Search Results (362)

Water is essential for ecological balance, environmental sustainability, and food security, particularly in arid regions where effective water management increasingly depends on farmer cooperation. The Samarkand region of Uzbekistan, known for its favorable climate and leading role in grape production, is facing rising drought conditions. This study explores the factors influencing grape farmers’ willingness to collaborate on water management in the districts of Ishtikhan, Payarik, and Kushrabot, which together produce 75–80% of the region’s grapes. A quantitative survey of 384 grape-producing households was conducted across 19 county citizens’ gatherings (38.7% of such gatherings), and structural equation modeling was employed to analyze a framework consisting of four dimensions: norms, environmental concerns, economic barriers, and the intention to adopt sustainable practices. The results indicate that norms and environmental concerns positively influence collaboration, suggesting a collective orientation toward sustainability. In contrast, economic barriers such as high costs and limited financial capacity significantly hinder cooperative behavior. Furthermore, a strong individual intention to adopt sustainable practices was associated with a greater likelihood of collaboration. These findings highlight the critical drivers and constraints shaping collective water use in agriculture and suggest that targeted policy measures and community-led efforts are vital for promoting sustainable water governance in drought-prone regions. Full article

Consumer perceptions of upcycled foods, as well as the determinants of food choices, are still not well understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of psychological and personal traits on purchase intention (PI) towards upcycled foods of Italian consumers. Additionally, willingness to try (WTT), willingness to buy (WTB), and willingness to pay (WTP) for yogurt, bread, and biscuits made with by-products, namely, hazelnut skin and grape pomace powder, were collected. A web-based survey involving 505 consumers was conducted, and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to evaluate the model. It resulted that food neophobia and attitude towards upcycled foods had a significant impact on PI. In turn, attitude was affected by food neophobia as well as by objective knowledge about food by-products. Unexpectedly, frugality and environmental concern did not affect PI. WTP was product-specific; when WTP was compared to a reference price, it was higher for the yogurt prototype, followed by the bread and biscuits prototypes. Food neophobia affected WTT, WTB, and WTP. This study contributes to providing new insights into the determinants of consumers’ purchase intention for upcycled foods, which are an emerging category of products. Full article

The environmental detriments of the growing global production and overconsumption of beef, including greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, and biodiversity loss, are well-documented. However, public awareness of how dietary choices affect the environment remains limited. This study examines sustainability views on beef consumption and the potential for behavioral change as a step toward more sustainable intake levels. An observational web-based survey was conducted (n = 1367) to assess respondents’ current beef intake frequency, views on beef consumption related to planetary health, tropical deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions, and climate change, and willingness to modify beef consumption behavior. Chi-square tests were used for group comparisons, and weighted average scores were applied to rank levels of resistance to reducing beef intake. Environmental concern related to beef consumption was associated with greater beef cutback intentions and lower long-term intake reduction resistance amongst beef eaters. Beef eaters who strongly agreed that global beef consumption negatively impacts the environment were considerably more likely to express intentions to reduce their long-term beef intake compared to those who strongly disagreed (94.4% vs. 19.6%). Overall, 76.6% of beef eaters indicated wanting to eat less beef or phase it out entirely (30.7% reduce, 29.4% minimize, 16.6% stop), with only 23.4% of them intending to keep their consumption unchanged. Compelling messages that help translate awareness into action, such as the #NoBeefWeek concept explored in this study, may support individuals in adopting more sustainable food choices. These cross-national findings provide evidence for a ‘knowledge–intent’ gap in sustainable diet research, with relevance for health communicators and policymakers. Future research could examine the factors and motivations influencing decisions to modify beef consumption, including the barriers to achieving sustainable consumption levels and the role of suitable alternatives in facilitating this transition. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly altered consumer habits, particularly in relation to food choices. In this context, plant-based diets have gained prominence, driven by health, environmental, and ethical considerations. This study investigates the primary motivational and inhibitory factors influencing the consumption of plant-based foods among residents of the Galicia–Northern Portugal Euroregion. Utilizing the Theory of Reasoned Action, an extended model was proposed and tested through a quantitative survey. A total of 214 valid responses were collected via an online questionnaire distributed in Portuguese and Spanish. Linear regression analysis revealed that health awareness, animal welfare, and environmental concern significantly shape positive attitudes, which subsequently affect the intention to consume plant-based foods. Additionally, perceived barriers—such as lack of taste and insufficient information—were found to negatively influence intention. These findings contribute to the consumer behavior literature and provide strategic insights for stakeholders aiming to promote more sustainable dietary patterns in culturally connected cross-border regions. Full article

