Water conservation behavior and environmental concerns: Evidence from a representative sample of Italian individuals

Aprile, Maria Carmela; Fiorillo, Damiano

doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.05.036

Cited by 108 publications

(85 citation statements)

References 51 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Several survey-based studies have focused on analyzing the relationship between environmental concern and individual water-saving behavior (Aprile & Fiorillo, 2017;Corral-Verdugo, Bechtel, & Fraijo-Sing, 2003;Corral-Verdugo, Carrus, Bonnes, Moser, & Sinha, 2008;Russell & Fielding, 2010.) However, very few are targeted at analyzing public preferences regarding water management.…”

Section: Environmental Concernmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role played by environmental concern and institutional trust in changing public preferences for water management

2018

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Efforts to improve the efficiency of irrigation systems in areas which suffer from water scarcity have often failed to reduce water demand owing to the constant expansion of irrigation. Andalusia, in southern Spain, is a clear case in point, as the publicly funded programs aimed at improving irrigation put forward since the 1990s after recurrent episodes of drought have not been able to meet agrarian demand. This situation has generated an active debate among stakeholders and public managers. This study aims to investigate the role of public opinion in this debate, as demanded by new water governance models, embodied in the Water Framework Directive. We use the results of a representative annual survey in Andalusia between 2004 and 2013. First, we analyze the evolution of public support for the two most costly public measures: constructing reservoirs and improving irrigation. Second, we analyze some attitudes that may have affected a change in public opinion, including institutional trust and environmental concern. The results suggest that the public legitimizes the administration's bid for more efficient irrigation systems, essentially for environmental reasons. However, should attempts to control water demand continue to fail, support for this measure may be withdrawn.

show abstract

Section: Environmental Concernmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role played by environmental concern and institutional trust in changing public preferences for water management

2018

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In social science, the endeavors of sociologists and psychologists may be divided into two basic lines of research [4]. One of these research lines has focused on identifying the sociodemographic factors related to pro-environmental behavior, such as gender [5], age [6], place of residence [7], ethnicity [8], income [9] and education [10]. Another line has focused on the influences of social-psychological determinants, such as the influence of values, norms, attitudes, sense of control, personality and place attachment on pro-environmental behavior and has been tested over the last 40 years [11].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors Influencing Public-Sphere Pro-Environmental Behavior among Mongolian College Students: A Test of Value–Belief–Norm Theory

Liu

Zou

2018

Sustainability

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Value-belief-norm (VBN) theory provides a valuable framework for identifying the social-psychological determinants of various types of pro-environmental behavior. However, limited empirical study has tested the applicability of VBN theory in the western minority areas of China. Given Mongolian college students' crucial role in promoting the sustainable development of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (IMAR) of China, this study investigates how VBN clusters of variables, namely, values, the new environmental paradigm (NEP) and pro-environmental personal norms (PPN), influence Mongolian college students' self-reported public-sphere pro-environmental behavior (PSPB). The subjects were 1034 Mongolian college students from three large public universities in Hohhot. A structural equation model (SEM) and bootstrapping analyses revealed that: (1) altruistic values have a significant positive influence on PSPB, egoistic values negatively influence PSPB, and biospheric values have no significant influence on PSPB; (2) egoistic values negatively predict NEP and biospheric values positively predict NEP, whereas altruistic values have no direct impact on NEP; (3) NEP has a positive influence on PPN; (4) PPN has a significant positive impact on PSPB; and (5) biospheric and egoistic values have an indirect effect on PSPB through NEP and PPN. The findings provided evidence for the cross-cultural applicability of VBN theory in a Mongolian college student sample. Theoretical and practical implications were discussed, and recommended directions for future research were suggested.

show abstract

“…Finally, it has not been possible in this paper to estimate is the role played by other factors involving technological and behavioral changes such as the expansion of water efficient devices in households (toilets, showers, washing machines, etc.) or the launching of water awareness campaigns to stimulate more responsible behaviors by citizens in the use of water (Aprile and Fiorillo, 2017). The severe drought of 2016-17 implied the declaration of the State of Emergency in several Italian regions and citizens were asked to curtail non-essential uses such as garden irrigation, car washing or the filling of swimming pools (Spagnolo, 2017).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterizing the recent decline of water consumption in Italian cities

Pujol

Baldino

2018

Ingeo

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

There is increasingly more evidence showing that domestic water consumption is decreasing in many urban areas of the developed world. A large and heterogeneous set of factors may explain this decrease, ranging from structural phenomena, such as changes in the composition of urban populations or in the economic basis of cities to the implementation of more conscious policies such as technological improvements; citizen awareness or higher water prices and taxes. In this paper we examine the drop in water consumption for the ten largest Italian cities. The Italian water sector is characterized by a highly fragmented governance structure that results in a significantly inefficient distribution network, which might be highly exposed to the effects of climate change. However, there is strong opposition to privatization. In the paper we document the drop in water consumption in the largest Italian cities showing demographic (aging), social (migration) and economic (income) factors at the same time. Although it is unlikely that one single reason can explain the declining trend, our conclusion points to a combination of structural factors and specific policies that seem to be more intense in the Northern and Central cities than in the Southern cities.Keywords: Water Consumption; structural factors; population; efficiency; cities; Italy. ResumenCada vez existe mayor evidencia de que el consumo doméstico de agua está disminuyendo en muchas ciudades del mundo desarrollado. Un conjunto numeroso y heterogéneo de factores puede explicar este declive, desde fenómenos estructurales como cambios en la composición de las poblaciones urbanas o en la base económica de las ciudades hasta cambios tecnológicos, aumento de la concienciación ciudadana o precios e impuestos más altos para el agua. En este artículo examinamos el descenso del consumo de agua en las diez mayores ciudades italianas. El sector italiano del agua urbana se caracteriza por una gobernanza altamente fragmentada que genera ineficiencias importantes en las redes de distribución y que puede quedar muy expuesta a los efectos del cambio climático. Al mismo tiempo, sin embargo, existe una firme oposición a la privatización. La disminución en el consumo de agua en el caso italiano muestra al mismo tiempo factores demográficos (envejecimiento), sociales (migración) y económicos (riqueza). Nuestra conclusión apunta hacia una combinación de factores estructurales y políticas activas que parecen ser más importantes en las ciudades del norte y del centro que en el sur del país.

show abstract

Water conservation behavior and environmental concerns: Evidence from a representative sample of Italian individuals

Cited by 108 publications

References 51 publications

The role played by environmental concern and institutional trust in changing public preferences for water management

The role played by environmental concern and institutional trust in changing public preferences for water management

Factors Influencing Public-Sphere Pro-Environmental Behavior among Mongolian College Students: A Test of Value–Belief–Norm Theory

Characterizing the recent decline of water consumption in Italian cities

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About