This study explores the interconnections among environmental attitudes, climate change
perceptions, and willingness to pay (WTP) for environmentally friendly energy sources
in Hungary. Using data from a nationally representative survey of 2000 adults, we
integrate socio-demographic, attitudinal perspectives to examine how social structure,
identity, and moral norms shape pro-environmental behaviour. Factor analysis identified
four key attitudinal dimensions—environmental self-identity, perceived governmental
environmental awareness, personal norms, and social norms—incorporated into a series
of linear and logistic regression models. The results show that education and urban
residence underpin environmental identity and moral commitment, while income and social
capital exert no direct influence. Environmental self-identity is the strongest predictor
of the WTP, nearly doubling the likelihood of financial support for greener energy,
while personal norms play a secondary but meaningful role. Climate change scepticism
significantly reduces the WTP, whereas awareness alone does not, suggesting that knowledge
without moral engagement is insufficient to drive behaviour. Interaction effects reveal
contextual variation, with settlement type moderating the link between attitudes and
behaviour. Overall, the findings demonstrate that pro-environmental action depends
less on material capacity than on internalized moral and identity-based motivations,
underscoring the importance of strengthening environmental identity and trust-based
engagement to advance the energy transition.
