Determinants of pro-environmental attitude and behaviour among European Union (EU) residents: differences between older and younger generations

Global awareness of environment-related problems is progressively becoming a priority for public authorities all around the world. This led to the creation of environmental policies and a frequent sensitisation of citizens to the risks, associated with environmental damage, which calls for a balanced and competitive socioeconomic development system and a better quality of life for the population. This eco-friendly change requires the development of environmental awareness at both institutional and individual levels. Accordingly, by using ordered probit models and secondary information from the Eurobarometer on attitudes of citizens towards the environment, this study contributes to understanding the differences in the determinants of pro-environmental attitude and behaviour among European Union residents, and more particularly, differences between older and younger generational groups. Our results show that residents from older generations, women, living in cities or large urban areas, not living alone, with no economic difficulties, part of the wealthier classes of society, and with higher life satisfaction, are associated with a higher pro-environmental behaviour. In addition, results show that some determinants are highly correlated to the type of generation considered, such as household composition, class of society, or attitude towards life satisfaction.