Skip to main content

ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Sustain., 22 December 2023
Sec. Circular Economy
This article is part of the Research Topic Accelerating the Circular Economy Transition: Innovations and Developments from Africa View all 11 articles

How do individual-level factors influence the adoption of low-carbon technology? Proposing and validating the bioeconomy technology acceptance model in the context of Africa

Oluwaseun J. Oguntuase
Oluwaseun J. Oguntuase1*Oluwatosin B. AduOluwatosin B. Adu2Oluwafemi S. ObayoriOluwafemi S. Obayori3
  • 1Centre for Environmental Studies and Sustainable Development (CESSED), Lagos State University, Lagos, Nigeria
  • 2Department of Bioeconomy, Lagos State University, Lagos, Nigeria
  • 3Department of Microbiology, Lagos State University, Lagos, Nigeria

The bioeconomy seeks to efficiently transform biomaterials into value-added products to achieve circularity. A circular bioeconomy is a circular carbon economy based on bio-based resources. There is a dearth of information in the literature about how psychological factors affect public acceptance of the bioeconomy, especially in Africa, where the adoption of bioeconomy is scant. Addressing this gap, this study characterized bioeconomy as a low-carbon bio-based technological innovation to combat climate change and developed the Bioeconomy Technology Acceptance Model (BTAM) to explain the effects of individual-level factors on public acceptance of bioeconomy and investigated it in a survey (N = 465) using questionnaires that were carried out in Lagos, Nigeria, in 2022. The respondents were chosen by proportional stratified random sampling, and descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and structural equation modeling were used to analyze the data obtained. The strong influence of perceived usefulness from bioeconomy and intention to accept bioeconomy in BTAM suggests that the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) is suitable for predicting public acceptance of bioeconomy. Considering the strong influence of belief about climate change on the perceived usefulness of bioeconomy and intention to accept it in this study, it is imperative to promote climate change education among Africans to accelerate acceptance of bioeconomy on the continent. The identified psychological factors provide a reference for scholars, policymakers, and manufacturers to effectively develop individual-oriented intervention strategies and promotion schemes to enhance acceptance of bioeconomy in Africa in particular and other climes where there is not yet widespread acceptance of circular bioeconomy.

1 Introduction

The application of circular economy principles is a helpful approach to improve global sustainability. The application of the circular economy is primarily concerned with preventing the consumption of resources and optimizing the structure of the energy and material cycle in various sectors such as industry, waste, energy, buildings, and transportation, and at various levels: enterprises and consumers at the micro-level, economic agents integrated in a symbiotic manner at the meso level, and cities, regions, and governments at the macro-level (Rincón-Moreno et al., 2021; Yang et al., 2023).

The bioeconomy entails substituting fossil fuel-based resources with bio-based resources and fossil fuel-derived products with bioeconomy products to combat climate change (Mukhtarov et al., 2017; Yang et al., 2021; Nagarajan et al., 2022; Perišic et al., 2022). Bioeconomy products have been recognized as a feasible path for the shift from a linear to a resilient bio-based circular economy (Lokesh et al., 2020). The focus of circular economy and bioeconomy is on what resources should be managed and how. The two have overlapping goals and are distinct aspects of the same reality, according to scholarly reviews (Chutipat et al., 2023; Kaewhao, 2023). The circular bioeconomy, according to Aguilar et al. (2018), is a more sustainable framework that combines the ideas of the circular economy and the bioeconomy in a practical and efficient way. Ultimately, the circular bioeconomy actually refers to a circular carbon economy that is bio-based. Adopting all aspects of circularity, such as eco-designing products, using procedures and services that promote holistic thinking, focusing on sustainable production and consumption of renewable biological materials, and giving preservation and enhancement of natural capital top priority, is the only way to actually establish a truly sustainable, circular bioeconomy (Holden et al., 2023).

The notion of the bioeconomy is not new in Africa. Traditional African societies were bio-based, relying on nature for food, fuel, medicines, and building materials. The local population relies on biomass such as fuelwood and charcoal to cook, light, and heat their dwellings. However, the adoption of advanced and sustainably refined circular bioeconomy products and materials is scarce in Africa (Feleke et al., 2021; Ncube et al., 2022; Fertahi et al., 2023), despite the huge potential of tapping into its abundant bio-resources to support the bioeconomy (Callo-Concha et al., 2020; Antar et al., 2021; Aworunse et al., 2023).

The European Commission (2018) defined the bioeconomy as an economy that uses renewable biological resources from the land and sea (e.g., animals, crops, fish, forests, and microorganisms) to produce energy, food, and materials. Bioeconomy remains an emerging concept (Bauer et al., 2018; Bröring et al., 2020; Mijailoff and Burns, 2023; Trigkas and Karagouni, 2023). Successful development, adoption, and diffusion of such new technologies depend on public acceptance, which in turn fundamentally depends on multidimensional constructs (Chen and Lou, 2020; Choung et al., 2022; Jayawardena et al., 2023). These include the adopters’ individual-level psychological factors (Rajaee et al., 2019; Klein et al., 2020; Zwicker et al., 2021; Choung et al., 2022; Piwowar et al., 2023) and their individual behavioral beliefs, such as perceived usefulness (Al-Tarawneh, 2019; Bagheri et al., 2021; Zhang and Liu, 2022; Naseri et al., 2023). Exploring and understanding psychological factors that could influence the acceptance of bioeconomy in society is not only relevant in explaining, predicting, and increasing its acceptance and diffusion but also in defining, envisioning, and implementing bioeconomy as climate action. This underscores the importance of this study.

Determining whether consumers are willing to buy circular bioeconomy products and figuring out the best way to market them are prerequisites for making significant investments in bioeconomy sectors. Nevertheless, research on public acceptance in bioeconomy discourses is scarce (Ramcilovik-Suominen and Pülzl, 2018; Navrátilová et al., 2020), and they are dominated by how the general public views the bioeconomy rather than considering people as individuals involved in shaping societal change (Eversberg and Fritz, 2022). Furthermore, the drivers and factors influencing consumer choice for bioeconomy products are not well known, and only a few studies have been carried out in this field (Sijtsema et al., 2016; Scherer et al., 2018a; Klein et al., 2020; Gaffey et al., 2021; Wilke et al., 2021). None of these studies analyzed consumer choices or public acceptance relating to the bioeconomy in Africa. In particular, authors have acknowledged that the knowledge base for the bioeconomy lags behind in Africa (Bambo and Pouris, 2020; Perea et al., 2020; Feleke et al., 2021; Mougenot and Doussoulin, 2022). A literature search shows no past research has attempted to explore, at an individual level, public acceptance of bioeconomy as a low-carbon technological innovation to combat climate change. This study seeks to fill these identified gaps by investigating the influence of selected individual-level psychological factors and individual belief (perceived usefulness) on public acceptance of bioeconomy as a low-carbon technological innovation to combat climate change in Nigeria. Three hypotheses that were tested to achieve the research objective are summarized as follows: (H1) Lagos residents’ perceived usefulness from bioeconomy is not influenced by their individual-level psychological factors; (H2) Lagos residents’ intention to accept bioeconomy is not influenced by their individual-level psychological factors; and (H3) Lagos residents’ intention to accept bioeconomy is not influenced by their perceived usefulness from bioeconomy. The study also developed a model to explain and predict the acceptance of bioeconomy based on dominant individual-level factors of residents of Lagos, Nigeria.

