Exploring of Students’ Sustainability Awareness on Energy Management and Climate Change Mitigation in Higher Education Institutions

Robby Hilmi Rachmadian, Sumarmi Sumarmi, Sugeng Utaya, Hety Dwi Lestari, Umi Fadhila Marshanda

Abstract


The increasing use of energy by humans is affecting the climate change. In light of the pressing nature of this issue, it is imperative that comprehensive and integrated efforts be undertaken with the involvement of multiple stakeholders, including higher education institutions. Universities, as institutions of higher learning, bear the responsibility of fostering greater comprehension and awareness among the younger generation regarding the management of energy and the mitigation of climate change. This study aimed to analyze student sustainability awareness to initiatives establishing a sustainable higher education environment, with a focus on energy management issues and climate change mitigation in campus. A total of 426 respondents from four universities in East Java, Indonesia, participated in this survey research. The data were collected using an online questionnaire that measured several indicators of student sustainability awareness, including environmental knowledge, pro-environmental behavior, environmental attitudes, and environmental behavior intentions. The data analysis technique employed descriptive statistics in conjunction with the statistical software package SPSS version 22 for analyzing the relationship between variables. The findings indicated that the level of student sustainability awareness at the four universities was classified as "very good," with a percentage of 55.35%. The results indicate that male students have a higher score (80.38) than female students (80.2) based on the demographic characteristics of the respondents. The findings of this research are intended to serve as a reference for higher education institutions seeking to enhance students' comprehension and engagement in energy management and climate change mitigations.

Keywords: students' sustainability awareness, environmental education, energy management, climate change mitigation, higher education

© 2025 Serbian Geographical Society, Belgrade, Serbia.

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Serbia.


Full Text:

PDF

References


Acosta Castellanos, P. M., & Queiruga-Dios, A. (2022). From environmental education to education for sustainable development in higher education: a systematic review. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 23(3), 622–644. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-04-2021-0167

Adamo, N., Al-Ansari, N., & Sissakian, V. (2021). Review of Climate Change Impacts on Human Environment: Past, Present and Future Projections. Engineering, 13(11), 605–630. https://doi.org/10.4236/eng.2021.1311044

Al-Nuaimi, S. R., & Al-Ghamdi, S. G. (2022). Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice towards Sustainability Aspects among Higher Education Students in Qatar. Sustainability (Switzerland), 14(20), Article 13149. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142013149

Al-Shatnawi, Z., Alnusairat, S., & Kakani, A. (2020). Towards zero solid waste in jordanian universities: The case of al-ahliyya amman university. Environmental Research, Engineering and Management, 76(4), 46–59. https://doi.org/10.5755/j01.erem.76.4.27369

Alfiyyana, W., Taqiyah, A. U., Hidayatullah, A. F., Rasyida, N., Norra, B. I., & Listiyono, L. (2021). Pengetahuan Mahasiswa Terhadap Program Green Campus dan Korelasi Terhadap Perilaku Peduli Lingkungan (Green Knowledge and Green Attitude) Studi Perbandingan Mahasiswa FST dengan FITK UIN Walisongo Semarang. Sosio-Didaktika: Social Science Education Journal, 8(1), 51–61. https://doi.org/10.15408/sd.v8i1.20542

Aliman, M., Budijanto, Sumarmi, & Astina, I. K. (2019). Improving environmental awareness of high school students’ in Malang city through earthcomm learning in the geography class. International Journal of Instruction, 12(4), 79–94. https://doi.org/10.29333/iji.2019.1246a

Almasri, R. A., Abu-Hamdeh, N. H., & Al-Tamimi, N. (2023). A state-of-the-art review of energy-efficient and renewable energy systems in higher education facilities. Frontiers in Energy Research, 11, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenrg.2023.1344216

Amaral, A. R., Rodrigues, E., Gaspar, A. R., & Gomes, Á. (2020). A review of empirical data of sustainability initiatives in university campus operations. Journal of Cleaner Production, 250, Article 119558. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.119558

