This study examines human economic behavior and views on environmental perceptions using social identity theory to determine how human behavior could impact the outcomes of alternative courses in the future in relation to the environmental crisis. Alternative economic scenarios for the future include growth, unsustainable growth, transformation, and downfall scenarios. The future will be shaped by high uncertainty and the influence of megatrends. Analyzing data which originate form field research conducted from 2019 to 2020 in Greece, we locate through principal components analysis, the variables that influence environmental preferences and, thus, the alternative future scenarios. We find that environmental behavior depends on “life variables” with long-term characteristics and effects. We conclude that environmental preferences comprise a broader and more sophisticated post-materialistic portfolio of attitudes within a wider social identity framework. Policymaking suggestions are designed to promote environmental sustainability for a preferable future.
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