Drivers and Barriers to Sustainable Behaviors Among Youth in Climate-Vulnerable Urban Areas: Insights from Chiavari, Italy

Urban areas, increasingly exposed to climate change, demand innovative strategies for public engagement and adaptive behavior. This research investigates the drivers and barriers influencing sustainable behaviors among young people in Chiavari, Italy, a climate-vulnerable city frequently impacted by extreme weather events such as floods and wildfires. Utilizing the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation-Behavior (COM-B) model, this study sheds light on the personal, social, and contextual factors shaping pro-environmental behaviors, offering a framework for participatory science to address urban climate challenges.

Quantitative surveys and focus groups involving over 470 secondary students (ages 15–17) and 117 young adults (ages 18–35) reveal distinct patterns of awareness, motivation, and behavioral change. A critical finding is the role of lived experience: young adults, many of whom experienced Chiavari’s severe flash floods in 2002 and 2014 or nearby wildfires, exhibit heightened sensitivity and awareness compared to students, who were too young to remember or directly experience these events. This suggests that direct exposure to extreme weather events significantly enhances motivation and fosters a deeper understanding of the importance of sustainable behaviors. "Capability" (knowledge and skills) emerges as the cornerstone for fostering motivation, while substantial barriers—including limited educational integration, insufficient resources, and inadequate community infrastructure—hinder the translation of awareness into impactful actions.

The research highlights the value of participatory tools in bridging knowledge-action gaps. School-driven discussions, citizen science projects, and locally contextualized interventions emerge as critical avenues for empowering youth. Focus group insights reveal that perceived social disapproval, the absence of practical tools, and skepticism about systemic effectiveness (e.g., EU climate goals) further challenge sustainable behavior adoption. However, nearly 70% of students express readiness to adopt sustainable mobility options, such as public transportation and cycling, underscoring their potential as agents of change in climate-resilient urban planning.

Findings advocate for participatory science to elevate awareness and foster local climate adaptation. This approach integrates simple yet effective community tools and data-driven insights to create actionable interventions. The COM-B framework proves instrumental in identifying leverage points, such as linking extreme event experiences (floods and wildfires) to awareness campaigns or targeting reflective motivations to enhance community engagement. Moreover, the research suggests that localized interventions incorporating cultural and socio-economic nuances significantly enhance the efficacy of sustainable behavior programs.