Amin, S., Utaya, S., Bachri, S., Sumarmi, & Susilo, S. (2020). Effect of problem-based learning on critical thinking skills and environmental attitude. Journal for the Education of Gifted Young Scientists, 8(2), 743–755. https://doi.org/10.17478/jegys.650344

Anthony Jnr, B. (2021). Green campus paradigms for sustainability attainment in higher education institutions – a comparative study. Journal of Science and Technology Policy Management, 12(1), 117–148. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSTPM-02-2019-0008

Arent, E., Sumarmi, S., Utomo, D. H., & Ruja, I. (2020). Improving students’ environmental care character through Positive Character Camp (PCC) program. Journal for the Education of Gifted Young Scientists, 8(4), 1329–1343. https://doi.org/10.17478/jegys.771681

Baga, S., Astuty, E. R., Astra, I. M., Budiaman, B., & Hasanah, U. (2022). Perilaku Pro-Lingkungan Peserta Didik Berdasarkan Media Pembelajaran dan Gender. Jurnal Basicedu, 6(5), 8368–8380. https://doi.org/10.31004/basicedu.v6i5.3809

Begum, A., Liu, J., Qayum, H., & Mamdouh, A. (2022). Environmental and Moral Education for Effective Environmentalism: An Ideological and Philosophical Approach. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(23), Article 15549. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192315549

Berchin, I. I., de Aguiar Dutra, A. R., & Guerra, J. B. S. O. de A. (2021). How do higher education institutions promote sustainable development? A literature review. Sustainable Development, 29(6), 1204–1222.https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.2219

Braßler, M., & Sprenger, S. (2021). Fostering sustainability knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours through a tutor-supported interdisciplinary course in education for sustainable development. Sustainability, 13(6), Article 3494. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063494

Caeiro, S., Hamón, L. A. S., Martins, R., & Aldaz, C. E. B. (2020). Sustainability assessment and benchmarking in higher education institutions-a critical reflection. Sustainability, 12(2), Article 543. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12020543

Cahya, B. T., Baihaqi, J., Restuti, D. P., & Faudy Akbar, R. (2022). University Social Responsibility: Transformasi Pola Kemitraan Universitas dan Stakeholders Berbasis Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The 4th International Conference on University-Community Engagement (ICON-UCE), 2(3), 162–172.

Dewa, B. P., Nugroho, A. M., & Adhitama, M. S. (2016). Kajian Green Building pada Gedung Dekanat Fakultas Teknik Universitas Brawijaya Malang. Jurnal Mahasiswa Jurusan Arsitektur Universitas Brawijaya, 4(2), 1-8.

Dewi, A. F., & Atika Anggraini. (2022). Hubungan antara Pengetahuan Lingkungan dan Sikap Peduli Lingkungan pada Mahasiswa Tadris IPA. Realita : Jurnal Penelitian Dan Kebudayaan Islam, 20(1), 72–87. https://doi.org/10.30762/realita.v20i1.101

Effendi, M. I., Sugandini, D., Sukarno, A., Kundarto, M., Arundati, R., & Berliana, N. (2023). Perilaku Pro Lingkungan Pada Mahasiswa. Zahir Publishing.

Elegbede, I., Matti-Sanni, R., Moriam, O., & Emily Osa, I. (2023). Sustainability Education and Environmental Awareness. Encyclopedia of Sustainable Management, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-02006-4_128-1

Erina, D., & Pujiningsih, S. (2022). Analisis Indikator Laporan Keberlanjutan Universitas. Wahana Riset Akuntansi, 10(1), 36–43.

Estiningtyas, N., Annisa, R. R., & Ratri, P. M. (2022). Orientasi Masa Depan Aktivis Mahasiswa Pecinta Alam. ULIL ALBAB: Jurnal Ilmiah Multidisiplin, 1(8), 2514–2521.

