Abstract:

Pro-environmental behaviours can be defined as actions taken with the conscious intention of protecting the natural environment, whether in its entirety or certain ecosystems, from the negative consequences of human activities. Sustainable behaviour is practically a synonym of pro-environmental behaviour, but the earliest also include the social and economic pillars. As such this study focus of pro-environmental behaviours for sustainable development as it only considers the environmental pillar of sustainable development. While a significant level of agreement has been reached in the physical sciences regarding the management of resources, the main challenge continues to be to encourage pro-environmental behaviours, in an individual and social level. These behaviours include participating in public environmental demonstrations, buying eco-friendly products, and boycotting those who do not fill the modern ecological requirements, using public transportation, or carpooling to reduce the emission of greenhouse gas emissions, recycling and being mindful of and reducing the water and electricity use at home. But before changing routines for pro-environmental behaviours we must evaluate knowledge, attitudes and behaviours for sustainable development. As such, the present study resorted to a five points Likert scale validated for the Portuguese higher education population. The scale was applied to a sample of 136 higher education students (ungraduated and master’s students). The sample had more women (n=93; 50,5%) and the range of age was from 18 to 43 years old. After a statistical analysis resorting to student t test and ANOVA results indicate that behaviours are more difficult to accomplish than attitudes or knowledge for sustainable development. No significant relations were found between education, gender or age and pro-environmental behaviours. These findings are well documented and corroborated by studies cited in the literature. Nevertheless, changes in behaviours are extremely important so as to achieve the goals of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for the Sustainable Development. These results indicate that studies are needed to better understand why behaviours for sustainable development are difficult to integrate humans’ routines and therefore preserving the quality of life on Earth.

Keywords:

Pro-environmental behaviours, Sustainability, Natural park, Survey.