The primary drivers of private-sphere pro-environmental behaviour in five European countries during the Covid-19 pandemic

Katarzyna Iwińska; Jacek Bieliński; Cristina Sousa Coutinho Calheiros; Alexandros Koutsouris; Magdalena Kraszewska; Grzegorz Mikusiński

doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.136330

The primary drivers of private-sphere pro-environmental behaviour in five European countries during the Covid-19 pandemic

J Clean Prod. 2023 Mar 20:393:136330. doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.136330. Epub 2023 Feb 2.

Authors

Katarzyna Iwińska¹, Jacek Bieliński¹, Cristina Sousa Coutinho Calheiros², Alexandros Koutsouris³, Magdalena Kraszewska¹, Grzegorz Mikusiński⁴

Affiliations

¹ Collegium Civitas, pl. Defilad 1, 00-901, Warsaw, Poland.
² Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR/CIMAR), University of Porto, Novo Edifício do Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208, Matosinhos, Portugal.
³ Agricultural University of Athens, Iera odos 75, T.K., 11855, Athens, Greece.
⁴ Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences SLU, School for Forest Management, BOX 43, 739 21, Skinnskatteberg, Sweden.

Abstract

Nowadays, when fighting climate change and other global environmental issues is of utmost urgency, the understanding of what drives pro-environmental behaviour has become a hot topic in both academic and practical circles. Some earlier studies unravelled the complexity of the underlying factors of pro-environmental conduct, yet more studies are needed to understand the socio-cultural premises of such behaviour in different countries. The main aim of this paper is to offer a comprehensive analysis of the importance of pro-environmental behaviour drivers across five countries in Europe, namely Greece, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The survey using computer-assisted web interviews (N = 2502) was implemented in July 2020, the first summer of the Covid-19 pandemic. Hierarchical linear models were employed to analyse individuals' behaviour, defined as self-perceived declaration of the willingness to contribute to environmental conservation. The results showed that attitudinal and value-related factors are more significant than demographics. Biospheric values and relationship to nature generally affect pro-environmental behaviour positively. Similarly, the experience of Covid-19 exerted a positive influence. In terms of country-level predictors, greenhouse gas emissions were found to have affected pro-environmental behaviour negatively, while the share of renewable energy sources influenced it positively. The cumulative country Covid-19-related mortality at the time of investigation did not have discernible impact. Based on the results it is suggested that, in order to foster PEB, a stronger emphasis on environmental education and attitudes towards nature should be employed.

Keywords: Environmental awareness; Environmental information sources; Hierarchical linear model; Nature connectedness; Pro-environmental behaviour; Value–belief–norm theory.