From awareness to action: Understanding the relationship between circular economy and favourable evaluation towards sustainable development

Abstract This study examines the effects of heightened awareness of circular economy (CE) principles on individuals' evaluations of sustainable development within Brazil's resource‐rich yet environmentally challenged context. Employing social learning theory (SLT) as our theoretical framework, we investigate how increased knowledge of CE influences individuals' cognitive perceptions, enhancing their understanding and favourable assessment of sustainable practices. Data were collected through a nationwide survey of the general public, incorporating five CE dimensions: waste management, rational use of resources, technical cycle, sustainable products/packaging and dematerialization/collaborative consumption. Our results reveal that a deeper awareness of CE significantly improves individuals' positive evaluations concerning the environment, future generations' survival, socio‐economic development and engagement between people and institutions in sustainable practices. These positive evaluations are indicative of a shift in perception that precedes and may catalyse sustainable behaviours, suggesting that cognitive engagement is a critical precursor to actionable change. The study confirms that SLT effectively elucidates the bidirectional and complex interaction between cognition and evaluation within environmental contexts, thereby enriching the understanding of how sustainable practices can be adopted and promoted. The implications of our research are profound, suggesting that educational and policy interventions aimed at increasing CE knowledge could substantially impact sustainable development outcomes.