Analysis of the Effective Factors on the Environmental Citizenship Behaviour of Ardabil Residents

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Geography and Rural Planning, Mohaghegh Ardabil University, Ardabil, Iran

2 Department of Geography and Urban Planning, Tabriz University, Tabriz, Iran

Abstract

A B S T R A C T 
The development of urbanization and the excessive increase in migration to the urban areas of Iran have made the severity of environmental issues more severe and acute. On the other hand, the growth and expansion of cities have added to the country's problems and have turned them into a focus of environmental issues. In the meantime, the low level of ecological citizenship behaviours among citizens has influenced the aggravation of environmental issues. Therefore, investigating the influencing factors on the ecological citizenship behaviour of residents can help to make better and more effective decisions to reduce the environmental problems of big cities. Based on this point of view, the present research was also conducted to investigate and analyze the effect of place attachment, trust and mobility on the environmental citizenship behaviour of residents in Ardabil City. The present study is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-analytical in terms of method. Questionnaires on place attachment, trust, mobility and environmental citizenship behaviour were used to collect information. The statistical population of this research is all the residents of Ardabil city, and the necessary sample size is 384 residents who were selected by the available sampling method using Cochran's formula. Also, the validity and reliability of the research model and data analysis were done with the structural equation modelling method in LISREL software. According to the positive coefficients obtained from the structural model of the research as well as the T value for the research relationships based on the data of this model, which were more than 1.96, the variables of trust (B=0.42 and T=68.5), mobility (B=0.0 17 and T=47.2) and attachment (B=0.21 and T=99.2) have a positive and significant effect on environmental citizenship behaviours. Increasing trust, mobility and attachment of residents increase their participation in ecological citizenship behaviours and helps to better implement environmental programs
Extended Abstract
Introduction
The low level of environmental citizenship behaviors among citizens has exacerbated the environmental challenges of cities. Recent research shows that residents of some Iranian cities do not actively participate in environmentally friendly behaviours. Ardabil city faces special environmental problems and low participation of residents in environmentally friendly behaviours. High-rate urban development has created special environmental consequences for cities such as Ardabil, forcing city managers to adopt appropriate environmental policies to reduce the negative effects of population growth. On the other hand, due to the fact that environmental challenges are increasing day by day, environmental protection requires appropriate environmental behaviour. Iranian cities also face several challenges, which necessitate a review of urban management policy and attention to the management of residents' environmental behaviours, especially, in a city such as Ardabil, which has experienced a short period of extensive urban development. Accordingly, examining the factors affecting the environmental citizenship behaviour of the residents of this city can help planners and policymakers to make better and more effective decisions. Based on this view, the present study was conducted to investigate the effect of place attachment, trust, and mobility on environmental citizenship behaviour of Ardabil residents.
 
Methodology
The present study is part of applied and descriptive-analytical researches in terms of purpose and method, respectively. Also, a questionnaire was used to collect information. The statistical population of this study was all residents of Ardabil in 2020. Questionnaires of place attachment, trust, mobility, and environmental citizenship behaviour were used to measure the research variables. Indices of research questionnaires were obtained from related studies and research backgrounds and then localized based on research conditions and the city under study. Also, the validity and reliability of the research model and data analysis were performed by structural equation modeling in LISREL software.
 
Results and discussion
The fit model showed that the value of the path coefficient between trust and citizenship behaviour is equal to 0.42. Since the value of t obtained for this coefficient is equal to 5.68, due to being higher than 1.96, it shows that the obtained coefficient is significant at the 95 level of confidence. Therefore, the relationship is confirmed and it can be said that trust has a positive and significant effect on environmental citizenship behaviour in the study area. Also, considering that the value of the path coefficient between mobility and citizenship behaviour is equal to 0.17. Since the value of t obtained for this coefficient is equal to 2.47, due to being higher than 1.96, it shows that the obtained coefficient is significant at the 95 level of confidence. Therefore, the relationship is confirmed and it can be said that mobility has a positive and significant effect on environmental citizenship behaviour in the study area. And considering that the value of the path coefficient between place attachment and environmental citizenship behaviour is equal to 0.21. Since the value of t obtained for this coefficient is equal to 2.99, due to being higher than 1.96, it shows that the obtained coefficient is significant at the 95 level of confidence. Therefore, the relationship is confirmed and it can be said that place attachment has a positive and significant effect on environmental citizenship behaviour in the study area.
 
