Perceptions of The Built Environment as Disabling or Enabling of Low Carbon Lifestyles: Case study of Iceland

• Main Author: Hulda Einarsdóttir 1987-
• Other Authors: Háskóli Íslands
• Format: Master Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: 2022
• Subjects: Umhverfisfræði; Auðlindafræði; Hlýnun jarðar; Iceland
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1946/42864

An individual’s actions to protect the environment or pro-climate behaviors have been considered an important factor in mitigating climate change. Previous studies have suggested that pro-climate behaviors can be shaped by the context in which the behavior is embedded or for example where people live (built environment: i.e., man-made components of people´s surroundings). This study examines climate behaviors and how they are connected to people´s perceived (self-reported) built environment (BE) components in urban, semi-urban, and rural areas. How people perceive their environment can provide information on if or how contextual factors influence climate behaviors. A dataset collected with a survey was used, which consists of participants from Iceland. The Perceived built environment is captured using variables that are found important for each climate behavior. Bivariate and descriptive analyses were done using jamovi 2.5.5. The results gathered from the survey respondents indicate that the frequency of climate behaviors varies between settlements where people in the rural areas had done more energy efficiency upgrades and recycled more while more people in the urban areas were vegan, took fewer domestic and international trips, and used more remote modes of transport. People who perceived the built environment in their local area as supportive of relevant climate behavior did engage in more climate behaviors in some cases. However, the perceptions did not affect climate behavior in many cases. These results may identify opportunities for creating settlements that indirectly or directly support or influence pro-climate behavior as well as broaden the current perspective of city planners. Athafnir einstaklinga til að vernda umhverfið eða tileinka sér umhverfisvæna hegðun hafa verið álitin mikilvægt skref í þeirri vegferð að sporna við hlýnun jarðar. Rannsóknir hafa sýnt að mögulegt er að hafa áhrif á umhverfisvæna hegðun út frá framsetningu hennar eða til dæmis út frá búsetu fólks. Rannsókn þessi tekur til ...