Education And Environment-Friendly Behavior: The Mediating Role of Environmental Concern

Abstract

Under the background of China's "carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals" and the reform of global environmental governance, environmental behaviors of citizens are more deeply integrated into the national ecological environment governance system. Furthermore, individual environmental behaviors are gradually occupying an increasingly important position in the national ecological environment governance. Using the data of Chinese General Social Survey in 2021 (CGSS2021), this study investigates the relationship between an individual's educational attainment and environment-friendly behavior conduct, as well as the mediating function of environmental concern. The study finds that, first, after controlling for the major social and demographic variables that affect an individual's environment-friendly behavior, there are valid evidences illustrating positive relationship between education level and environment-friendly behavior. Second, when the education level of individuals is given, the stronger the environmental perception of individuals, the higher the severity of environmental problems, and the more obvious the positive effect of education on environment-friendly behaviors. Third, the individual's education level affects the environment-friendly behavior by influencing the individual's environmental concern to some extent. Last but not least, this paper has certain implications for individual environmental participation and ecological civilization construction of "beautiful China".