Conclusion
Findings showed that citizens who have more confidence in the decisions and plans of city officials on environmental issues, exhibit more environmental citizenship behaviour. Consistent with this finding, it can be claimed that city managers can increase the citizens' awareness of the importance and place of the environment in urban programs and policies, while increasing their trust, encouraging them to environmental citizenship behaviours. The findings also showed that the mobility of Ardabil residents, while helping to evaluate the results of environmental policies of local organizations, provides them with more empirical knowledge and information resources. And citizens with high mobility through their visits to different cities, while gaining more knowledge of how the environmental policies of local organizations are positively affected, show a greater desire to engage in urban environmental behaviours. In fact, the change in lifestyle as well as the increase in the possibility of movement and mobility among citizens, has caused the level of their evaluation of the environmental policies of their place of residence to increase in proportion to the places visited. Accordingly, increased competition among cities for environmental approaches and policies will be expected. Also, the research findings showed that in Ardabil, with the increase of citizens 'level of attachment, the citizens' environmental citizenship behaviours increase. Based on this, it can be said that in cities whose residents have a higher rate of place attachment, more environmental citizenship behaviours are performed, and strengthening the place attachment of citizens leads to individual and collective behaviours that are environmentally friendly. Accordingly, policies and programs that increase residents 'attachment to their place of residence will reciprocally increase residents' participation in environmentally friendly behaviours.
 
Funding
There is no funding support.
 
Authors’ Contribution
All of the authors approved thecontent of the manuscript and agreed on all aspects of the work.
 
Conflict of Interest
Authors declared no conflict of interest.
 
Acknowledgments
We are grateful to all the scientific consultants of this paper.

