Students for Future. The Effects of Participating in a Global Climate Strike on Students Pro-Environmental Consumer Behaviour

Scientific Study from the year 2019 in the subject Social Studies (General), grade: 7.1, language: English, abstract: As climate change is a prominent challenge in todays world, a global awareness towards achieving individual environmental change is necessary. This social research looks into how participating in climate strikes can lead to adopting a pro-environmental consumer behaviour (PECB). The quantitative analysis measured 105 questionnaires, while the qualitative part analysed 12 interviews with students studying in the Netherlands, France, Belgium, Germany, and Luxembourg. Changes in PECB were discovered by looking at the mechanisms endogenous factors, exogenous factors, and altruistic values which emerge during climate protests. The analysis established a positive relationship between the feeling of belonging to a group of likely-minded people and PECB. Furthermore, an overall positive change in PECB before and after participating in the climate protest. However, the quantitative results for the relationship in the belief in achieving a change and PECB were inconclusive. For the qualitative findings, the concept of gaining altruistic values was under-represented. The concepts of achieving a change and belonging to a group of likely-minded people were highlighted by all interviewees. Concludingly, the participation in strikes only slightly increases PECB, as other factors of the persons individual life also affect a change of behaviour.