The study modified and extended the revised version of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) by Venkatesh and Davis (1996) as a primary reference to build and empirically test a model aimed at predicting intention to accept bioeconomy as low-carbon technology to combat climate change and examine it in a survey to be conducted in Lagos, Nigeria. Like most commercial and industrial capitals across Africa, Lagos is experiencing a population explosion and rapid globalization with the accompanying increase in demand for food and other products, as well as greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Furthermore, carbon footprints in many locations in Lagos did not comply with both local and international standards (Bola-Popoola et al., 2019; Okafor et al., 2021). These challenges are compounded by Lagos’ coastal location and other demographic trends (Bhattacharya et al., 2020; Twumasi et al., 2020). The choice of the three external psychological variables—subjective knowledge, environmental attitude, and belief about climate change—was influenced by Stern’s Value-Belief-Norm (VBN) theory of environmentalism (Stern, 2000; Kim and Kim, 2018; Liu and Wu, 2020; Rizkalla and Erhan, 2020).

In this line and given that individual-level factors can influence the uptake of new technology like bioeconomy, this study aims to contribute to the scarce literature on public acceptance of bioeconomy by investigating how individual-level factors affect acceptance of bioeconomy and validate the Bioeconomy Technology Acceptance Model (BTAM), an extended version of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), among residents of Lagos, Nigeria. As for why this problem is being addressed, it is due to the emergence of the bioeconomy as a means of tackling important societal issues such as climate change.

Following the introduction, Section 2 provides a brief overview of relevant literature; Section 3 outlines methodology concerns, including research design, instrument development, data collection, validity and reliability of the measurement model, and data analysis; Section 4 presents the findings; and Section 5 discusses the findings, makes recommendations, and highlights contribution to knowledge.

2 Literature review

2.1 Conceptual review

The concept of bioeconomy possesses interpretative flexibility in ways that can be employed to the specific challenges and meet the needs of diverse actors and objectives (Meyer, 2017; Barañano et al., 2021; Mijailoff and Burns, 2023; Trigkas and Karagouni, 2023). Recent theoretical developments acknowledge the technology-based implementation pathway to bioeconomy (Leitão, 2016; Meyer, 2017; Hernández-Pérez et al., 2020; Bröring and Thybussek, 2023).

Previous research has confirmed that TAM is a valid model that represents an important theoretical framework to explain and predict acceptance of low-carbon technological innovations such as bioeconomy (Tran and Cheng, 2017; Liu et al., 2018; Ali et al., 2020; Bagheri et al., 2021; Khoza et al., 2021; Park, 2021; Yang et al., 2021). The TAM is widely employed in explaining and predicting the acceptability of innovative products and technologies (Liu et al., 2018; Al-Tarawneh, 2019; Ali et al., 2020; Dhagarra et al., 2020; Naseri et al., 2023). A revised version of TAM by Venkatesh and Davis (1996), referred to as TAM2, proposes that the influence of external factors on behavioral intention (BI) is mediated by perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEOU). The external factors, which are antecedents of PEOU and PU, are crucial in explaining technology adoption behavior (Al-Tarawneh, 2019; Khoza et al., 2021; Zhang and Liu, 2022). Several TAM-related studies have revealed the evolving role of users’ psychological characteristics on their acceptance of new technology (Rajaee et al., 2019; Hsu and Lin, 2021; Khoza et al., 2021; Acikgoz et al., 2023).

This study employs an extended TAM comprising Stern’s Value-Belief-Norm (VBN) theory of environmentalism (Stern et al., 1999; Stern, 2000) influenced external psychological constructs, namely subjective knowledge, environmental attitude (measured by New Environmental Paradigm, NEP), and belief about climate change. Pro-environmental behavior intentions in response to climate change have been predicted using the VBN theory, which focuses on finding predictors of environmentally significant behavior (Hartmann et al., 2018; Joffre and King Jr., 2020; Zhang et al., 2020). Prior VBN studies have employed the three external psychological factors in this study to understand pro-environmental behavior intentions: subjective knowledge (Rajaee et al., 2019; Rizkalla and Erhan, 2020; Wang et al., 2020), the New Environmental Paradigm (Chen, 2015; Han et al., 2018; Liu and Wu, 2020), and awareness (belief) of climate change problem (van der Werff and Steg, 2016; Kim and Kim, 2018; Liobikiené and Poškus, 2019). Subjective knowledge is involved in this study because it influences behavior and decision-making more than objective knowledge (Eberhardt et al., 2020; Acikgoz et al., 2023; Viot et al., 2023; Zheng et al., 2023). Attitude is a predictor of behavior, and environmental behavior is predicted by environmental attitudes—the overall relationship between humans and the environment. The NEP is a widely used unidimensional measure of environmental attitudes. An ecocentric orientation that reflects a commitment to the preservation of natural resources and environmental protection is indicated by a higher NEP score (Matsiori, 2020; Sh Ahmad et al., 2022; Gansser and Reich, 2023). The role of society in mitigating climate change is particularly important. Belief about climate change describes a person’s attitude toward climate change and predicts pro-environmental behavior (Shadiqi et al., 2022; Tarinc et al., 2023).

2.2 Empirical review

Public acceptance is a major dimension of the diffusion and adoption of bioeconomy in society (Bröring et al., 2020; Nagy et al., 2021; Oguntuase and Adu, 2021). Typically, acceptance studies focus on identifying factors that foster or inhibit the adoption of bioeconomy among the population, including the purchase and consumption of bioeconomy products and the desirability of contemporary scientific and technological developments in a bioeconomy (Rudolph, 2018; Hempel et al., 2019; Eversberg and Holz, 2020). A lack of public acceptance of bioeconomy products has been reported in the literature (Sijtsema et al., 2016, Stern et al., 2018; Bröring and Vanacker, 2022; Ruf et al., 2022; Macht et al., 2023).

Knowledge is an important factor in the acceptance, appreciation, and promotion of bioeconomy (Mukhtarov et al., 2017; Dallendörfer et al., 2022; Harrahill et al., 2022). It is recognized as a positive predictor of public acceptance of bio-based technological innovations (Zografakis et al., 2010; Herbes et al., 2018; Zander et al., 2022), and consumer knowledge is a determining factor in the purchase of bio-products (Lynch et al., 2017; Dilkes-Hoffman et al., 2019; Ende et al., 2023; Skouloudis et al., 2023). Attitude influences the acceptance of bioeconomy products (Russo et al., 2019; Macht et al., 2023). Studies found a link between environmental attitudes and choice-based behavior with regard to bioeconomy products (Rumm et al., 2013; Scherer et al., 2017; Tran and Cheng, 2017; Scherer et al., 2018b; Zander et al., 2022). Product acceptance intentions in the bioeconomy are influenced by perceived usefulness (Soland et al., 2013; Wurster and Schulze, 2020; Bagheri et al., 2021).

2.3 The bioeconomy landscape in Africa

^Due to political obscurity just a mere decade ago, governments and businesses all over the world are currently promoting the idea of a bioeconomy as a new paradigm for a sustainable economy, with several countries and jurisdictions formulating dedicated wholesome bioeconomy policies, initiatives, or strategies (Vogelpohl, 2021; Dietz et al., 2023; Gardossi et al., 2023). However, bioeconomy is not popular in Africa yet (Rosa and Martius, 2021) and is not governed by any explicit bioeconomy strategy in most African countries. On the continent, only South Africa has a well-defined bioeconomy strategy. There are some bioeconomy-related policies and initiatives in place in nations such as Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Ghana, Namibia, Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya, Senegal, Mozambique, Mali, Mauritius, Malawi, Rwanda, Congo, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe, but there is no evidence that these have had a particularly positive effect on the continent’s economy or society as a whole (Oguntuase, 2018; Rosa and Martius, 2021). Comparing African countries’ bioeconomy potential to those of nations with dedicated bioeconomy policies or strategies, the former have lower potential. The only nation on the continent with a defined bioeconomy strategy is South Africa, which has the highest potential for a bioeconomy. This has policy implications in that developing a national bioeconomy strategy is the first step toward implementing bioeconomy in Africa (Oguntuase and Adu, 2021).

