Abstract

To address the escalating environmental degradation, a shift in cultural values is imperative, with young people likely to lead this change. This study’s goal is to investigate patterns in youth environmental engagement across cultural areas. Drawing on the responses from the Program for International Student Assessment from over 348,000 15-year-olds worldwide, the research explores variations in environmental knowledge, global agency, and pro-environmental behavior of youth. The study further explores how youth environmental engagement relates to post-materialistic values (measured by the World Value Survey) and areas’ efforts to tackle climate change (the Climate Change Protection Index [CCPI] and the Environmental Protection Index [EPI]). The quantitative analysis of secondary data from extensive datasets showed significant differences in youth environmental engagement across cultural areas. Environmental knowledge was found to be higher in areas with higher self-expression values, while higher pro-environmental behaviors were strongly linked to lower environmental quality (explaining up to 85% of the variance). Finally, the global agency is positively associated with lower environmental protection efforts and underscoring a heightened sense of responsibility among youth in areas with inadequate environmental governance. These results shed light on the intricate interplay between cultural values, socioeconomic factors, and environmental engagement among youth. The study emphasizes the importance of understanding cultural dimensions in shaping youth environmental attitudes and behaviors and of further research to inform targeted policies and interventions aimed at fostering sustainable societies.