With growing environmental consciousness and projections that green markets will represent 10% of global market value by 2030, a significant gap persists between consumers’ stated environmental concerns and their actual purchasing behaviour for green products. This study investigates how green brand positioning influences consumer purchase intention for green technology products, examining the mediating roles of self-image congruence and functional congruence, and the moderating effects of product involvement level and product optionality. A quantitative survey was conducted with 354 US participants who possess at least a bachelor’s degree and have experience with technology products, using validated scales through structural equation modelling and mediation analysis. The findings demonstrate a significant positive relationship between green brand positioning and purchase intention. Self-image congruence partially mediated this relationship, while functional congruence also served as a significant mediator. The product involvement level positively moderated the mediation effect of self-image congruence, whereas product optionality negatively moderated the mediation effect of functional congruence. Green brand positioning effectively enhances purchase intention when consumers perceive alignment with their environmental self-image and when products maintain a functional equivalence to non-green alternatives. Companies should focus on building environmental self-congruence while ensuring product quality to maximise green marketing effectiveness and bridge the intention–behaviour gap. Full article

Although consumption is a key engine of economic growth, it is also one of the main drivers of environmental degradation. In this context, a deeper understanding of consumers’ perceptions and behavior regarding sustainable products is essential for promoting a more sustainable future, with behavioral change being crucial to achieving it. This research study explores consumer behavior regarding sustainable egg consumption, a sector where production is frequently associated with environmental and ethical concerns such as animal welfare and intensive resource use. Based on a sample of 197 valid responses from Portuguese egg consumers collected through an online survey distributed between 27 February and 17 March, of the year 2025, and applying the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) framework through a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach, this study finds that consumers’ intention to consume sustainable eggs is influenced by their attitudes and subjective norms. Furthermore, actual consumption behavior is driven by both the intention to consume sustainable eggs and perceived behavioral control. By providing an in-depth analysis of consumer behavior related to sustainable egg consumption, this study contributes to the advancement of the scientific literature on the subject. It also aims to support policymakers and other stakeholders in designing and implementing more effective strategies to promote environmentally responsible consumption practices. Full article

In the current context, where environmental concerns are gaining increased attention, the transition toward sustainable urban mobility stands out as a necessary and responsible step. Technological advancements over the past decade have brought private autonomous vehicles, particularly those defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers Levels 4 and 5, into focus as promising solutions for mitigating road congestion and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, the extent to which Autonomous Vehicles can fulfill this potential depends largely on user acceptance, patterns of use, and their integration within broader green energy and sustainability policies. The present paper aims to develop an integrated conceptual model that links behavioral determinants to environmental outcomes, assessing how individuals’ intention to adopt private autonomous vehicles can contribute to sustainable urban mobility. The model integrates five psychosocial determinants—perceived usefulness, trust in technology, social influence, environmental concern, and perceived behavioral control—with contextual variables such as energy source, infrastructure availability, and public policy. These components interact to predict users’ intention to adopt AVs and their perceived contribution to urban sustainability. Methodologically, the study builds on a narrative synthesis of the literature and proposes a framework applicable to empirical validation through structural equation modeling (SEM). The model draws on established frameworks such as Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Theory of Planned Behavior, and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, incorporating constructs including perceived usefulness, trust in technology, social influence, environmental concern, and perceived behavioral control, constructs later to be examined in relation to key contextual variables, including the energy source powering Autonomous Vehicles—such as electricity from mixed or renewable grids, hydrogen, or hybrid systems—and the broader policy environment (regulatory frameworks, infrastructure investment, fiscal incentives, and alignment with climate and mobility strategies and others). The research provides relevant directions for public policy and behavioral interventions in support of the development of clean and smart urban transport in the age of automation. Full article

The contemporary food environment is experiencing substantial transformations, and sustainability and the pursuit of novel ingredients have become pivotal factors in consumer decision-making and business strategy formulation. The emergence of alternative proteins has significant implications for sustainability, climate change mitigation and animal welfare, and can potentially promote the achievement of different United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The spread of these novel foods requires significant attention, particularly concerning younger demographics, which are often considered to be more environmentally and ethically aware when making dietary choices. This study investigates the psychological and attitudinal factors that shape young consumers’ intention to consume plant-based, insect-based, and cultured meat alternative proteins, and verifies the existence of heterogeneous segments of consumers. To this purpose principal component analysis and k-means cluster analysis are employed using data from an online survey conducted in Italy, with a sample of 350 young consumers. The findings reveal that the intention to consume alternative protein sources is not particularly pronounced among the young consumers and differs according to the type of alternative protein. Three different profiles of young consumers were found: traditionalist (39% of the sample); enthusiastic (17%) and open-minded (44%). These segments differ significantly with respect to consumption intention, socio-demographic, lifestyle and psychological variables. The results provide useful insights for policymakers to design targeted interventions to encourage young consumers’ sustainable food choices. The findings could also be useful for marketers interested in investing in such innovations as they can benefit from an in-depth knowledge of this market segment. Full article

