Impact of Climate Change Awareness and Perception on Pro-Environmental Behaviour in Türkiye: A Structural Equation Modelling Approach

This study investigated the influence of awareness, knowledge, and risk perceptions on environmental attitudes and behaviours in Türkiye, specifically in the context of climate change, using structural equation modelling (SEM). Data were collected from all 81 provinces covering the seven geographical regions of the country. The results revealed that awareness and risk perception have the strongest direct impact on pro-environmental behaviour. Environmental attitudes also demonstrated a significant positive effect, though the findings suggest that high awareness and risk perception can directly drive action even independently of attitude. Uniquely, this study fills a critical gap in the developing country literature by demonstrating that in Türkiye, perceiving the risk translates directly into action, contrasting with the ‘value-action gap’ often observed in Western contexts. Practically, the findings suggest that policymakers should prioritize risk-communication strategies and disaster-preparedness drills over passive information campaigns to effectively stimulate pro-environmental behaviours.