Fahmy, S., Abd El-Ghany, M. N., Amer, H., Abdelsadek, M. S., Abdelazeem, M. W., Abdel Sabour, R. S., Nasr, Y. M., & Nasrallah, A. K. (2023). Developing a Sustainable University Campus in Egypt: Cairo University as a case study. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 1194(1). https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/1194/1/012031

Farrukh, M., Ansari, N., Raza, A., Wu, Y., & Wang, H. (2022). Fostering employee’s pro-environmental behavior through green transformational leadership, green human resource management and environmental knowledge. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 179(1), Article 121643. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2022.121643

Fissi, S., Romolini, A., Gori, E., & Contri, M. (2021). The path toward a sustainable green university: The case of the University of Florence. Journal of Cleaner Production, 279, Article 123655. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.123655

Frandoloso, M. A. L., Cuchí i Burgos, A., & da Cunha, E. G. (2018). The Application of Eco-efficiency in University Buildings: Policies and Decision-Making Processes. In: W. Leal Filho,F. Frankenberger, P. Iglecias & R. Mülfarth, R. (Eds.), Towards Green Campus Operations (pp. 141-158). Springer, Cham.

Frizon, J. A., Eugénio, T., & Frizon, N. N. (2024). Green campus and student proactivity initiatives: the importance of a participatory approach. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 25(6), 1279–1296.

Fubani, A., Diheim, M., Makhya, N., & Velasufah, W. (2024). Pengetahuan dan perilaku ramah lingkungan mahasiswa. Journal of Character and Environment, 1(2), 138–160. https://doi.org/10.61511/jocae.v1i1.2024.478

Gal, A., & Gan, D. (2020). Transformative Sustainability Education in Higher Education: Activating Environmental Understanding and Active Citizenship Among Professional Studies Learners. Journal of Transformative Education, 18(4), 271–292. https://doi.org/10.1177/1541344620932310

Gärtner, L., & Schoen, H. (2021). Experiencing climate change: revisiting the role of local weather in affecting climate change awareness and related policy preferences. Climatic Change, 167(3–4), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-021-03176-z

Giesenbauer, B., & Müller-Christ, G. (2020). University 4.0: Promoting the transformation of higher education institutions toward sustainable development. Sustainability, 12(8), Article 3371. https://doi.org/10.3390/SU12083371

Goodman, J. (2022). Social Movements and Climate Change: “Climatizing” Society From Within. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Climate Science, 1–75. https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228620.013.845

Hanafi, Y., Aprilia, N., Nurusman, A. A., Purwanto, A., Nadiroh, N., & Budi, S. (2021). Analisis Kebutuhan Pengembangan Instrumen Literasi Lingkungan Untuk Mahasiswa Pendidikan Biologi FKIP Universitas Ahmad Dahlan. Jurnal Eksakta Pendidikan, 5(2), 174–180. https://doi.org/10.24036/jep/vol5-iss2/604

Hansmann, R., Laurenti, R., Mehdi, T., & Binder, C. R. (2020). Determinants of pro-environmental behavior: A comparison of university students and staff from diverse faculties at a Swiss University. Journal of Cleaner Production, 268(1), Article 121864. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.121864

Herman, Saparjan Mursi, H., Anam, K. A., Hasan, A., & Huda, A. N. (2023). Relevansi Dekadensi Moral Terhadap Degradasi Lingkungan. Al-Tadabbur: Jurnal Ilmu Al-Qur’an Dan Tafsir, 8(1), 79–96. https://doi.org/10.30868/at.v8i01.4329

Hossain, I., Nekmahmud, M., & Fekete-Farkas, M. (2022). How Do Environmental Knowledge, Eco-Label Knowledge, and Green Trust Impact Consumers’ Pro-Environmental Behaviour for Energy-Efficient Household Appliances? Sustainability, 14(11), Article 6513. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14116513

