonesian small-scale oil palm farmers. The implications that climate change has on agriculture and vice versa are already visible today. On the one hand, the number and severity of climate change-related weather events have increased. On the other hand, agriculture contributes to climate change with the release of huge amounts of CO2. Much of the global warming that is experienced today and for the next 30 years is based on emissions that have already been released into the atmosphere. Yet, the degree of future global warming highly depends on emissions of today and the near future. Hence, adaptation strategies have to become a central strategy today to slow down and decrease the implications of climate change and agriculture on each other in the long term. To do so, climate change perceptions of individuals need to be well understood to develop suitable strategies. In this regard, scholars have shown that farmers seem to be aware of climate change and its potential effects to varying degrees. Important sociodemographic factors that are associated with climate change perceptions are education, age, and wealth amongst others. Yet, evidence remains limited for climate change awareness and the perceived affectedness of small-scale oil palm farmers living in a setting of rapid land-use transformation. In this study, we analyze determinants of climate change awareness and perceived affectedness of small-scale oil palm farmers. Our results reveal that about three-quarters of the respondents are aware of climate change and almost 60 percent feel personally affected by it. Important factors associated with climate change awareness and perceived affectedness are education, age, and wealth. Finally, the experience of extreme weather events seems to not strongly be associated with the climate change perceptions of the oil palm farmers.
\nThis dissertation contributes to the actual state of research with regards to the economic and environmental trade-offs of oil palm cultivation as well as to the environmental dimension by examining climate change perceptions, environmental concern, and pro-environmental behavior among the local population. The results indicate firstly, that the adoption of native tree planting can be enhanced by a policy mix that involves the distribution of subsidized tree seedlings as well as value chain development to address multiple barriers to native tree seedlings. Secondly, environmental concern and pro-environmental behavior differ significantly between rural and urban residents, and hence, to overcome a lack of disconnectedness between the general public and the agrarian transformation and strengthen environmental concern and pro-environmental behavior, the spread of information and environmental education seem to be promising. Finally, to support the development of suitable climate change adaptation strategies relevant knowledge needs to be spread among the farmers to create more climate change awareness. Furthermore, as the financial means of the farmers differ but are associated with being better equipped regarding adaptation measures, especially, the poorer farmers need to receive suitable support when it comes to the adoption of adaptation measures taking potential barriers, e.g. financial means, into account.

Non-technical summary This study addresses the challenge of climate change by exploring how psychological qualities and meditation practices may influence pro-environmental behavior among decision-makers, by surveying 185 participants. The research found that meditation practices and compassion toward others are linked to more pro-environmental actions. Nature connectedness emerged as a key factor related to enhanced mindfulness, compassion toward others and self, and environmental efforts. Additionally, pro-environmental efforts at work were related to more engagement across the organization, including management. These findings highlight the potential of integrating personal growth practices into sustainability promoting strategies, suggesting that fostering compassion and mindfulness may support pro-environmental action. Technical summary Current policy approaches addressing climate change have been insufficient. Integrative approaches linking inner and outer factors of behavior change, both at the private and organizational level, have been called for. The aim of the present study was thus to conceptualize and test a model of interlinkages between trainable transformative psychological qualities, meditation practice, wellbeing, stress, and pro-environmental behaviors in the private and organizational context, among decision-makers (N = 185) who responded to a survey of self-completion measures covering the topics above. Results show that meditation practices and longer practice duration were associated with more pro-environmental behavior, mindfulness facets, and wellbeing. Mindfulness facets and self-compassion were associated with higher wellbeing and lower stress, but not pro-environmental behavior. Importantly, higher compassion toward others was associated with more pro-environmental behavior but was not associated with own wellbeing and stress. Greater nature connectedness was associated with more pro-environmental behavior in private- and work life, mindfulness facets, compassion toward others, self-compassion, and longer meditation duration. Furthermore, at work, personal pro-environmental efforts were associated with such efforts by others in the organization, including management, and such efforts were also associated with overall integration of sustainability work in the organization. The results can help guide future interventions. Social media summary Nature connectedness, compassion toward others, and meditation related to private and work life pro-environmental behaviors.

