Factors affecting pro-environmental behaviour of Indonesian university students

Abstract

Environmental damage is a negative effect of human activities. The young generation is saddled with the burden of environmental damage left by the previous generations and must take on a role as an agent of change in improving the environment. This study analyses the pro-environmental behaviour of Indonesian students, the factors affecting such behaviour, and efforts to improve those behaviours. This research uses a quantitative approach with survey methods. Four hundred seventy (470) students in the department of geography and department of geography education from various public and private universities in Indonesia have participated as research respondents. The research instrument used was a questionnaire employing the Likert scale. The research variables were environmental knowledge (X1), environmental responsibility (X2), value–belief–norm (X3), environmental education (X4), and pro-environmental behaviour (Y). Data were analysed using path analysis through partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) software version 3. Findings revealed high levels of pro-environmental behaviour, affected by environmental knowledge, environmental responsibility, value-belief-norm, and environmental education having convincing positive effects on forming environmental behaviour.