When threat is imminent, does character matter for climate action? Exploring environmental concerns, well-being, and character strengths in the Pacific Island Countries

Abstract

Pacific Island Countries are particularly vulnerable to the environmental and economic consequences of climate change including both direct and indirect impacts on individuals’ mental health. There is a need to better understand the links between environmental attitudes, pro-environmental behaviours, and well-being in this region and to develop cost-effective, culturally informed interventions. The present study explored the level of environmental concerns and attitudes among Pacific Island university students and how this relates to their overall well-being, the nature of their current pro-environmental actions, and the potential for individuals’ character strengths to predict pro-environmental attitudes. College students ( n = 269) from six Pacific Island Countries completed a survey measuring their character strengths, well-being, and environmental support. As expected, the young adults had very high levels of concern about environmental threats, and this was related to their overall well-being. The young adults felt a personal responsibility to protect the environments around their local communities, which suggests national climate change strategies should be embedded within this localised context. Character strengths were highly valued among the Pacific Island sample and showed some association with (specifically) support for environmental actions and policies. Given the high levels of environmental concern in the sample, the character strengths approach likely provides a bridge between emotional engagement and active allyship in some individuals. Therefore, further research should investigate the role of character strengths in empowering pacific students to play a more leading role in policy change.

Are Character Strengths Universal? Evidence From Pakistani Context

“…This study explored the universality of character strengths directly and unlocked a new horizon for Pakistani researchers to explore character strengths in different settings and with diverse variables. For instance, Character strengths showed associations with the pandemic of COVID-19 (as change over the course of the pandemic; Gander & Wagner, 2022) and with environmental actions and policies (Crookes et al, 2022). The impact of situational factors on character strengths also calls for its exploration and application in diverse situations.…”

Exploring the Determinants of Proenvironmental Behaviour in Eco-Tourism: A Case Study of Visitors to the Ayazini Ruins

“…PEA are essential for creating a more sustainable and healthier planet (Chen & Chai, 2010). PEA and behaviours can also have personal benefits, such as improving one's health and well-being (Crookes et al, 2022;Chen & Chai, 2010). Spending time in nature and outdoor activities can positively impact mental health and help reduce stress and improve overall well-being.…”