Background Climate change is one of the greatest global threats to humanity in the 21st century, and it is directly or indirectly caused by human activity. In view of the effects of climate change, it is important to examine the level of knowledge, attitudes, and behavior of the public. A better understanding of these variables should improve the current debate on the impact of human behavior on environment and health. Methods In a cross-sectional study using an online questionnaire, 704 students were asked about their knowledge, attitudes, and behavior related to climate change. The data were analyzed using correlations, independent t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and linear regression models. Results We found that students have a medium level of knowledge about the impact of climate change and that their attitudes are moderately pro-environmental, yet they are not strict about pro-environmental behavior. Students with higher levels of environmental knowledge demonstrated more pro-environmental attitudes and behavior, and attitudes mediate the relationship between level of knowledge and behavior. Women demonstrated more pro-environmental behavior than did men, and computer science and management students have the highest levels of knowledge, while health sciences students hold the most positive attitudes and more pro-environmental behavior. Conclusions Our results highlight the importance of raising awareness of the effects of climate change and increasing knowledge about how climate change can be mitigated. To this end, an introductory course on environmental science should be integrated into various academic study programs. Further research is needed in order to understand the factors associated with pro-environmental behavior and how to promote it. Key messages Environmental behavior is a function of knowledge, skills, and values. Nevertheless, gaps might exist between social and environmental values that a person aspires to believe in and his/her behavior. Preferring the present over the future is a classic sustainability problem, as intentional sustainable behavior necessitates long-term thinking and gives precedence to future benefits.

High environmental sensitivity, known as sensory processing sensitivity, characterizes certain individuals, causing them to perceive and react intensely to external stimuli. Individuals with sensory processing sensitivity, referred to as highly sensitive people (HPSs), exhibit heightened emotional reactivity and empathy, alongside a profound aesthetic sensitivity and a unique connection to nature. This trait can lead to both advantages and challenges, including increased vulnerability to sensory overload. This correlation study explored the hypothesis that highly sensitive people could be more sensitive to natural stimuli, leading to a stronger environmental identity, a higher level of eco-anxiety, and more pronounced pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors. Data collection involved 501 Italian citizens (65.1% women; M age = 27.69 years; SD = 10.54). This study found positive correlations (between 0.20 and 0.47) between high sensitivity and environmental attitudes (e.g., New Ecological Paradigm and Climate Change Attitude Survey dimensions), identity aspects (e.g., connectedness to nature), behavioral aspects (e.g., pro-environmental behaviors), and eco-anxiety, suggesting that the highly sensitive person trait might be related to a stronger environmental identity, higher levels of eco-anxiety, and more pronounced pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors. However, some exceptions were identified: ease of excitation and low sensory threshold were not significantly correlated with conservation behaviors and environmental citizenship, while aesthetic sensitivity was consistently associated with pro-environmental behaviors (PEBs). Additionally, the low sensory threshold dimension appears to have a low association with attitudinal aspects measured by the Climate Change Attitude Survey. This suggests the complexity of sensory processing sensitivity and its nuanced impact on environmental dynamics. The findings emphasize the need for future research to explore the implicit dimensions of environmental attitudes and the emotional responses of HSPs to climate change. Practical recommendations include tailoring environmental education and policy strategies to address the unique emotional sensitivities of HSPs, fostering stronger engagement in pro-environmental actions.

PurposeThis paper aims to fulfill the gap in existing knowledge of determinants of pro-environmental behavior (PEB) in the workplace and the influence of sustainability certificates on occupants’ PEBs in workplace settings.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire survey with a total of 95 respondents from both certified and noncertified office buildings was conducted. Two independent sample comparisons were executed to understand the influence of sustainable building certificates on occupants’ environmental values, beliefs, awareness and PEBs.FindingsEcocentric value, belief and awareness were found as the predictors of pro-environmental workplace behavior. Certified office occupants showed higher awareness about buildings’ environmentally oriented characteristics. Despite higher awareness, certified office occupants revealed less PEB compared to those who work in noncertified office buildings.Originality/valueThis study determined the influencing factors on PEBs in workplaces and PEB differences between certified and noncertified building occupants. Less PEBs of occupants in certified offices signify the misperception of individuals about sustainable buildings and the need for more informative training about sustainability issues in the society. This result also draws academic attention to sustainable building evaluation practices and provides certain insights for more occupant integrated evaluation alternative for sustainable buildings.

Environmental awareness and pro-environmental behavior within China’s road freight transportation industry: Moderating role of perceived policy effectiveness

China has promoted green campuses for decades. To better explore the current extent of pro-environmental awareness and behaviors of types of stakeholders (student, faculty members, and administrators) on campus, this study investigated the relationship between pro-environmental awareness and pro-environmental behaviors along with the influences of motivators, barriers, and culture (face (reputation) and group pressure). A questionnaire survey was conducted with a sample of the three types of stakeholders at Tianjin University, one of the largest academic institutions and the earliest to implement green campus development initiatives in China. Structural equation modeling tested a causal model of awareness, behaviors, and other explanatory variables. The results found that pro-environmental behaviors were more likely than awareness and the respondents engaged in private more than in public pro-environmental behaviors. Chinese social and cultural factors influenced pro-environmental behavior, particularly among the administrators, which informs our understanding of the reasons for the awareness-behavior gap. China's universities focus on eco-technology and energy management rather than on dissemination and publicity. The results suggest that advancing a pro-environmental cultural atmosphere and a consistent sustainability policy might significantly foster pro-environmental behaviors on university campuses.

