The interrelationship between sustainable communities and the delivering pro-environmental behaviours actions in China

The majority of the world's environmental challenges are the result of human conduct. Existing pro-environmental behaviour theories that originated mainly in Western nations; due to differences in governance, culture and infrastructure, these theories must be evaluated for their applicability to the development of pro-environmental behaviour in Chinese communities. Therefore, this thesis explores the factors inherently influencing the formation of pro-environmental behaviour in Chinese communities and how this influences pro-environmental behaviour. A case study of the pro-environmental behaviour of inhabitants of two distinct types of residential communities in Beijing, the Hutong residential unit and the Commercial residential unit, is given using a mixed-methods approach. This thesis investigates how residents in both communities exhibit waste separation behaviour before and after mandatory separation regulations, and their perceptions of waste separation behaviour. The study found that the factors influencing the development of pro-environmental behaviour were a combination of legislation, social structure and infrastructure design, and for pro-environmental behaviour, strategies like recycling behaviour need to be developed based on the results of urban design and community demographics. The significance of this study is that by examining the factors that shape pro-environmental behaviour in local communities in China, it provides the basis for a locally relevant theory of pro-environmental behaviour formation and helps us to develop new models of application and evaluation, as well as specific methods to be used for different community types. These models and methodologies may better assist the government in developing policies that are suitable for diverse communities and areas, as well as enhance the creation of pro-environmental behaviour and the sustainable development of communities in China.