The Perception of Environmental Information Disclosure on Rural Residents’ Pro-Environmental Behavior

Abstract

Rural residents’ pro-environmental behavior plays a critical role in rural environmental governance. This paper examines how the perception of government environmental information disclosure (EID) can promote rural residents’ pro-environmental behavior (PEB) using a questionnaire survey. Using Zhejiang province of China as a case study, we designed a four-stage mixed sampling method, which yielded 783 valid responses. We used ordinary least squares (OLS), an ordinal logit model and a mediation effect model to draw our conclusions. The results indicated that the EID had a positive impact on the PEB of rural residents. It is also evident that personal environmental concerns (PECs) play a partially mediating role between EID and PEB. Moreover, the impact of EID on PEB is heterogeneous in terms of residents’ age and workplace. This research contributes to insights into the promotion of guiding rural residents’ PEB and improving ecological environment management.

Unlocking the potential of circular consumption: The influence of circular habits, environmental concerns and the search for pro‐sustainable information on circular consumption

“…The more the consumer is provided with pro-sustainable information in their consumption decision, the more effective their sustainable behaviors will be and the less uncertainty there will be in deciding on their environmental practices (Díaz et al, 2020;Xu et al, 2023). Pro-sustainable information boosts resource conservation efforts and their efficient use (Yang et al, 2022) the search for more information of this type motivates consumers to adopt circular consumption behaviors. Finally, the positive relationship between pro-sustainable information research and circular consumption, when mediated by circular habits, provides us with new knowledge.…”

“…The more the consumer is provided with pro‐sustainable information in their consumption decision, the more effective their sustainable behaviors will be and the less uncertainty there will be in deciding on their environmental practices (Díaz et al, 2020; Xu et al, 2023). Pro‐sustainable information boosts resource conservation efforts and their efficient use (Yang et al, 2022), positively influencing circular habits. Furthermore, the positive relationship between pro‐sustainable information research and circular consumption found in this study corroborates the conclusions of several studies (Calvo‐Porral & Lévy‐Mangin, 2020; Pinho, & Gomes, 2023; Stangherlin et al, 2023) demonstrating that the search for more information of this type motivates consumers to adopt circular consumption behaviors.…”

“…Furthermore, Rosen and Kishawy (2012) highlight the role of pro‐sustainable information in advancing sustainable manufacturing practices and fostering greater understanding. In rural territories, Yang et al (2022) found that imparting ecological knowledge had an affirmative influence on pro‐environmental actions, boosting conservation efforts and aiding the administration in optimal resource usage. The discovery underscores the relevance of promoting pro‐sustainable information, which can catalyze circular consumption and habits, thus helping to advance sustainable practices.…”

“…Therefore, consumer understanding and adopting circular habits are fundamental for transitioning to a circular economy and pursuing sustainable development (Testa et al, 2020). However, there are still gaps in the literature on environmental concerns and circular habits, particularly in identifying barriers to pro‐environmental behavior and further studies are needed (Ratner et al, 2021; Yang et al, 2022; Yue et al, 2020).…”

Does environmental regulation improve public health? Evidence from China's Two Control Zones policy

“…Different types of environmental regulations solve environmental pollution problems in different ways. Many studies show that environmental regulation can significantly reduce PM2.5 emissions, CO 2 emissions, and SO 2 emissions ( 25 , 53 – 55 ), which also impacts residents' environmental protection behavior ( 56 ) and environmental responsibility ( 57 ). At the same time, environmental regulation can improve the green production efficiency and green investment of enterprises ( 58 ).…”