Effects of climate change awareness on green purchase behaviour, biking, and walking time: moderated mediation by sustainability knowingness

Walking and biking are central to the growing health-sustainability debate for favouring the planet and protecting individuals against disease. Research has shown that environmental knowledge factors such as Climate Change Awareness (CCA) and Sustainability Knowingness (SK) can positively influence pro-environmental behaviours [e.g., Green Purchase Behaviour (GPB)]. However, no study has tested the effect of CCA and SK on bicycling (biking) and walking time. This study, therefore, investigated whether there is a moderated mediation by SK in the association of CCA with GPB, walking, and biking time. A cross-sectional design characterised by common methods bias assessment and sensitivity analyses was utilised. The participants were 830 adult residents in Accra, Ghana (mean age = 30 years). Data were collected with standardised scales and analysed with Hayes’ Process Model through structural equation modelling. A positive direct effect of CCA on GPB (β = 0.26; p<0.001) and biking (β = 0.13; p<0.001), as well as walking time (β = 0.16; p<0.001), was found. GPB had a positive effect on biking time (β = 0.10; p<0.001) but a negative effect on walking time (β = -0.093; p<0.001). CCA had a positive effect on biking time but a negative indirect effect on walking time through GPB. There was evidence of a moderated mediation in the sense that the indirect effects of CCA on biking and walking were stronger with higher SK. Individuals with higher CCA are more likely to perform GPB and biking, especially with higher SK.