Exposure to social media pro-environmental campaigns and its impact on Generation Z's commitment to environmental sustainability actions

Abstract

The potential of social media to affect people’s adoption of more responsible and sustainable behaviours has attracted growing interest from researchers. Few studies examined the influence of social media on Generation Z, the generation with the highest level of daily use of digital platforms. This study explores the influence of Gen Z's exposure to pro-environmental social media campaigns on the adoption of responsible and sustainable behaviours, and the role of environmental knowledge. Data were collected from 332 Generation Z youth in Italy and analysed with PLS-SEM and fsQCA. The results show that social media engagement significantly affects the environmental commitment of Generation Zers, especially when this behaviour is interpreted as a sense of care and responsibility, highlighting their role in promoting environmental awareness. Furthermore, knowledge of environmental issues emerges as an important mediator between the use of social media and the adoption of pro-environmental behaviours. Therefore, exposure to social media campaigns aimed at raising awareness and increasing young people’s sense of responsibility leads to their intention to be involved in solving environmental issues, especially among those with a high level of environmental education and knowledge.