2.4 Bioeconomy as climate-friendly, low-carbon technological innovation

By substituting renewable biological resources for fossil fuels in the bioeconomy, greenhouse gas emissions are prevented or reduced, and the effects of global climate change are mitigated (Lima, 2022; Perišic et al., 2022; Dees et al., 2023). The main way the bioeconomy mitigates climate change is by lowering the net flow of CO2 into the atmosphere by replacing carbon-intensive fossil fuels and products with less carbon-intensive bioeconomy products. Contrary to carbon-intensive fossil fuels, biomass produces the same amount of CO2 ingested during its growth, which is addressed as ‘carbon neutral’ in scientific terms (Timmons et al., 2016; Martínez et al., 2020). In addition to the literature on the role of bioeconomy in mitigating climate change, the important role of bioeconomy in supporting countries to reach the goals of the agreement as reflected in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) has also been discussed in the literature (Machado et al., 2019; von Braun and Mirzabaev, 2019; Boyarov et al., 2021; Fava et al., 2021).

The bioeconomy offers numerous opportunities for carbon removal and management by incorporating biological carbon fixation into a wide range of different end bioeconomy products, with biofuels, bioplastics, biochar, and wood products offering near-term carbon removal potentials (Dees et al., 2023). Almost all intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC) mitigation scenarios that are consistent with the 1.5–2°C target and that constrain end-of-century atmospheric CO2 to 450 parts per million rely on a large-scale contribution from biofuels (Daioglou et al., 2017; Sebos, 2022; Usmani, 2023). According to Bang et al. (2009), industrial biotechnology, biofuels, and bioenergy could cut greenhouse gas emissions worldwide by 1.0–2.5 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent annually by 2030. Because they have smaller carbon footprints than petro-plastics, bioplastics derived from second-generation biomass considerably lessen the effects of climate change (de Paula et al., 2018; Lamberti et al., 2020; Rosenboom et al., 2022). By 2050, bioplastics could eliminate more than 1 billion tonnes of CO2 annually (Meys et al., 2021). The use of biochar has demonstrated a major impact on the total greenhouse gas emissions’ global warming potential (GWP) (Ashiq et al., 2020; Shakoor et al., 2021). Globally, biochar systems could deliver emissions reductions of 3.4–6.3 Pg CO2e, half of which constitutes CO2 removal (Lehmann et al., 2021). Wood products help mitigate climate change in addition to storing carbon in forest ecosystems and harvesting wood products. This is especially true if they are used to replace more fossil-intensive products such as steel and concrete (Leskinen et al., 2018; Himes and Busby, 2020; Hurmekoski et al., 2023). Beyond reducing the effects of climate change, the bioeconomy and climate change adaptation has a lot of potential to work together to improve people’s quality of life and provide energy and food security (Mukhtarov et al., 2017; Yang et al., 2021).

3 Methodology

Descriptive cross-sectional survey research design was used in this study. When it comes to describing and exploring variables and constructs of interest quickly and affordably, survey research is a valid and helpful method of conducting research (Coughlan et al., 2009; Ponto, 2015). Survey research has been used to accomplish somewhat similar goals in the past with success (van Winkle et al., 2013; Liu et al., 2018; Stahl et al., 2021).

3.1 Development of research instrument

There are two sections to the questionnaire. The demographic data of the respondents are surveyed in Part 1. Subjective knowledge of the bioeconomy (SK), environmental attitude (measured by the New Environmental Paradigm, NEP), belief about climate change (BCC), perceived usefulness from climate change (PU), and intention to accept the bioeconomy (INT) are the five individual-level factors about which data are collected in Part 2. Based on a review of the literature, a total of 19 items were created for the five constructs. A 5-point Likert scale was used to rate the items used to measure the five constructs: strongly agree = 5, agree = 4, not sure = 3, disagree = 2, and strongly disagree = 1. Reverse coding was used for the subjective knowledge (SK) items, SK1, SK2, and SK3.

The draft test instrument was reviewed for readability, clarity, content relevance, and comprehensiveness by eight reviewers comprising academics, teacher scientists, environmental scientists, business scientists, and policy scientists. The eight reviewers are sufficient to validate the questionnaire items (Faris and Ahmad Ramli, 2016; Boateng et al., 2018). The reviewers commented on the format, wording of questions, order/flow of the questions, made corrections, and wrote comments and suggestions on the items. The three major amendments made to the questionnaire based on the reviewers’ opinions were the removal of two variables—household size and household income—from Section A and the rephrasing of five items in Section B for better understanding.

A pilot survey was carried out between 4th October 2021 and 30th October 2021 among 50 residents of Lagos, Nigeria, who would not be part of the main study in line with the submission by Treece and Treece (1982) as well as Connelly (2008) that a pilot study sample should be 10% of the sample projected for the larger parent study. The questionnaires were re-administered, and 46 valid questionnaires were collected for analysis. A time of 6 weeks was the only source of variance in the test–retest reliability. The calculated test–retest reliability coefficient in this study was 0.81, which was reliable for a developing questionnaire (Matheson, 2019). The computed Cronbach’s alpha coefficients for the constructs based on the pilot study findings are shown in Table 1. All the coefficients exceed the conventional lower limit of 0.70 (Taber, 2017).

TABLE 1
www.frontiersin.org

Table 1. Result of the pilot study.

The pilot study provided the following insights into how the actual process of data collection should proceed: (1) To make certain questionnaire items easier for respondents to understand, simple and easily understood words were used in place of terminologies; (2) The need to reformat the location of tick boxes under the section; (3) The rephrasing and substitution of some items in the questionnaire; and (4) The length of the questionnaire was found appropriate considering that the time taken to answer the questionnaire was an average of 5 min. Table 2 displays the final measures for each construct.

TABLE 2
www.frontiersin.org

Table 2. Constructs, their items, and sources.

3.2 Ethical consideration

While ethical approval was not required for this study, critical ethical principles of freely given consent, deception, debriefing, withdrawal from the survey, confidentiality, and protection of participants were observed. The nature and purpose of the survey were explained to all the respondents so they could make an informed decision about whether they wanted to participate or not. Respondents were asked for verbal consent before the questionnaires were administered. Anonymity and confidentiality, which are crucial, were also made clear to the respondents, and clearly informed that their participation is voluntary and re-negotiable. Each questionnaire contained a reference code that ensured the anonymity of all the respondents so that their identity would never be linked to their responses and that no personal details would be made public.

3.3 Data collection

The sample size of the survey research was calculated using the simplified formula by Yamane (1967). The Yamane formula is n = N/1 + N (e)2, where n is the sample size, N is the population size, and e is the margin of error. This formula assumes a level of precision of 0.05 and a confidence level of 95%.

