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What drives low-carbon consumption behavior of Chinese college students? The regulation of situational factors

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  • Yan Liu

    (China University of Mining and Technology)

  • Rong Liu

    (China University of Mining and Technology)

  • Xin Jiang

    (China University of Mining and Technology)

Abstract

Carbon dioxide contributes about 90% of global warming, which is mainly generated by residents’ daily consumption activities. This article explores the factors of low-carbon consumer behavior among college students and situational factors which contribute to explain intention–behavior gap. Combined with the existing research literature and the Model of Responsible Environmental Behavior, a model of the factors of Chinese college students’ low-carbon consumption behavior was constructed through a sample survey of college students in Jiangsu Province. Analysis results show that (1) College students’ low-carbon behavior intention has a significant positive effect on low-carbon consumption behaviors; (2) Attitudes, emotions, and habits indirectly affect low-carbon consumer behaviors through low-carbon behavior intention; (3) Low-carbon behavior ability and habits can also affect low-carbon consumption behaviors in a direct way; (4) The study of situational factors found that policies and regulations, economic costs, goals and feedback, and social norms have a significant regulating effect in the process of low-carbon behavior intention which has an impact on low-carbon consumption behaviors; (5) In terms of demographic factors, gender and education have a significant effect on low-carbon consumption behavior. Finally, this article discusses the policy measures to guide college students’ low-carbon consumption behavior from the government and the school level, respectively, and place a high hope on college students who can positively influence the entire social group to carry out low-carbon consumption and achieve the realization of China’s low-carbon goals.

Suggested Citation

  • Yan Liu & Rong Liu & Xin Jiang, 2019. "What drives low-carbon consumption behavior of Chinese college students? The regulation of situational factors," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 95(1), pages 173-191, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:nathaz:v:95:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1007_s11069-018-3497-3
    DOI: 10.1007/s11069-018-3497-3
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    3. Deka, Chayasmita & Dutta, Mrinal Kanti & Yazdanpanah, Masoud & Komendantova, Nadejda, 2023. "Can gain motivation induce Indians to adopt electric vehicles? Application of an extended theory of Planned Behavior to map EV adoption intention," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
    4. Djula Borozan & Sanja Pfeifer, 2023. "Unpacking Psychological Antecedents of Low-Carbon Behavior: What Differentiates Champions, Skeptics, Talkers and Walkers across Young Adults?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(21), pages 1-18, November.
    5. Yang Yang & Xiaodong Sun & Lingli Hu & Yuzhu Ma & He Bu, 2023. "How Ski Tourism Involvement Promotes Tourists’ Low-Carbon Behavior?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-16, June.
    6. Yuhuan Xia & Yubo Liu & Changlin Han & Yang Gao & Yuanyuan Lan, 2022. "How Does Environmentally Specific Servant Leadership Fuel Employees’ Low-Carbon Behavior? The Role of Environmental Self-Accountability and Power Distance Orientation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-17, March.
    7. Mi, Lingyun & Xu, Ting & Sun, Yuhuan & Yang, Hang & Wang, Bangjun & Gan, Xiaoli & Qiao, Lijie, 2021. "Promoting differentiated energy savings: Analysis of the psychological motivation of households with different energy consumption levels," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 218(C).

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