Husic, D. W. (2024). Reframing sustainability initiatives in higher education. Sustainable Earth Reviews, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s42055-024-00076-9

Ienna, M., Rofe, A., Gendi, M., Douglas, H. E., Kelly, M., Hayward, M. W., Callen, A., Klop-Toker, K., Scanlon, R. J., Howell, L. G., & Griffin, A. S. (2022). The Relative Role of Knowledge and Empathy in Predicting Pro-Environmental Attitudes and Behavior. Sustainability, 14(8), Article 4622. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14084622

Imbert, J. B., Blanco, J. A., Candel-Pérez, D., Lo, Y. H., de Andrés, E. G., Yeste, A., Herrera-álvarez, X., Barba, G. R., Liu, Y., & Chang, S. C. (2020). Synergies Between Climate Change, Biodiversity, Ecosystem Function and Services, Indirect Drivers of Change and Human Well-Being in Forests. In V. Venkatramanan, S. Shah, & R. Prasad (Eds.), Exploring Synergies and Trade-offs between Climate Change and the Sustainable Development Goals. Springer, Singapore.

Inayatul Karimah, D., & Mokhtar, A. (2021). Analisis Penerapan Green Architecture Menuju Green Campus. Seminar Keinsinyuran Program Studi Program Profesi Insinyur, 1(1), 31–40. https://doi.org/10.22219/skpsppi.v1i0.4222

Kolahi, M., & Azimiseginsara, R. (2023). Socio-environmental responsibility in Iranian universities: a multidimensional perspective. Environmental Conservation, 50(4), 267–274. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0376892923000206

Kristanto, D., Soleh, M., Suharno, N. E., & Aji, G. G. (2021). The role of Applied Higher Education in achieving the SDGs: The Example from the Faculty of Vocational Studies at Universitas Airlangga. The International Journal of Applied Business, 5(2), 183–192. https://doi.org/10.20473/tijab.v5.i2.2021.30918

Kumar, A., Nagar, S., & Anand, S. (2021). Climate change and existential threats. Global Climate Change, 1-31. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-822928-6.00005-8

Kwauk, C., & Casey, O. (2021). A new green learning agenda: Approaches to quality education for climate action. Center for Universal Education at The Brookings Institution, 1(1), 1–103.

Leal Filho, W., Sima, M., Sharifi, A., Luetz, J. M., Salvia, A. L., Mifsud, M., Olooto, F. M., Djekic, I., Anholon, R., Rampasso, I., Kwabena Donkor, F., Dinis, M. A. P., Klavins, M., Finnveden, G., Chari, M. M.,

Molthan-Hill, P., Mifsud, A., Sen, S. K., & Lokupitiya, E. (2021). Handling climate change education at universities: an overview. Environmental Sciences Europe, 33(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12302-021-00552-5

Leite Frandoloso, M. A., da Cunha, E. G., & Burgos, A. C. i. (2021). The decision-making process towards implementing energy efficiency in a university-built park in southern Brazil. International Journal of Hydrology, 5(6), 265–279. https://doi.org/10.15406/ijh.2021.05.00288

Lustiyati, E. D. L., Pascawati, N. A., Rusyani, Y. Y., Untari, J., Melliani, A. P., & Yanuardo, A. C. (2023). Pemberdayaan Peran Mahasiswa Menanggapi Perubahan Iklim Melalui Gaya Hidup Berkelanjutan (Sustainable Lifestyle) Peduli Lingkungan. Jurnal Pengabdian Nasional (JPN) Indonesia, 4(1), 41–50. https://doi.org/10.35870/jpni.v4i1.100

M. Heshmati, H. (2021). Impact of Climate Change on Life. Environmental Issues and Sustainable Development, 1–64. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.94538

Malhi, Y., Franklin, J., Seddon, N., Solan, M., Turner, M. G., Field, C. B., & Knowlton, N. (2020). Climate change and ecosystems: Threats, opportunities and solutions. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 375(1794), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2019.0104