The sample size was estimated to be 400, based on estimates of the population in Lagos (Famuyiwa et al., 2022). However, to overcome the risks of non-responses or poorly answered questionnaires, the number obtained was divided by the expected response of 80%, which is considered acceptable (see Fincham, 2008; Ewing et al., 2018) to get 500 as the study population. Proportional stratified random sampling was employed to distribute 500 questionnaires among the accessible population—the residents of Ikeja, Ikorodu, and Badagry local government areas based on their populations (Lagos State Government, 2019). Ikeja, Ikorodu, and Badagry local government areas are urban (Afolabi et al., 2017), peri-urban (Adedire, 2017), and rural (Otekhile and Verter, 2017) areas, respectively. The survey was carried out between February 2022 and July 2022. A face-to-face administration of the questionnaires was done by the researcher and three trained field assistants.

Of the 500 questionnaires distributed, 35 contained missing data. To prevent the study variables and constructs from being artificially correlated, the 35 incomplete questionnaires were removed. Therefore, 465 valid questionnaires with a 93% response rate were analyzed for interpretation.

3.4 Validity and reliability of the measurement model

Table 3 displays the calculated Cronbach’s alpha values for the study’s constructs: SK, NEP, BCC, PU, and INT have values of 0.87, 0.77, 0.87, 0.71, and 0.70, respectively. Every one of them exceeds or equals the widely accepted lower bound of 0.70 (Taber, 2017).

TABLE 3
www.frontiersin.org

Table 3. Result of constructs validity tests.

To evaluate the measurement model’s validity and reliability, confirmatory factor analysis was performed; the results are displayed in Table 4. The study’s standardized factor loadings are all higher than the 0.50 threshold for acceptable loading, supporting the constructs’ validity as appropriate indicators for measuring the variables (Chen and Tsai, 2007; Truong and McColl, 2011). The construct variables’ average variance extracted (AVE) values are greater than the generally accepted threshold of 0.50, which indicates that the instrument variables are valid and the tested model does not have a convergent validity issue (Bagozzi and Yi, 1988; Gangwal and Bansal, 2016). The squared multiple correlations (R-squared) were well defined by the measure items; most R-squared values were higher than the 0.50 threshold (Bryne, 2001; Al-Hawari et al., 2005). All of the composite construct reliabilities were above the acceptable threshold of 0.70, implying that every item consistently measures the same latent factor (Hair et al., 2010; Raykov and Marcoulides, 2016).

TABLE 4
www.frontiersin.org

Table 4. Result of confirmatory factor analysis test.

4 Results

4.1 Demographic data of survey respondents

We recruited participants with heterogeneous demographic backgrounds to ensure fair representation. The sample included 237 male (50.97%) respondents and 228 female (49.03%) respondents. There is not much gap between the male respondents and the female respondents. This shows that there is a fairly even gender distribution among the respondents. Nearly a quarter of the respondents (24.73%) were 25 years old and below, followed by those aged between 26 and 41 years (23.65%), between 42 and 57 years (22.37%), between 58 and 76 years (16.56%), and ≥ 77 years old (12.69%). Furthermore, 38.50% of the respondents were single (n = 179), 35.70% were married (n = 166), and approximately one-tenth were separated (n = 48), while the remaining respondents were equally divorced or widowed (n = 36). The respondents had different levels of education, beginning with secondary school (21.94%), followed by Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) and equivalent National Diploma (ND) (23.01%), bachelor’s degree and its equivalents (40.00%), and master’s and above (15.05%). The places of residence of the respondents were urban (n = 182), peri-urban (n = 183), and rural (n = 100).

4.2 Descriptive statistics

The level of residents’ perception of the studied constructs was reflected in the mean of the construct. In contrast to perceived usefulness (mean = 12.61) and intention (mean = 9.56), subjective knowledge (mean = 8.43), environmental attitude (mean = 11.71), and belief about climate change (mean = 11.23) showed comparatively smaller mean scores.

To gain a comprehensive understanding of the respondents’ perceptions, the responses to each of the measures were further categorized into three groups: positive (agree + strongly agree), neutral (not sure), and negative (strongly disagree + disagree), as illustrated in Figure 1. The respondents who expressed poor subjective knowledge of the bioeconomy were 44.5%, with 216 respondents indicating they feel knowledgeable about it (SK1), 193 respondents claiming they know less about it than most other people (SK2), and 211 respondents stating they do not really know a lot about it (SK3); 53.0% of respondents indicated low belief in climate change, and 65.0% of respondents also had a negative attitude toward the environment. Using bioeconomy products would be useful (PU1) and convenient (PU2) for 44.52% of the respondents. Residents’ opinions toward using biofuels, if they are available, were favorable in 46.5% of cases (INT1). Individuals who will make an effort to find bioeconomy products (INT2) and encourage their friends and family to purchase bioeconomy products (INT3) made up 48.6 and 44.3% of the sample, respectively. The survey participants generally exhibited favorable opinions regarding the perceived usefulness of the bioeconomy and the intention to accept it.

FIGURE 1
www.frontiersin.org

Figure 1. Classification of survey results.

4.3 Structural model analysis

A standard path coefficients analysis was conducted to investigate potential relationships between individual-level psychological factors, perceived usefulness from the bioeconomy, and intention to accept the bioeconomy. The results of the relationships between the variables are shown in Table 5.

TABLE 5
www.frontiersin.org

Table 5. Relationship between individual-level factors and the outcomes of hypothesis tests.

All three of the study’s hypotheses were supported at the significance level of 0.05 in each scenario that was investigated. Subjective knowledge (β = 0.29, p = <0.01) and belief about climate change (β = 0.25, p = <0.01) both have a positive influence on perceived usefulness. Perceived usefulness is less strongly predicted by environmental attitude (NEP) (β = 0.13, p = 0.04). Additionally, environmental attitude (β = 0.07, p = 0.04) and subjective knowledge (β = 0.09, p = 0.01) have a positive influence on the intention to adopt the bioeconomy. Belief in climate change is a strong and positive predictor of intention to accept bioeconomy (β = 0.68, p = <0.01). Perceived usefulness and intention to accept the bioeconomy had a strong and statistically significant relationship (β = 0.76, p = <0.01). As seen in Figure 2, the analysis revealed that four of the seven path relationships in the structural model are positively significant and supported.

FIGURE 2
www.frontiersin.org

Figure 2. The developed model results.

4.4 The fit of the developed model

The Bioeconomy Technology Acceptance Model (BTAM) was developed, and its fit was assessed using five measures. The metrics included were the goodness-of-fit index (GFI), root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA), standardized root mean square residual (SRMSR), comparative fit index (CFI), and Tucker–Lewis index (TLI). Overall, the model has an acceptable fit. Table 6 presents the findings of the model’s fitness used in this study. The model has an acceptable fit with a goodness-of-fit index (GFI) of 0.92 and an adjusted goodness-of-fit index (AGFI) of 0.90, both of which are approximately 1 (Schermelleh-Engel and Moosbrugger, 2003). The root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) is 0.06, and the root mean square residual (SRMR) of the model is 0.04. A good fit is indicated by the small RMSEA and SRMR values (Hoe, 2008; Cangur and Ercan, 2015). The model has a perfect fit because the Tucker–Lewis index (TLI) value is 0.96 and the comparative fit index (CFI) value is 0.97, both of which are close to 1 (Hu and Bentler, 1999: Cangur and Ercan, 2015).

TABLE 6
www.frontiersin.org

Table 6. Model fit for the bioeconomy technology acceptance model (BTAM).

