Using Structural Equation Modeling to Explore the Influence of Environmental Concern on the Willingness to Pay for Green Energy and Green Products – the Case of Poland

Concern for the sustainability of the natural environment is garnering increasing interest across the globe. Environmental issues may significantly impact individuals and societies in various ways, such as by influencing behaviors aimed at adopting more sustainable lifestyles and making eco-friendly purchasing decisions. This study investigates the attitudes of Polish consumers towards pro-environmental behaviors, specifically focusing on environmental concern (EC), promoting pro-environmental behavior (PPB), the belief that Poland should move away from coal (MAFC), and willingness to pay (WTP). Data on these variables were collected in 2023 from a sample of 554 Polish respondents selected using a non-random sampling method. Results were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modelling (SEM). Findings revealed that environmental concern (EC) influences promoting pro-environmental behavior (PPB) and that both EC and PPB affect the belief that Poland should move away from coal (MAFC). Additionally, promoting pro-environmental behavior (PPB) and MAFC were found to influence willingness to pay (WTP). However, EC was not found to have a significant direct impact on WTP. The hypotheses were tested using a structural equation model, validated by such fit indices as CMIN/df = 2.542 (<3.0), RMSEA = 0.053 (<0.08) and CFI = 0.985 (>0.90).