In response to growing concerns about overtourism and the need for sustainable heritage tourism, this study investigates how external environmental stimuli affect tourists’ perceived value and behavioral intentions in historic urban environments. Using the Stimulus–Organism–Response (SOR) model as the theoretical framework, and based on 275 valid questionnaires collected from five major sites in the Historic Center of Macau, this study explores the direct and indirect relationships among four types of environmental stimuli (physical factors, social activities, environmental atmosphere, and information and services), perceived value, and behavioral intentions. The results of structural equation modeling (SEM) indicate that all four stimuli significantly influence perceived value and behavioral intentions. Among them, physical factors exert the strongest influence on perceived value (β = 0.291, p < 0.001), while social activities are the most influential predictor of behavioral intentions (β = 0.225, p < 0.01). Perceived value plays a significant mediating role in all relationships, with the largest mediation effect found in the path from physical factors to behavioral intentions (27.99%), followed by environmental atmosphere (24.80%), information and services (22.62%), and social activities (11.66%). These findings validate the applicability of the SOR model in heritage tourism contexts and highlight the central role of perceived value in shaping tourist behavior. Theoretically, this study advances our understanding of how multidimensional environmental stimuli contribute to value-based decision-making in tourism. Practically, it provides actionable insights for urban planners and heritage managers to design environments that promote deeper engagement and foster sustainable tourist behavior in high-density historic destinations like Macau. Full article

In this study, we extend the UTAUT2 model to explore the determinants of green purchase intention in Taiwan. By incorporating environmental concern, government support, and green trust, the model highlights how contextual and trust-based factors shape sustainable consumption. Based on 590 valid survey responses, analysis using covariance-based structural equation modeling reveals that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, price value, environmental concern, government support, and green trust all positively influence green purchase intention. Notably, green trust also mediates the relationship between the core UTAUT2 constructs and green purchase intention. In contrast, hedonic motivation and habit show no significant effects, suggesting that sustainable consumption has not become habitual or emotionally driven behavior in Taiwan. These findings emphasize the importance of rational evaluation, social context, and policy support in driving green behavior and offer practical implications for promoting sustainable consumption. Full article

This study examines how social media platforms influence tourism marketing strategies, consumer perceptions, and travel behaviors, addressing their sustainability implications. It aims to evaluate the current state of research on social media in tourism marketing, identify dominant trends, assess empirical evidence of impact, and critically highlight research gaps. The analysis focuses on three core marketing outcomes: destination image, travel intention, and user engagement—and includes a section examining sustainability considerations across environmental, sociocultural, and economic dimensions. The study uses a systematic critical review of 147 peer-reviewed academic articles published between 2015 and 2025, combined with a meta-analysis of 38 quantitative studies that report statistical effect sizes. The meta-analysis uses a random-effects model to compare the influence of different platforms and study contexts. Moderator variables include geographic region, platform type, and methodological design. Findings show that social media marketing has a statistically significant positive effect on destination image (Cohen’s d = 0.61), travel intention (d = 0.54), and user engagement (d = 0.43). The analysis also reveals geographic bias, limited research on emerging platforms, and a lack of longitudinal and ethical inquiry. Findings suggest that tourism researchers and marketers may have to adopt more context-sensitive, interdisciplinary, and ethical approaches. Critical sustainability concerns emerge, including “overtourism”, cultural commodification, digital inequities, and algorithmic biases. Further studies may focus on specific platform-related behaviors, long-term impacts, and integrated online strategies appropriate for global tourism diversity. Lastly, this paper advocates for context-sensitive, interdisciplinary, and ethically grounded approaches to ensure sustainable digital tourism marketing strategies. Full article

The Greek islands have been blessed with excellent wind potential, with hundreds of sites featuring annual average wind velocity higher than 8–10 m/s. Due to specific regulations in the legal framework, some GWs of wind parks have been submitted since the late 2000s by a small number of large investors in the Greek islands, favoring the creation of energy monopolies and imposing serious impacts on natural ecosystems and existing human activities. These projects have caused serious public reactions against renewables, considerably decelerating the energy transition. This article aims to summarize the legal points in the Greek framework that caused this distorted approach and present the imposed potential social and environmental impacts. Energy monopolies distort the electricity wholesale market and lead to energy poverty and a low standard of living by imposing higher electricity procurement prices on the final users. The occupation of entire insular geographical territories by large wind park projects causes important deterioration of the natural environment, which, in turn, leads to loss of local occupations, urbanization, and migration by affecting negatively the countryside life. Serious concerns from the local population are clearly revealed through an accomplished statistical survey as well as a clear intention to be engaged in future wind park projects initiated by local stakeholders. The article is integrated with specific proposed measures and actions toward the rational development of renewable energy projects. These refer mainly on the formulation of a truly supportive and just legal framework aiming at remedying the currently formulated situation and the strengthening of the energy communities’ role, such as through licensing priorities, funding mechanisms, and tools, as well as additional initiatives such as capacity-building activities, pilot projects, and extensive activation of local citizens. Energy communities and local stakeholders should be involved in the overall process, from the planning to the construction and operation phase. Full article