5 Discussion

This study was primarily conducted to address the identified knowledge gaps in relation to public acceptance of the circular economy in Nigeria. Circular bioeconomy represents the replacement of fossil resources with bio-based resources and fossil fuel-derived products with bioeconomy products to combat climate change. The survey research employed a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire and incorporated three individual-level psychological factors to extend and enhance the revised version of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) by Venkatesh and Davis (1996) to address the gap in the technology acceptance research in a new context, the acceptance of bioeconomy at the individual level among residents of Lagos metropolis in Nigeria. The study determined and clarified the relationships between the three individual-level psychological factors, namely subjective knowledge of bioeconomy, environmental attitude and belief about climate change, and influence perceived usefulness from bioeconomy and intention to accept bioeconomy.

The respondents attributed the highest proportions of positive attitudes to perceived usefulness and intention to accept the bioeconomy. However, their inadequate subjective knowledge, unfavorable attitude toward the environment, and moderate belief about climate change may make it more difficult for them to intend to adopt bioeconomy products. The study’s low environmental attitude (as determined by NEP) is in line with a previous study by Ogunbode (2013), which found that Nigerians endorse pro-ecological ideologies less than similar samples from other countries. Nonetheless, the high percentage of perceived usefulness and intention to accept indicates that the respondents are open to accepting the bioeconomy.

Subjective knowledge of bioeconomy was a better predictor of perceived usefulness than belief about climate change, which is in turn a better predictor than environmental attitude. These findings were consistent with earlier TAM research showing that knowledge of low-carbon products or/and technologies has a positive influence on the perceived usefulness of the products or/and technologies (Liu et al., 2018; Masukujjaman et al., 2021; Zhang and Liu, 2022), and that environmental attitude positively influences the perceived usefulness of eco-friendly products or/and technologies like bioeconomy (Park et al., 2014; Hu et al., 2021; Zhang and Liu, 2022). Subjective knowledge and environmental attitude, two individual-level socio-psychological factors, were found to have weak but significant relationships with the intention to accept the bioeconomy. Belief about climate change has a strong influence on intention. The relationship was strong and significant. These findings are consistent with earlier research on the acceptance of bioeconomy products (Scherer et al., 2017; Hengboriboon et al., 2020; Notaro and Paletto, 2022). The null hypotheses, H1 and H2, were rejected since there were significant relationships between the three individual-level psychological factors and perceived usefulness and intention.

In this study, a positive and significant relationship between intention and perceived usefulness was found. The study’s hypothesis—that perceived usefulness from bioeconomy is a positive predictor of intention to accept bioeconomy among residents of Lagos, Nigeria—was supported by the results, which demonstrated that the TAM applies to the bioeconomy. As a result, the null hypothesis—which held that Lagos residents’ intention to accept bioeconomy is not influenced by their perceived usefulness from bioeconomy—was rejected. The present finding is consistent with previous research indicating that the perceived usefulness of bioeconomy products significantly influences their local acceptance (Soland et al., 2013; Golembiewski et al., 2015; Tran and Cheng, 2017; Bagheri et al., 2021).

The developed model, the Bioeconomy Technology Acceptance Model (BTAM), is the main novelty of this study. The BTAM demonstrated a good and acceptable fit. Calculated model fit indices show the high predictive validity of the BTAM, as shown in Table 6. The model successfully extended the TAM to illustrate the relationships between the TAM constructs (PU and INT) in the context of the bioeconomy.

5.1 Recommendations

The majority of African nations lack a dedicated circular bioeconomy policy, which is a prerequisite for the responsible advancement of the circular bioeconomy. It is imperative for national and sub-national governments to formulate cohesive bioeconomy policies to drive initiatives such as public enlightenment about the economy.

The identified factors that influence the acceptance of circular bioeconomy in this study include limited knowledge of bioeconomy and moderate belief in climate change. These underscore the need for initiatives to improve public knowledge of circular bioeconomy products and belief about climate change. Local governments and authorities should support communication campaigns that reinforce climate action attributable to bioeconomy. To improve the bioeconomy awareness and knowledge of students who may become future adopters and influencers of the circular economy, higher education universities and institutes can modify their curricula to include education and training programs in the circular economy.

Understanding pre-conditions for public use of circular bioeconomy products is crucial when embarking on product development and commercialization to prevent investment loss. The findings of this study implied that promotional activities by manufacturers of bioeconomy products should target individual psychological attributes of the target consumers. Collaboration between academia and business is essential to fully understand the psychological dynamics of consumer markets so that producers can introduce circular bioeconomy products to specific market niches.

5.2 Limitations

This study focused on circular bioeconomy, which is one of several low-carbon technologies. It also applied a theoretical lens, the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), out of an array of such models. Due to the novelty of the study’s objectives, the dearth of literature on public acceptance of circular bioeconomy in Africa, and the absence of literature on public acceptance of bioeconomy as climate action, related studies provide some guidance in this study. Furthermore, the lack of resources to undertake a longitudinal and country-wide study has restricted the collection of participants’ and respondents’ data to a single point and the accessible population to the adult population of three local government areas in Lagos Metropolis.

5.3 Suggestions for future research

This study exclusively examined the public acceptance of circular bioeconomy. Future researchers are encouraged to validate the thesis of this study with other low-carbon technologies such as green building, electric vehicle, and solar photovoltaic. It is also desirable to combine the TAM with other theoretical models, such as the Innovation Diffusion Theory (IDT), Technological-Personal-Environment Framework (TPE), Technology Readiness Index (TRI), and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), to study the acceptance of circular economy. Furthermore, the predictors involved in this study are not exhaustive for acceptance of new technology. Additional findings from more extensive studies in other contexts, such as organizational-level or social-level and larger populations, would contribute to efforts to ensure the adoption and diffusion of circular products in society.

6 Conclusion

The circular bioeconomy offers numerous advantages as a new economic structure for addressing and overcoming the sustainability issues that have defined the Anthropocene. The circular bioeconomy is the most notable manifestation of the circular economy. Bioeconomy products have been identified as a promising pathway to transition from a linear to a resilient bio-based circular economy. On the African continent, the circular economy is still relatively new. Like every other country in Africa, Nigeria must develop public policies that support circular transition. The findings of this study highlight the necessity of placing individual-focused approaches at the forefront of circular economy discourses and policies to promote public acceptance of bio-based circular products. Circular economy development initiatives should target the improvement of individuals’ knowledge of circular bioeconomy and its products. It is imperative to encourage climate change education among Nigerians to foster acceptance of the circular economy in the nation, given the substantial influence that beliefs about climate change have on the perceived usefulness of bio-based circular products and intentions to embrace it.

Data availability statement

The original contributions presented in the study are included in the article/supplementary material, further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.

Author contributions

This article was part of an ongoing dissertation by OJO, a PhD candidate at the Centre for Environmental Studies and Sustainable Development (CESSED) at Lagos State University, Nigeria. OA and OSO are the supervisors. All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Publisher’s note

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

References

Acikgoz, F., Filieri, R., and Yan, M. (2023). Psychological predictors of intention to use fitness apps: the role of subjective knowledge and innovativeness. Int. J. Hum–Comp Interact. 39, 2142–2154. doi: 10.1080/10447318.2022.2074668

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Adedire, F. M. (2017). Differentials in metropolitanisation trends in Lagos peri-urban settlements. J. Sust. Dev. 10, 14–27. doi: 10.5539/jsd.v10n6p14

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Afolabi, O. J., Oluwaji, O. A., and Fashola, O. K. (2017). Socio-economic impact of road traffic congestion on urban mobility: a case study of Ikeja local government area of Lagos state, Nigeria. Pac. J. Sci. Technol. 18, 246–255.