Mapar, M., Bacelar-Nicolau, P., & Caeiro, S. (2022). Sustainability Assessment Tools in Higher Education Institutions: Comprehensive Analysis of the Indicators and Outlook. In K. A. A. Gamage, N. Gunawardhana (Eds). The Wiley Handbook of Sustainability in Higher Education Learning and Teaching (pp. 153–186). https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119852858.ch8

McElwee, P. (2021). Climate change and biodiversity loss: Two sides of the same coin. Current History, 120(829), 295–300. https://doi.org/10.1525/curh.2021.120.829.295

Menon, S., & Suresh, M. (2020). Synergizing education, research,

campus operations, and community engagements towards sustainability in higher education: a literature review. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 21(5), 1015–1051. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-03-2020-0089

Mulà, I., Tilbury, D., Ryan, A., Mader, M., Dlouhá, J., Mader, C., Benayas, J., Dlouhý, J., & Alba, D. (2017). Catalysing Change in Higher Education for Sustainable Development: A review of professional development initiatives for university educators. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 18(5), 798–820. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-03-2017-0043

Mulianti, S., Nurkhasanah, R., Fitriyah, N. N. A., Rayhan, D. F., Hidayat, A. R., & Arum, D. P. (2022). Peran Mahasiswa dalam Pendidikan dan Pembentukan Karakter Peduli Lingkungan pada Anak-Anak. Community Development Journal : Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat, 3(2), 884–889. https://doi.org/10.31004/cdj.v3i2.4877

Nugrahaningsih, P., Setyaningsih, T., & Pudyaningrat, E. (2023). Green Campus Implementation Based on the Four Main Pillars of Development. International Journal of Economics, BBusiness and Accounting Research (IJEBAR), 2023(1), 311–321. https://jurnal.stie-aas.ac.id/index.php/IJEBAR

Olabi, A. G., & Abdelkareem, M. A. (2022). Renewable energy and climate change. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 158(1), Article 112111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2022.112111

Pereira Ribeiro, J. M., Hoeckesfeld, L., Dal Magro, C. B., Favretto, J., Barichello, R., Lenzi, F. C., Secchi, L., Montenegro de Lima, C. R., & Salgueirinho Osório de Andrade Guerra, J. B. (2021). Green Campus Initiatives as sustainable development dissemination at higher education institutions: Students’ perceptions. Journal of Cleaner Production, 312(20), Article 127671. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.127671

Rabbianty, E. N., Raihany, A., Syafik, M., Muqoddas, N., Irwansyah, H., Rahmawati, F., & Febrianingrum, L. (2022). Pemahaman Mahasiswa Terhadap Literasi Lingkungan (Ekoliterasi): Potensi dan Tantangan Menuju Kampus Ramah Lingkungan. Andragogi: Jurnal Diklat Teknis Pendidikan Dan Keagamaan, 10(2), 163–176. https://doi.org/10.36052/andragogi.v10i2.302

Rachmadian, R. H., Sumarmi, S., Masruroh, H., Utaya, S., & Suharto, Y. (2024). Membentuk Kesadaran dan Keterlibatan Mahasiswa sebagai Aktor Penggunaan Transportasi dan Energi Berkelanjutan di Perguruan Tinggi. Journal of Education Action Research, 8(1), 169–178. https://doi.org/10.23887/jear.v8i1.76919

Reser, J. P., & Bradley, G. L. (2020). The nature, significance, and influence of perceived personal experience of climate change. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, 11(5), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1002/wcc.668

Rivera, C. J., & Savage, C. (2020). Campuses as living labs for sustainability problem-solving: trends, triumphs, and traps. Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, 10(3), 334–340. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13412-020-00620-x

Sari, N. C. & Paksi, A. K. (2023). Kebijakan Green Growth dan Inisiatif Ramah Lingkungan: Kontribusi Korea Selatan dalam Mengurangi Dampak Negatif Industrialisasi terhadap Lingkungan. Journal Of Social Science Research, 3(3), 11341–11355.

