Understanding the Drivers of Sustainable Consumption in Urban Nepal: A Behavioral Analysis of Knowledge, Risk Perception, and Concerns

As environmental pressures intensify across the Global South, understanding the drivers of sustainable consumption behavior (SCB) is critical for advancing the Sustainable Development Goal 12. This study investigates the influence of environmental knowledge, risk perception, and environmental concern on SCB among urban residents in Nepal’s Kathmandu Valley, while critically examining the mediating role of behavioral intention. Drawing on data from 438 respondents and analyzed using exploratory factor analysis and regression models, findings reveal that risk perception is the most significant predictor of SCB. In contrast, behavioral intention—central to many pro-environmental behavior models fails to significantly mediate psychological drivers and actual behavior. This suggests that in resource-constrained contexts, intention alone may be insufficient to trigger sustainable action. The study contributes to theoretical debates on the intention–behavior gap and offers actionable policy insights, including the importance of risk-based communication, structural enablers, and community-led sustainability programs. By situating the analysis in a rapidly urbanizing Global South context, this research expands the empirical and geographical scope of sustainable consumption scholarship.