Google Scholar

Aguilar, A., Wohlgemuth, R., and Twardowski, T. (2018). Perspectives on bioeconomy. New Biotechnol. 40, 181–184. doi: 10.1016/j.nbt.2017.06.012

PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Ali, S., Poulova, P., Akbar, A., Javed, H. M. U., and Danish, M. (2020). Determining the influencing factors in the adoption of solar photovoltaic technology in Pakistan: a decomposed technology acceptance model approach. Economies 8:108. doi: 10.3390/economies8040108

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Al-Hawari, M., Hartley, N. C., and Ward, T. (2005). Measuring banks’ automated service quality: a confirmatory factor analysis approach. Marketing Bullentin 16, 1–19.

Google Scholar

Al-Tarawneh, J. M. (2019). Technology acceptance models and adoption of innovations: a literature review. Int. J. Sci. Res. Publ. 9, 833–857. doi: 10.29322/IJSRP.9.08.2019.p92116

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Antar, M., Lyu, D., Nazari, M., Shah, A., Zhou, X., and Smith, D. L. (2021). Biomass for a sustainable bioeconomy: an overview of world biomass production and utilization. Renew. Sust. Ener. Rev. 139:110691. doi: 10.1016/j.rser.2020.110691

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Ashiq, W., Nadeem, M., Ali, W., Zaeem, M., Wu, J., Galagedara, L., et al. (2020). Biochar amendment mitigates greenhouse gases emission and global warming potential in dairy manure based silage corn in boreal climate. Environ. Pollut. 264:114869. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114869

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Aworunse, O. S., Olorunsola, H. A., Ahuekwe, E. F., and Obembe, O. O. (2023). Towards a sustainable bioeconomy in a post-oil era Nigeria. Res. Environ. Sustain. 11:100094. doi: 10.1016/j.resenv.2022.100094

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Bagheri, A., Bondori, A., Allahyari, M. S., and Surujlal, J. (2021). Use of biologic inputs among cereal farmers: application of technology acceptance model. Environ. Dev. Sustain. 23, 5165–5181. doi: 10.1007/s10668-020-00808-9

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Bagozzi, R. P., and Yi, Y. (1988). On the evaluation of structural equation models. J. Acad. Mark. Sci. 16, 74–94. doi: 10.1007/BF02723327

PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Ballew, M. T., Leiserowitz, A., Roser-Renouf, C., Rosenthal, S. A., Kotcher, J. E., Marlon, J. R., et al. (2019). Climate change in the American mind: data, tools, and trends. Environ. Sci. Policy Sustain. Dev. 61, 4–18. doi: 10.1080/00139157.2019.1589300

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Bambo, T. L., and Pouris, A. (2020). Bibliometric analysis of bioeconomy research in South Africa. Scientometrics 125, 29–51. doi: 10.1007/s11192-020-03626-y

PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Bang, J. K., Follér, A., and Buttazzoni, M. (2009). Industrial biotechnology: More than green fuel in a dirty economy? Exploring the transformational potential of industrial biotechnology on the way to a green economy. Copenhagen: World Wildlife Fund. Available at: http://assets.panda.org/downloads/wwf_biotech.pdf

Google Scholar

Barañano, L., Garbisu, N., Alkorta, I., Araujo, A., and Garbisu, C. (2021). Contextualization of the bioeconomy concept through its links with related concepts and the challenges facing humanity. Sustainability 13:7746. doi: 10.3390/su13147746

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Bauer, F., Hansen, T., and Hellsmark, H. (2018). Innovation in the bioeconomy – dynamics of biorefinery innovation networks. Technol. Anal. Strat. Manag. 30, 935–947. doi: 10.1080/09537325.2018.1425386

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Bhattacharya, N., Godinez, J., Goldmuntz, S., Polanco, V.G., and Shayan, M. (2020). Addressing climate adaptation for waterfront communities in Lagos, Nigeria through improved land tenure and access to basic services. Washington, DC: The Aspen Institute.

Google Scholar

Boateng, G. O., Neilands, T. B., Frongillo, E. A., Melger-Quiñonez, H. R., and Young, S. L. (2018). Best practices for developing and validating scales for health, social, and behavioral research: a primer. Front. Public Health 6:149. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2018.00149

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Bola-Popoola, A. G., Fakinle, B. S., Odunlami, O. A., Sonibare, J. A., and Odekanle, E. L. (2019). Investigation and quantification of carbon footprint in Lagos megacity. Cogent Eng. 6:1703470. doi: 10.1080/23311916.2019.1703470

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Boyarov, A., Osmakova, A., and Popov, V. (2021). Bioeconomy in Russia: today and tomorrow. New Biotechnol. 60, 36–43. doi: 10.1016/j.nbt.2020.08.003

PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Bröring, S., Laibach, N., and Wustmans, M. (2020). Innovation types in the bioeconomy. J. Clean. Prod. 266:121939. doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.121939

PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Bröring, S., and Thybussek, V. (2023). Understanding the business model design for complex technology systems: the case of the bioeconomy. EFB Bioecon. J. 3:100052. doi: 10.1016/j.bioeco.2023.100052

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Bröring, S., and Vanacker, A. (2022). Designing business models for the bioeconomy: what are the major challenges. EFB Bioecon. J. 2:100322. doi: 10.1016/j.bioeco.2022.100032

PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Bryne, B. (2001). Structural equation modeling with AMOS. New Jersey: Lawerence Erlbaum Associate.

Google Scholar

Callo-Concha, D., Jaenicke, H., Schmitt, C. B., and Denich, M. (2020). Food and non-food biomass production, processing and use in sub-Saharan Africa: towards a regional bioeconomy. Sustainability 12:2013. doi: 10.3390/su12052013

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Cangur, S., and Ercan, I. (2015). Comparison of model fit indices used in structural equation Modeling under multivariate normality. J. Mod. Appl. Stat. Methods 14:14. doi: 10.22237/jmasm/1430453580

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Chen, M.-F. (2015). An examination of the value-belief-norm theory in predicting pro-environmental behaviour in Taiwan. Asian J. Soc. Psychol. 18, 145–151. doi: 10.1111/ajsp.12096

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Chen, C.-F., and Tsai, D. C. (2007). How destination image and evaluative factors affect behavioural intentions? Tour. Manag. 28, 1115–1122. doi: 10.1016/j.tourman.2006.07.007

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Chen, K., and Lou, V. W. Q. (2020). Measuring senior technology acceptance: development of a brief, 14-item scale. Innov. Aging 4, 1–12. doi: 10.1093/geroni/igaa016

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Choung, H., David, P., and Ross, A. (2022). Trust in AI and its role in the acceptance of AI technologies. Int. J. Hum-Comp. Interact. 39, 1727–1739. doi: 10.1080/10447318.2022.2050543

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Chutipat, V., Sonsuphap, R., and Pintong, W. (2023). Bio-circular-green model in a developing economy. Corp. Gov. Organiz. Behav. Rev. 7, 150–157. doi: 10.22495/cgobrv7i1p14

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Činjarević, M., Agić, E., and Peštek, A. (2018). When consumers are in doubt, you better watch out! The moderating role of consumer skepticism and subjective knowledge in the context of organic food consumption. Zagreb. Int. Rev. Econ. Bus. 21, 1–14. doi: 10.2478/zireb-2018-0020

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Connelly, L. M. (2008). Pilot studies. Medsurg Nursing 17:411.