Shoeibi, S. (2021). Use of clean energy and reduction of environmental pollution in developing countries. Environmental Research, Engineering and Management, 77(3). https://doi.org/10.5755/j01.erem.77.3.29904

Sotnyk, I. M., Sotnyk, M. I., Olondar, A. A., Pidopryhora, N. M., & Maslii, M. Y. (2020). Managing the Energy-Efficient Development of the University: Restraints and Ways to Overcome Them. Mechanism of an Economic Regulation, 5(3), 68–86. https://doi.org/10.21272/mer.2020.89.06

Sugiarto, A., & Gabriella, D. A. (2020). Kesadaran Dan Perilaku Ramah Lingkungan Mahasiswa Di Kampus. Jurnal Ilmu Sosial Dan Humaniora, 9(2), Article 260. https://doi.org/10.23887/jish-undiksha.v9i2.21061

Sumarmi, Bachri, S., Baidowi, A., & Aliman, M. (2020). Problem-based service learning’s effect on environmental concern and ability to write scientific papers. International Journal of Instruction, 13(4), 161–176. https://doi.org/10.29333/iji.2020.13411a

Sumarmi, S., Bachri, S., Irawan, L. Y., Aliman, M., & Ahmad, W. I. W. (2021). Project-Based Research Learning (PBRL) Integrated With E-Learning in Projects Completion. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning, 16(7). https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v16i07.21193

Sumarmi, S., Masruroh, H., Anggara, A., & Amin, S. (2022). Sapu Bumi Segoro (Saburo) Gerakan Peduli Sampah Menuju Laut Bersih Berkelanjutan Di Dusun Sendang Biru Kabupaten Malang. Dinamika Sosial: Jurnal Pendidikan Ilmu Pengetahuan Sosial, 1(3), 209–222. https://doi.org/10.18860/dsjpips.v1i3.2127

Sumarmi, Wahyuningtyas, N., Sahrina, A., & Aliman, M. (2022). The Effect of Environmental Volunteer Integrated with Service Learning (EV_SL) to Improve Student’s Environment Care Attitudes and Soft Skills. Pegem Egitim ve Ogretim Dergisi, 12(1), 168–176. https://doi.org/10.47750/pegegog.12.01.16

Triana, K., & Wahyudi, A. J. (2020). Sea level rise in Indonesia: The drivers and the combined impacts from land subsidence. ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development, 37(3), 115–121. https://doi.org/10.29037/AJSTD.627

Winarto, Y., Purwani, O., Setyaningsih, W., & Triratma, B. (2023). Zero emission and clean energy concept for campus area in hot-humid tropical climate. International Journal of Architectural Research: Archnet-IJAR, 17(1), 147–161. https://doi.org/10.1108/ARCH-12-2021-0349

Yuli Remondo, Herry Redin, & Eka Nor Taufik. (2022). Hubungan pengetahuan ekologi dan sikap pro-lingkungan dengan kepedulian dalam pengelolaan lingkungan siswa. Journal of Environment and Management, 2(3), 263–272. https://doi.org/10.37304/jem.v2i3.4387

Zhang, Q. (2022). Investigating the Impact of Transportation Infrastructure and Tourism on Carbon Dioxide Emissions in China. Journal of Environmental and Public Health, 2022(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/8421756

-, S., & Cahyani, I. R. (2020). Upaya Perpustakaan Universitas Airlangga dalam Mewujudkan Airlangga University Library Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). JPUA: Jurnal Perpustakaan Universitas Airlangga: Media Informasi Dan Komunikasi Kepustakawanan, 10(2), 83–93. https://doi.org/10.20473/jpua.v10i2.2020.83-93


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.