Keywords

References

  1. Afrooz, Sedigheh & Jafarnia, Gholamreza. (2018) The effect of environmental attitudes on environmental behaviors (Study: Residents of Tehran), Regional Planning, Vol.8,No.30,pp.115-126. (In Persian).
  2. Ahmadi Dehka, Fariborz; Sajjadi, Jila; Vahedi Yeganeh, Farid. (2018) Institutionalization of Urban Environmental Culture for Achieving Sustainable Urban Development (Case Study: Sanandaj City), Journal of Sustainable City, Vol. 1, No. 1, pp.1-13. (In Persian).
  3. Asilsoy, B., & Oktay, D. (2018) Exploring environmental behaviour as the major determinant of ecological citizenship. Sustainable cities and society, Vol.6, No.3, pp. 765-771.
  4. Barakpour, Nasser & Jahansir, Fatemeh. (2016) Environmental Citizenship and Analysis of Citizenship Behavior in Qazvin City, City Identity, Vol. 10, No. 4, pp.53-66. (In Persian).
  5. Berkowitz, A. R., Ford, M. E., & Brewer, C. A. (2005) A framework for integrating ecological literacy, civics literacy, and environmental citizenship in environmental education in etc... Environmental Education and Advocacy: Changing Perspectives of Ecology and Education, Vol.3, No.11, pp. 227-266.
  6. Boiral, O., & Paillé, P. (2012) Organizational citizenship behaviour for the environment: Measurement and validation. Journal of business ethics, Vol.109, No.4, pp. 431-445.
  7. Brown, K., Adger, W. N., Devine-Wright, P., Anderies, J. M., Barr, S., Bousquet, F. & Quinn, T. (2019) Empathy, place and identity interactions for sustainability. Global environmental change, Vol.18, No.56, pp. 11-17.
  8. Clerkin, R. M., Paarlberg, L. E., Christensen, R. K., Nesbit, R. A., & Tschirhart, M. (2013) Place, time, and philanthropy: Exploring geographic mobility and philanthropic engagement. Public Administration Review, Vol.73, No.1, pp. 97-106.
  9. Gifford, R., & Nilsson, A. (2014) Personal and social factors that influence pro‐environmental concern and behaviour: A review. International Journal of Psychology, Vol.49, No.3, pp. 141-157.
  10. Gleim, M. R., Smith, J. S., Andrews, D., & Cronin Jr, J. J. (2013) against the green: A multi-method examination of the barriers to green consumption. Journal of retailing, Vol.89, No.1, pp. 44-61.
  11. Gustafson, P. (2009) Mobility and territorial belonging. Environment and behavior, Vol.41, No.4, pp. 490-508.
  12. Hungerford, H. R., & Volk, T. L. (1990) Changing learner behavior through environmental education. The journal of environmental education, Vol.21, No.3, pp. 8-21.
  13. Jones, N., Panagiotidou, K., Spilanis, I., Evangelinos, K. I., & Dimitrakopoulos, P. G. (2011) Visitors’ perceptions on the management of an important nesting site for Loggerhead Sea turtle (Caretta caretta L.): The case of Rethymno coastal area in Greece. Ocean & coastal management, Vol.54, No.8, pp. 577-584.
  14. Kim, J. S., & Won, H. J. (2016) The relationship between recreation specialization, place attachment, environment behavior and pro-environment activities of male mountaineering participants. Korean Journal of Physical Education, Vol.55, No.2, pp. 499-509.
  15. Krettenauer, T., Wang, W., Jia, F., & Yao, Y. (2019) Connectedness with nature and the decline of pro-environmental behavior in adolescence: A comparison of Canada and China. Journal of Environmental Psychology, Vol.34, No.4, pp. 134-178.
  16. Lewicka, M. (2011) On the varieties of people’s relationships with places: Hummon’s typology revisited. Environment and Behavior, Vol.43, No.5, pp. 676-709.
  17. Manzo, L. C., & Perkins, D. D. (2006) Finding common ground: The importance of place attachment to community participation and planning. Journal of planning literature, Vol.20, No.4, pp. 335-350.
  18. Marzban, Amina; Barzegaran, Mehran; Supporter, Mojtaba; Ayasi, Maryam; Delavari, Samaneh; Sabzehai, Mohammad Taghi. (2019) Evaluation of environmental awareness and behavior of citizens)case study: Yazd urban population), Health and the environment. Vol. 12, No. 1, pp. 17-30. (In Persian).
  19. McCunn, L. J., & Gifford, R. (2014) Interrelations between sense of place, organizational commitment, and green neighborhoods. Cities, Vol.41, No.3, pp. 20-29.
  20. Mirfardi, Asghar. (2016) The Study of Relationship of Socio-economic Status and Sense of Social Responsibility with Environmental Behavior (the Case Study: Noorabad Mamasani's Residents), Environmental Education and Sustainable Development, Vol. 5, No. 1, pp.105-118. (In Persian).
  21. Mokhtari Malekabadi, Reza; Abdullah, Azimah al-Sadat; Sadeghi, Hamidreza (2014) Analysis and recognition of urban environmental behaviors (Case study: Isfahan, 2012). Journal of Urban Research and Planning, Vol. 5, No. 18, pp. 1-20. (In Persian).
  22. Montazer, Faramarz; Nazmfar, Hossein; Yazdani, Mohammad Hassan. (2018) Analysis of spatial development of Ardabil city in the period (1956-2011), Urban Development Studies, No. 5. pp. 120-136. (In Persian).
  23. Nunkoo, R., & Ramkissoon, H. (2012) Power, trust, social exchange and community support. Annals of Tourism Research, Vol.39, No.2, pp. 997-1023.
  24. Nunkoo, R., Ramkissoon, H., & Gursoy, D. (2013) Use of structural equation modeling in tourism research: Past, present, and future. Journal of Travel Research, Vol.52, No.6, pp. 759-771.
  25. Paxton, P. (1999) Is social capital declining in the United States? A multiple indicator assessment. American Journal of sociology, Vol.105, No.1, pp. 88-127.
  26. Rahnama, Mohammad Rahim; Ghanbari, Mohammad; Mohammadi Hamidi, Somayeh; Hosseini, Seyed Mostafa. (2019) Evaluation and measurement of livability in Ahvaz metropolis, Journal Sustainable City, Vol. 2, No. 2, pp.1-17. (In Persian).
  27. Ramkissoon, H., & Mavondo, F. T. (2015) The satisfaction–place attachment relationship: Potential mediators and moderators. Journal of Business Research, Vol.68, No.12, pp. 2593-2602.
  28. Ramkissoon, H., Smith, L. D. G., & Weiler, B. (2013) Testing the dimensionality of place attachment and its relationships with place satisfaction and pro-environmental behaviours: A structural equation modelling approach. Tourism management, Vol.36, No.3, pp. 552-566.
  29. Rastegar Khalid, Amir; Meshkini, Qasim; Salehi, Sadegh. (2017) investigate the Relationship between Individualism Collectivism and Environmental Citizenship among Citizens of Regions 3, 11 and 19 of Tehran, Social Development, Vol. 12, No. 1, pp.37-58. (In Persian).
  30. Rusta, Maryam & Hassanzadeh, Kowsar. (2019) The Impact of Environmental Components on Citizens' Acceptance to Urban Health-Oriented Walkways (Case Study: Health Walkway- Shiraz), Journal of Sustainable City, Vol. 2, No. 3, pp.127-142. (In Persian).
  31. Scannell, L., & Gifford, R. (2010) The relations between natural and civic place attachment and pro-environmental behavior. Journal of environmental psychology, Vol.30, No.3, pp. 289-297.
  32. Sediq, Mohammad; Lotfi, Sediqueh; Ghadami, Mostafa. (2018) Studying the influence of human built environment attributes on walking activity in residential neighborhoods (A case study: zone 7 in Tehran), Journal of Sustainable City, Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 65-78. (In Persian).
  1.  
  1. Song, Z., Daryanto, A., & Soopramanien, D. (2019) Place attachment, trust and mobility: Three-way interaction effect on urban residents' environmental citizenship behaviour. Journal of Business Research, 105, No.5, pp. 168-177.
  2. Takahashi, B., Tandoc Jr, E. C., Duan, R., & Van Witsen, A. (2017) Revisiting environmental citizenship: The role of information capital and media use. Environment and Behavior, Vol.49, No.2, pp. 111-135.
  3. Yuksel, A., Yuksel, F., & Bilim, Y. (2010) Destination attachment: Effects on customer satisfaction and cognitive, affective and conative loyalty. Tourism management, Vol.31, No.2, pp. 274-284.
  4. Zhao, D., & Hu, W. (2017) Determinants of public trust in government: Empirical evidence from urban China. International Review of Administrative Sciences, Vol.83, No.2, pp. 358-377.
Sustainable city
Volume 5, Issue 3
November 2022
Pages 145-160

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics