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Environmental Awareness and Responsibility: A Machine Learning Analysis of Polish University Students

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This study explores the concept of environmental responsibility and assesses the attitudes and perceptions of young adults towards environmental challenges. Applying a hybrid approach based on feature selection, machine learning methods (classification and regression trees (CART) and recursive feature elimination (RFE)) and statistical methods (chi-squared tests), we analyzed survey data from 500 students across three universities. The results reveal that 82% of students rate their climate knowledge as moderate or good, while 92% perceive climate change as a serious threat. Women are more likely than men to report engagement in pro-environmental initiatives. Students’ environmental orientation weakens in the middle years of study but re-emerges in the final year, possibly reflecting greater maturity and a stronger sense of responsibility before graduation. The willingness to establish sustainable enterprises does not always correspond to a high level of knowledge or daily environmental practices. While undergraduates report high levels of climate awareness, they often fail to translate this into concrete actions, indicating a gap between knowledge, motivation, and practice. The insights from the research can inform environmental education strategies, institutional practices, and youth engagement programs within higher education.

Source: Sustainability

DOI: 10.3390/su17198577

Authors: Dorota Murzyn, Teresa Mroczek, Marta Czyżewska, Karolina Jezierska

Institutions: Uniwersytet Komisji Edukacji Narodowej w Krakowie, University of Information Technology and Management in Rzeszow, University of Rzeszów

Language: English

Topic: Environmental Education and Sustainability

Subfield: Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Quality education, Climate action

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,896