Climate change perception and pro-environmental behavior among urban park visitors: the mediating role of place attachment

Objectives: This study investigates how climate change perception influences pro-environmental behavior-on-site (park-specific) and off-site (daily life)-among urban park visitors, focusing on the mediating role of place attachment (place identity, place dependence, and social bonding). Methods: A survey was conducted with 351 adults engaging in walking and running at Namsan Park in Seoul. Measures included climate change perception, place attachment, and pro-environmental behaviors. Structural equation modeling and bootstrapping were used for analysis. Results: Climate change perception significantly predicted all three dimensions of place attachment. Place identity and social bonding mediated the relationship between climate change perception and both types of pro-environmental behavior. Place dependence was significantly associated with on-site, but not off-site, pro-environmental behavior. Conclusion: Place attachment serves as a key mechanism linking climate concern to sustainable actions in leisure settings. Strengthening emotional and social bonds to urban parks may enhance both localized and general pro-environmental behaviors, offering practical implications for urban sustainability strategies.