Influência do setor energético doméstico nas alterações climáticas

Abstract

Climate change should be a top priority for countries and cities around the world. Some argue that a precondition for its mitigation is that it should be treated as a moral issue, where short-term individual benefits should be sacrificed for the sake of a long-term common good. This dissertation aims to characterize the reality of the domestic energy sector regarding its negative environmental impact and to analyse the main socio-behavioral theories that seek to explain the individual behavior of carbon consumption, and thus identify the origin and the stimuli that condition the choices and decisions of consumers. To this end, a literature review of the evidence was conducted using the Scopus database. It was also performed an online questionnaire to assess socio demographic and socio-behavioural aspects with a sample of the population living in Portugal. From the literature review, it was concluded that there are 4 commonly used theories: value-belief-norm theory (relationship between values, belief system and personal and social norms), theory of planned behaviour (focus on the personal intention which, in turn, leads to a certain type of behaviour), ABC theory (influence of external factors) and NAT theory (explores the reasons that lead someone to act in an altruistic way). From the qualitative analysis of the results obtained from the questionnaire, it was possible to extrapolate for the sample of the population studied that there is a greater focus on external factors, to the detriment of a greater self-awareness on the subject. In conclusion, the solution must inevitably involve the practical application of the lessons drawn from the analysis of socio-behavioural theories, which show us the variety of factors responsible for the behaviour of each person.

Date of Award	10 Jul 2023
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Jorge Julião (Supervisor) & Luís Manuel Ventura Serrano (Co-Supervisor)