The rapid development of autonomous driving technology has been a key driver for the emergence of driverless delivery vehicles. To promote wider adoption, it is essential to address consumers’ concerns about safety and reliability, leverage psychological factors, and implement supportive policies that encourage technology adoption while ensuring public safety and privacy. Therefore, it is necessary to explain and predict consumers’ behavior and intention to adopt driverless delivery vehicles. To this end, this study extends the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to include technological complexity and perceived trust. This study evaluates the model by applying necessary condition analysis (NCA) and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze data from 579 respondents from Jiangsu Province, China. This study explores the sustainability implications of autonomous delivery vehicles, highlighting their potential to reduce environmental impact and promote a more sustainable transportation system. The outcomes indicate that perceived ease of use (PEU), attitude, perceived trust, technological complexity (TECOM), and perceived usefulness (PU) are significant determinants and necessary conditions of consumers’ intention to adopt driverless delivery vehicles. Perceived trust and TECOM had a significant and indirect influence on consumers’ intention to adopt driverless delivery vehicles via PU and PEU. Perceived trust and technological complexity had a substantial impact on consumers’ adoption intention of driverless delivery vehicles. The study recommends that managers work closely with regulators to ensure their technologies meet all local standards and regulations. It also recommends its potential to reduce carbon emissions, improve energy efficiency, and contribute to a more sustainable transportation system. Full article

To reduce environmental contamination following the release of various radionuclides during the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, the Japanese government has continued decontamination work and decided to use interim storage facilities (ISFs) in the towns of Okuma and Futaba to house large quantities of contaminated soil and waste until their final disposal. This study aims to clarify whether there are differences in the acceptance of removed soil for recycling between people who provided land for ISFs and those who do not. Furthermore, we analyzed the risk perception of the radiation effects on offspring, trust in information from public authorities, and intention to return to their hometown. A questionnaire survey was conducted at Okuma and Futaba town homes in the ISF area. Compared with those who did not provide land to the ISFs (n = 538, 68.0%), people who provided land (n = 141, 77.9%) responded that they were accepting the building of the ISFs (p = 0.018). Meanwhile, approximately half of the respondents were “unable to decide” concerning the recycling of removed soil in their current region of residence regardless of whether the land provided or not. Similarly, there were no significant differences between the groups regarding radiation risk perceptions of the offspring effects on residents and intention to return, or whether to provide land to the ISFs. The study suggests that it is important to continue radiation risk communication to determine whether people have provided land to the ISFs. Full article

Progressive advancements in the global economy and technology have propelled human civilization forward; however, they have also inflicted significant harm on the global ecological environment. In the present era, electric vehicle (EV) technology is playing a vital role due to its environmentally friendly technological advances. However, widespread adoption of EVs has been hindered by their limited travel range, inadequate charging infrastructure, and high costs. This can be closely observed when we assess the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) among motorcycle taxi drivers, commonly called ‘pilots,’ in Goa, India. Motorcycle taxis are crucial in Goa’s transportation network, providing affordable, efficient, and door-to-door services, especially in regions with limited public transport options. However, the rising costs of petrol and vehicle maintenance have adversely affected the income of these pilots, prompting concerns about their willingness to adopt EVs. This study aims to analyze the factors prompting the behavioral intention to adopt EVs by motorcycle taxi pilots in Goa, India, focusing on six key determinants: charging infrastructure, effort expectancy, performance expectancy, price value, social influence, and satisfaction with incentive policies. A quantitative approach was employed, utilizing stratified proportionate random sampling techniques to collect data from 242 motorcycle taxi pilots registered with the Goa State Government Transport Department. It was analyzed using partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) through Smart-PLS 4.0 software. The research highlights that performance expectancy and price value are the potential motivators for the adoption of electric vehicles. These findings suggest that pilots are more likely to embrace EVs when they perceive tangible benefits in performance and find the cost reasonable in relation to the value offered. The results offer actionable insights for policymakers, manufacturers, and other stakeholders. These insights can guide strategic decisions and policy frameworks aimed at fostering a sustainable and user-centric transportation ecosystem. Full article