Developing low carbon communities: Public awareness, acceptance and attitudes towards sustainability of environmental health in Malaysia

Abstract

Energy consumption and carbon emissions in Malaysia have gradually increased as the Malaysian economy and population have expanded rapidly. The behavior of people has a substantial impact on the consumption of energy and carbon emissions. To reduce carbon emissions efficiently while preserving economic growth, various countries have begun to look for new development pathways that have been widely promoted for low-carbon communities. In fact, in the formulation of energy-related policies and the operation of the energy market, the public has an active role to play. This study presents an assessment of public awareness, acceptance, and attitudes toward the sustainability of environmental health in order to develop low-carbon communities by focusing on 100 respondents in Malaysia. A survey method is employed to collect data where a structured questionnaire was distributed in the Klang Valley area. The quantitative data obtained from the respondents were analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance, Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients, and multiple regression analysis. The research findings reveal a significant relationship between the dependent variable (sustainability of environmental health) and the three independent variables of environmental awareness, acceptance, and attitudes, where environmental awareness serves as a strong predictor of the sustainability of environmental health, followed by attitude and acceptance. It is therefore important to examine public environmental awareness, acceptance, and attitudes towards the sustainability of environmental health in order to provide insights required for successful Malaysia policy formulation.