A Comparative Analysis of Citizen's Environmental Values and Pro-environmental Behavior

Abstract

Using International Social Survey Programme 1993 module on Environment, which used same questionnaires and same methods in each country, and slightly modified Japanese survey conducted by National Institute for Environmental Studies, we analyzed relationships between environmental values and pro-environmental actions, and relationships between belief of societal efficacy and pro-environmental actions. Firstly, we identified the value systems, which is consisted of "Environmental pessimism", "Techno-economic centralism", "Human exemptionism" and "Dar winism". Secondly, we tried to compare recognition of seriousness of each environmental problem. In every country, Environmental pessimism respondents tend to think more serious than those who categorized as Techno-economic centralism. Thirdly, as for pro-environmental behavior, respondents who categorized as Environmental pessimism are more likely to take actions, such as recycling, buying organic vegetables and cutting back on driving, and also support for environmental groups, except Japan. But Japanese citizens who have beliefs that individual actions can achieve communities' environment (societal efficacy belief, in this paper) are more likely to take pro-environmental actions. We would like to emphasis on these results, now we need not only to distribute the information on environmental problems, but also to distribute the information on what individuals can do in environmental policies.