Google Scholar

Coughlan, M., Cronin, P., and Ryan, F. (2009). Survey research: process and limitations. Int. J. Ther. Rehabil. 16, 9–15. doi: 10.12968/ijtr.2009.16.1.37935

PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Daioglou, V., Doelman, J. C., Stehfest, E., Müller, C., Wicke, B., Faaij, A., et al. (2017). Greenhouse gas emission curves for advanced biofuel supply chains. Nat. Clim. Chang. 7, 920–924. doi: 10.1038/s41558-017-0006-8

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Dallendörfer, M., Dieken, S., Henseleit, M., Siekmann, F., and Venghaus, S. (2022). Investigating citizens’ perceptions of the bioeconomy in Germany – high support but little understanding. Sust. Prod. Consump. 30, 16–30. doi: 10.1016/j.spc.2021.11.009

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Dees, J. P., Sagues, W. J., Woods, E., Goldstein, H. M., Simon, A. J., and Sanchez, D. L. (2023). Leveraging the bioeconomy for carbon drawdown. Green Chem. 25, 2930–2957. doi: 10.1039/D2GC02483G

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

de Paula, F.C., de Paula, C.B., and Contiero, J. (2018). Prospective biodegradable plastics from biomass conversion processes. London: Intech.

Google Scholar

Dhagarra, D., Goswami, M., and Kumar, G. (2020). Impact of trust and privacy concerns on technology acceptance in healthcare: an Indian perspective. Int. J. Med. Inform. 141:104164. doi: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2020.104164

PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Dietz, T., Jovel, K. R., Deciancio, M., Boldt, C., and Börner, J. (2023). Towards effective national and international governance for a sustainable bioeconomy: a global expert perspective. EFB Bioecon. J. 3:100058. doi: 10.1016/j.bioeco.2023.100058

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Dilkes-Hoffman, L., Ashworth, P., Laycock, B., Pratt, S., and Lant, P. (2019). Public attitudes towards bioplastics—knowledge, perception and end-of-life management. Resour. Conserv. Recycl. 151:104479. doi: 10.1016/j.resconrec.2019.104479

PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Eberhardt, T., Hubert, M., Lischka, H. M., Hubert, M., and Lin, Z. (2020). The role of subjective knowledge and perceived trustworthiness in fair trade consumption for fashion and food products. J. Consum. Mark. 23, 1–11. doi: 10.1108/JCM-08-2019-3356

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Ende, L., Reinhard, M.-A., and Göritz, L. (2023). Detecting greenwashing! The influence of product colour and product price on consumer’s detection accuracy of faked bio-fashion. J. Consum. Policy 46, 155–189. doi: 10.1007/s10603-023-09537-8

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

European Commission (2018). A sustainable bioeconomy for Europe: strengthening the connection between economy, society and the environment. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union.

Google Scholar

Eversberg, D., and Fritz, M. (2022). Bioeconomy as a societal transformation: mentalities, conflicts and social practices. Sust. Prod. Consump. 30, 973–987. doi: 10.1016/j.spc.2022.01.021

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Eversberg, D., and Holz, J. (2020). Empty promises of growth: the bioeconomy and its multiple reality checks. Working paper N°2 of the BMBF junior research group mentalities in flux: imaginaries and social structure in modern circular bio-based societies (flumen). Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Jena.

Google Scholar

Ewing, D. L., Monsen, J. J., and Kielblock, S. (2018). Teachers’ attitudes towards inclusive education: a critical review of published questionnaire. Educ. Psychol. Pract. 34, 150–164. doi: 10.1080/02667363.2017.1417822

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Famuyiwa, A. O., Davidson, C. M., Ande, S., and Oyeyiola, A. O. (2022). Potentially toxic elements in urban soils from public-access areas in the rapidly growing megacity of Lagos. Nigeria. Tox. 10:154. doi: 10.3390/toxics10040154

PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Faris, N. H., Ishak, N. A., and Ahmad Ramli, F. Z. (2016). Validity and reliability of the aggression questionnaire instrument to high school students. IOSR J. Human. Soci. Sci. 21, 27–32. doi: 10.9790/0837-2112052732

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Fava, F., Gardossi, L., Brigidi, P., Morone, P., Carosi, D. A. R., and Lenzi, A. (2021). The bioeconomy in Italy and the new national strategy for a more competitive and sustainable country. New Biotechnol. 61, 124–136. doi: 10.1016/j.nbt.2020.11.009

PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Feleke, S., Cole, S. M., Sekabira, H., Djouaka, R., and Manyong, V. (2021). Circular bioeconomy research for development in sub-Saharan Africa: innovations, gaps, and actions. Sustainability 13:1926. doi: 10.3390/su13041926

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Fertahi, S., Elalami, D., Tayibi, S., Taarji, N., Lyamlouli, K., Bargaz, A., et al. (2023). The current status and challenges of biomass biorefineries in Africa: a critical review and future perspectives for bioeconomy development. Sci. Total Environ. 870:162001. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162001

PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Fincham, J. E. (2008). Response rates and responsiveness for surveys, standards, and the journal. Am. J. Pharm. Educ. 72:43. doi: 10.5688/aj720243

PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Gaffey, J., McMahon, H., Marsh, E., Vehmas, K., Kymäläinen, T., and Vos, J. (2021). Understanding consumer perspectives of bio-based products— A comparative case study from Ireland and the Netherlands. Sustainability 13:6062. doi: 10.3390/su13116062

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Gangwal, N., and Bansal, V. (2016). Application of decomposed theory of planned behavior for m-commerce adoption in India. Int. Conf. Enterp. Inform. Syst. 2, 357–367.

Google Scholar

Gansser, O. A., and Reich, C. S. (2023). Influence of the new ecological paradigm (NEP) and environmental concerns on pro-environmental behaviour intention based on the theory of planned behaviour (TPB). J. Clean. Prod. 382:134629. doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.134629

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Gardossi, L., Philp, J., Fava, F., Winickoff, D., D’Aprile, L., Dell’Anno, B., et al. (2023). Bioeconomy national strategies in the G20 and OECD countries: sharing experiences and comparing existing policies. EFB Bioecon. J. 3:100053. doi: 10.1016/j.bioeco.2023.100053

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Golembiewski, B., Sick, N., and Bröring, S. (2015). The emerging research landscape on bioeconomy: what have been done so far and what is essential from a technology and innovation management perspective? Innov. Food Sci. Emerg. Technol. 29, 308–317. doi: 10.1016/j.ifset.2015.03.006

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Hair, J.F., Black, W.C., Babin, B.J., and Anderson, R.E. (2010). Multivariate data analysis: a global perspective 7th Pearson Education: Upper Saddle River.

Google Scholar

Han, T.-I. (2019). Objective knowledge, subjective knowledge, and prior experience of organic cotton apparel. Fash.Text. 6, 1–15. doi: 10.1186/s40691-018-0168-7

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Han, H., and Olya, H.G.T., Cho, S-B., & Kim, W. (2018). Understanding museum vacationers’ eco-friendly decision-making process: strengthening the VBN framework. J. Sustain. Tour., 26, 855–872. doi: 10.1080/09669582.2017.1377210

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Harrahill, K., Macken-Walsh, Á., O’Neill, E., and Lennon, M. (2022). An analysis of Irish diary farmers’ participation in the bioeconomy: exploring power and knowledge dynamics in a multi-actor EIP-AGRI operational group. Sustainability 14:12098. doi: 10.3390/su141912098

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Hartmann, P., Apaolaza-Ibáñez, V., and D’Souza, C. (2018). The role of psychological empowerment in climate-protective consumer behaviour: an extension of the value-belief-norm framework. Eur. J. Mark. 52, 392–417. doi: 10.1007/s10584-019-02635-y

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Hempel, C., Will, S., and Zander, K. (2019). Societal perspectives on a bio-economy in Germany: an explorative study using Q methodology. Int. J. Food Syst. Dynam. 10, 21–37. doi: 10.18461/ijfsd.v10i1.02

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Hengboriboon, L., Inthirak, A., Yeoh, K. H., and Pattanakitdamrong, T. (2020). “The effects of green knowledge awareness toward consumer purchase intention on bio-waste product in Thailand” in 2020 6th international conference on information management (ICIM). IEEE, 95–100.

