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What Role Does Sustainable Behavior and Environmental Awareness from Civil Society Play in the Planet’s Sustainable Transition

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  • Micaela Pinho

    (Research on Economics, Management and Information Technologies, REMIT, Portucalense Legal Institute, IJP, Portucalense University, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
    Research on Economics, Management and Information Technologies, REMIT, Portucalense University, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
    Research Unit in Governance, Competitiveness and Public Policies (GOVCOPP), Portucalense University, 3810-193 Porto, Portugal)

  • Sofia Gomes

    (Research on Economics, Management and Information Technologies, REMIT, Portucalense University, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal)

Abstract

The respect of human beings for the planet’s boundaries is an obligation of humanity for the sake of our own and future generations. Achieving this planetary sustainability requires a radical change in the way humanity develops. This study aims to explore whether a sample of Portuguese civil society is committed to achieving this purpose. We explored: (i) citizens’ adherence to sustainable behaviour in terms of purchases and household practices; (ii) if environmental concerns and activism are predictors of these sustainable behaviours; and (iii) if environmental concerns influence environmental activism. A quantitative approach was used based on partial least squares. The results revealed that respondents demonstrate sustainable behaviour in consumption by avoiding plastic and looking for recyclable packaging and in housework by saving energy; environmental activism proved to be the most significant predictor of these behaviours, followed by environmental concerns. This article constitutes an opportunity to take (suggested) measures that encourage a change in the behavioural patterns of societies.

Suggested Citation

  • Micaela Pinho & Sofia Gomes, 2023. "What Role Does Sustainable Behavior and Environmental Awareness from Civil Society Play in the Planet’s Sustainable Transition," Resources, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-17, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jresou:v:12:y:2023:i:3:p:42-:d:1104526
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    Cited by:

    1. Asuamah Yeboah, Samuel, 2023. "Sustaining Change: Unravelling the Socio-cultural Threads of Sustainable Consumption," MPRA Paper 117981, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 10 Jun 2023.
    2. Francesca Di Cicco & Maike Loos & Isa Vos & Rebecca Gibson & Yuvesveri Naidoo & Susan Gifford & Monique A. M. Smeets, 2024. "The Smell of Sustainability: Understanding Consumers’ Acceptability of Recycled Plastic Packaging with an Off-Odor," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(12), pages 1-26, June.

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