What Drives Pro-Environmental Behavior? Investigating the Role of Eco-Worry and Eco-Anxiety in Young Adults

Laura López-García, Felisa Latorre (), María Luisa Vecina and Cintia Díaz-Silveira ()
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Laura López-García: Department of Social Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28922 Pozuelo de Alarcón, Spain
Felisa Latorre: Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, 28922 Alcorcón, Spain
María Luisa Vecina: Department of Social Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28922 Pozuelo de Alarcón, Spain
Cintia Díaz-Silveira: Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, 28922 Alcorcón, Spain

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 10, 1-23

Abstract: Climate change (CC) is one of the most urgent challenges of our time. Research suggests that pro-environmental behaviors (PEB) are essential to address this crisis, encompassing sustainable consumption (e.g., recycling or saving energy) and active participation (e.g., protesting or donating). In this regard, young adults play a significant role as change agents. Considering the previous literature affirming the importance of CC emotions on PEB, this study aims to analyze the mediating role of eco-worry and eco-anxiety in the relationship between two cognitive antecedents (general willingness to behave pro-environmentally and CC agency) and two types of PEB (sustainable consumption and active participation). To do so, we gathered a sample of 308 young adults aged 18 to 30 years. Results show that eco-worry mediates the relationships between both antecedents (willingness and CC agency) with sustainable consumption and active participation. In contrast, eco-anxiety in young adults only mediates the relationship between CC agency and active participation. Our findings suggest that eco-worry plays a crucial role in promoting PEB more broadly, while eco-anxiety appears to be only relevant in influencing active participation. These results contrast with others observed in the adult population, so further studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Keywords: climate change; pro-environmental behavior; eco-worry; eco-anxiety; sustainable consumption; active participation; young adults; willingness; agency (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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