Environmental Education Awareness in Light of Sustainable Development Goals and Its Relationship with Environmental Responsibility Among University Students

Norah D. Aldawsari, Mohamed Ali Nemt-allah () and Mohamed Sayed Abdellatif
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Norah D. Aldawsari: Department of Biology, College of Science and Humanities in Al-Kharj, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia
Mohamed Ali Nemt-allah: Educational Psychology and Statistics Department, Faculty of Education, Al-Azhar University, Dakahlia 11189, Egypt
Mohamed Sayed Abdellatif: Department of Psychology, College of Education in Al-Kharj, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 21, 1-19

Abstract: This study investigated the relationship between environmental education awareness in light of the Sustainable Development Goals and environmental responsibility among Egyptian university students. A cross-sectional survey design was employed with 582 university students recruited through convenience sampling from four Egyptian educational institutions. Participants completed the Environmental Education Awareness Scale (EEAS-SDG) and the Environmental Responsibility Scale (ERS), both demonstrating excellent psychometric properties. Statistical analyses included Pearson correlation, linear regression, and univariate analysis of variance to examine relationships and group differences. The results revealed an exceptionally strong positive correlation (r = 0.848, p < 0.001) between environmental education awareness and environmental responsibility, with environmental education awareness explaining 71.9% of the variance in environmental responsibility scores. Female students demonstrated significantly higher levels of both constructs compared to male students ( p < 0.001), while no significant differences were found based on residential background. The findings challenge traditional assumptions about the knowledge-action gap in environmental education, suggesting that SDG-aligned environmental education can effectively bridge the theory-practice divide when properly implemented. The study recommends integrating comprehensive environmental education programs aligned with SDG frameworks into higher education curricula and developing gender-inclusive approaches to maximize environmental responsibility development among future leaders and decision-makers.

Keywords: environmental education awareness; environmental responsibility; sustainable development goals; university students; higher education (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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