Climate change and the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect pose a serious threat, particularly for tropical countries like Singapore, which experience high air temperatures and humidity levels and are heating up twice as fast as the global average. Policy interventions have focused on promoting individuals' engagement in pro-environmental behaviors to mitigate urban heat and CO2 emissions. Although past research highlights individuals' long-lasting environmental attitudes and awareness, these do not always translate into action. This study investigates the attitudes-behavior gap and the awareness-behavior gap from a cognitive perspective, and examines the extent to which cognition is affected by urban heat. Using a quasi-experimental field design involving 309 older adults and a novel analytical framework, we assessed the relationship between thermal comfort, cognitive control, and pro-environmental behavior. We found that low thermal comfort negatively affects cognitive control, which in turn significantly moderates the relationship between pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors, as well as between awareness and behaviors. Specifically, individuals with higher cognitive control capacity demonstrated a stronger moderating effect, helping to close the attitudes-behavior and awareness-behavior gaps and encouraging more pro-environmental behavior. Policies aimed at preserving thermal comfort and enhancing heat adaptation can support not only the health and wellbeing of senior citizens but also their pro-environmental behaviors. This presents a potentially central lever for behavioral change initiatives.

Environmental education (EE) has been integrated into curricula worldwide for decades with the purpose of achieving increased pro-environmental attitude, behaviour, and knowledge. Different approaches (education about, in and for the environment) have been employed to achieve these ends and limiting psychological barriers identified to better researchers’ and educators’ understanding of factors affecting pro-environmental behaviour. Hong Kong, as with many others, encourages and attempts to spur pro-environmental behaviour through various government bureaus and NGOs. This study aims to add to the growing pool of knowledge suggesting transgenerational information diffusion from students to caregivers may be a viable way to increase pro-environmental attitude, behaviour and knowledge penetration rates in communities. The study utilized questionnaires to assess any transgenerational information diffusion and behavioural changes among students and caregivers. Results suggest an environmental protection class in Hong Kong may impact students’ pro-environmental behaviour and, in turn, their caregivers pro-environmental behaviour. This may imply transgenerational information diffusion is a viable alternative to traditional EE programmes.
\nLimitations to the study include sample size, cross cultural understanding and norms, and allocated course duration. Further research is needed to fully understand the impacts of transgenerational information exchange and behavioural change between students and caregivers. In future studies, incorporating a means of objective observation is suggested.

ObjectivesThis study aimed to explore possible gender differences in the relationship between emotion dysregulation, mindfulness, and pro-environmental behaviors. Specifically, it aimed to investigate whether mindfulness mediated the association between emotion dysregulation and pro-environmental behaviors, and if there were any gender differences in this relationship.MethodA sample of 1,406 employees (56.3% males, average age = 44.85) participated in the study. Participants completed the Pro-Environmental Behaviors Scale (PEBS), Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale- Short Form (DERS-SF), and Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) to assess pro-environmental behaviors, emotion regulation, and mindfulness, respectively. Data were analyzed using ANOVA, Pearson's correlation analysis, and mediation analysis.ResultsWomen exhibited higher scores on the PEBS total scale (p < 0.001; \U0001d7022 = 0.02), higher scores on the Observe and Describe FFMQ subscales (p < 0.001; \U0001d7022 = 0.01), and lower scores on the Non-react FFMQ subscale (p < 0.001; \U0001d7022 = 0.01), compared to men. No gender differences were found on the DERS-SF total scale (p > 0.05; \U0001d7022 = 0.00). Higher levels of emotion dysregulation were associated with lower pro-environmental behaviors (r = - 0.12; p < 0.05). Mindfulness mediated the relationship between emotion dysregulation and pro-environmental behaviors, specifically through the ability to observe one's own emotions and external stimuli. Gender differences were found based on the Non-react facet of mindfulness, which is negatively associated with pro-environmental behaviors in men (β = - 0.08; p < 0.05) and positively associated with them in women (β = 0.09; p < 0.05).ConclusionsThe findings suggest that emotion dysregulation and mindfulness are associated with pro-environmental behaviors. The ability to observe one's own emotions and external stimuli plays a significant role in promoting sustainable behaviors, while the ability to perceive one's own emotions without feeling overwhelmed or compelled to react to them has different associations with pro-environmental behaviors in men and women. These results provide insights for the development of interventions targeting emotion regulation and mindfulness to encourage pro-environmental behaviors, specifically based on gender.PreregistrationThis study is not preregistered.

Recycling and consumption reduction following the COVID-19 lockdown: The effect of threat and coping appraisal, past behavior and information