University student perception of sustainability and environmental issues

Abstract

There is a global consensus among scientists that human-caused climate change is threatening the environment and communities worldwide and that major changes must be implemented to reduce the increasing rate of CO2 emissions. Moreover, environmentally unsustainable practices are both endangering and degrading the quality of life on Earth. One major and often underestimated aspect of this problem is the difference in individual environmental risk perception and evaluation. It is evident that the responsibility for Earth's future lies in the hands of young generations and raising their awareness of environmental issues is a substantial challenge for education institutions. Students need to develop new values, skills and behaviors to foster sustainable development. As institutions of higher education, universities have a major impact on society and play a key role in the development of environmental awareness in young people. The paper describes the results of a survey administered to students in the Cultural Geography B course at the University of Torino. The purpose of the analysis was to determine if there is a relationship between environmental perception, attitude and behavior. The results showed that the students had a good knowledge of and positive attitude to the environment. However, as past studies have already revealed, there is a gap between their awareness and proactive environmental behaviors. Knowledge does not appear to be the only variable needed and other hypotheses should be explored to change the behavior of young generations. This study provides some insights for implementing integrated sustainability processes and engaging students. Moreover, the results will support the structuring of a future Geography course that focuses on sustainable development and environmental risk.

Keywords

• environmental education
• student perception
• university
• climate change
• sustainability