On the way to the future of sustainability? Environmental attitudes of young people in four European Capitals of Culture

Abstract

The study investigates young people's attitudes towards the environmental protection and green issues in four European Capitals of Culture using the Modified New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) scale. The research aims to answer the following questions: (1) How can the environmental attitudes of young individuals be systematically characterized and (2) to what extent are they influenced by demographic factors? The data come from an online survey data collection conducted in 2022. Based on this primary questionnaire survey, the collected data (n=712) are analysed using descriptive statistics and relationship analysis (Cramer’s V and Kendall’s Tau). The results show that in most cases, the demographic characteristics have very little impact on green attitudes. The majority perception is that humanity must adapt to the limits of nature. The results can provide guidance for policy-makers in the field of environmental education and marketing and can serve as a benchmark for other countries.