Google Scholar

Herbes, C., Beuthner, C., and Ramme, I. (2018). Consumer attitudes towards biobased packaging–A cross-cultural comparative study. J. Clean. Prod. 194, 203–218. doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.05.106

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Hernández-Pérez, A. F., Valadares, F., Queiroz, S., Felipe, M. G., and Chandel, A. K. (2020). “Traditional bioeconomy versus modern technology-based bioeconomy” in Current developments in biotechnology and bioengineering: sustainable bioresources for the emerging bioeconomy. eds. R. Kataki, A. Pandey, S. K. Khanal, and D. Pant (Elsevier), 495–509.

Google Scholar

Hidalgo, M. C., and Pisano, I. (2010). Determinants of risk perception and willingness to tackle climate change: a pilot study. Psyecology 1, 105–112. doi: 10.1174/217119710790709595

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Himes, A., and Busby, G. (2020). Wood buildings as climate solution. Dev. Built Environ. 4:100030. doi: 10.1016/j.dibe.2020.100030

PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Hoe, S. L. (2008). Issues and procedures in adopting structural equation modeling technique. J. Quant. Meth. 3, 76–83.

Google Scholar

Hsu, H.-T., and Lin, C.-C. (2021). Extending the technology acceptance model of college learners’ mobile-assisted language learning by incorporating psychological constructs. Br. J. Educ. Technol. 53, 286–306. doi: 10.1111/bjet.13165

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Hu, L. T., and Bentler, P. M. (1999). Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: conventional criteria versus new alternatives. Struct. Equ. Model. Multidiscip. J. 6, 1–55. doi: 10.1080/10705519909540118

PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Hu, J.-W., Javaid, A., and Creutzig, F. (2021). Leverage points for accelerating adoption of shared electric cars: perceived benefits and environmental impact of NEVs. Energy Policy 155:112349. doi: 10.1016/j.enpol.2021.112349

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Hurmekoski, E., Kunttu, J., Heinonen, T., Pukkala, T., and Peltola, H. (2023). Does expanding wood use in construction and textile markets contribute to climate change mitigation? Renew. Sust. Energ. Rev. 174:113152. doi: 10.1016/j.rser.2023.113152

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Jayawardena, C., Ahmad, A., Valeri, M., and Jaharadak, A. A. (2023). Technology acceptance antecedents in digital transformation in hospitality industry. Int. J. Hosp. Manag. 108:103350. doi: 10.1016/j.ijhm.2022.103350

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Joffre, F. D., and King, B. N. Jr. (2020). Knowledge, concern and support for policy on adaptations to impacts of climate change in grand Bahamian. Int. J. Environ. Climate Change 10, 123–135. doi: 10.9734/ijecc/2020/v10i1030255

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Kaewhao, S. (2023). Bio-circular-green model knowledge and environmental knowledge causing sustainable development perspective. Afr. Educ. Res. J. 11, 182–190. doi: 10.30918/AERJ.112.23.024

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Khoza, S., de Beer, L. T., van Niekerk, D., and Nemakonde, L. (2021). A gender-differentiated analysis of climate-smart agriculture adoption by smallholder farmers: application of the extended technological acceptance model. Gend. Technol. Dev. 25, 1–21. doi: 10.1080/09718524.2020.1830338

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Kim, W.-H., and Kim, K.-S. (2018). Pro-environmental intentions among food festival attendees: an application of the value-belief-norm model. Sustainability 10:3894. doi: 10.3390/su10113894

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Klein, F. F., Emberger-Klein, A., and Menrad, K. (2020). Indicators of consumers’ preferences for bio-based apparel: a German case study with a functional rain jacket made of bioplastic. Sustainability 12:675. doi: 10.3390/su12020675

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Lagos State Government (2019). Abstract of local government statistics. Lagos: Lagos Bureau of Statistics.

Google Scholar

Lamberti, F. M., Román-Ramírez, L. A., and Wood, J. (2020). Recycling of bioplastics: routes and benefits. J. Polym. Environ. 28, 2551–2571. doi: 10.1007/s10924-020-01795-8

PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Lehmann, J., Cowie, A., Masiello, C. A., Kammann, C., Woolf, D., Amonette, J. E., et al. (2021). Biochar in climate change mitigation. Nat. Geosci. 14, 883–892. doi: 10.1038/s41561-021-00852-8

PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Leitão, A. (2016). Bioeconomy: the challenge in the management of natural resources in the 21st century. Open J. Soc. Sci. 4, 26–42. doi: 10.4236/jss.2016.411002

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Leskinen, P., Cardellini, G., González-García, S., Hurmekiski, E., Sathre, R., Seppälä, J., et al. (2018). Substitution effects of wood-based products in climate change mitigation. From science to policy 7. Joensuu. doi: 10.36333/fs07

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Lima, M. G. B. (2022). Just transition towards a bioeconomy: four dimensions in Brazil, India and Indonesia. Forest Policy Econ. 136:102684. doi: 10.1016/j.forpol.2021.102684

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Liobikiené, G., and Poškus, M. S. (2019). The importance of environmental knowledge for private and public sphere pro-environmental behaviour: modifying the value-belief-norm theory. Sustainability 11:3324. doi: 10.3390/su11123324

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Liu, Y., Hong, Z., Zhu, J., Yan, J., Qi, J., and Liu, P. (2018). Promoting green residential buildings: residents’ environmental attitude, subjective knowledge, and social trust matter. Energy Policy 112, 152–161. doi: 10.1016/j.enpol.2017.10.020

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Liu, C.-H., and Wu, Y.-H. (2020). The impact of value-belief-norm theory and technology acceptance model on use intention of green design packaging. Int. J. Busi. Manag. 15, 158–172. doi: 10.5539/ijbm.v15n7p158

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Lokesh, K., Matharu, A. S., Kookos, I. K., Ladakis, D., Koutinas, A., Morone, P., et al. (2020). Hybridised sustainability metrics for use in life cycle assessment of bio-based products: resource efficiency and circularity. Green Chem. 22, 803–813. doi: 10.1039/C9GC02992C

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Lynch, D. H., Klaassen, P., and Broerse, J. E. (2017). Unraveling Dutch citizens’ perceptions on the bio-based economy: the case of bioplastics, bio-jetfuels and small-scale bio-refineries. Ind. Crop. Prod. 106, 130–137. doi: 10.1016/j.indcrop.2016.10.035

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Machado, P. G., Cunha, M., Walter, A., Faaiji, A., and Guihoto, J. J. M. (2019). The potential of a bioeconomy to reduce Brazilian GHG emissions towards 2030: a CGE-based life cycle analysis. Biofuels Bioprod. Biorefin. 14, 265–285. doi: 10.1002/bbb.2064

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Macht, J., Klink-Lehmann, J., and Hartmann, M. (2023). Don’t forget the locals: understanding citizens’ acceptance of bio-based technologies. Technol. Soc. 74:102318. doi: 10.1016/j.techsoc.2023.102318

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Manika, D., Papagiannidis, S., Bourlakis, M., and Clarke, R. M. (2021). Drawing on subjective knowledge and information receptivity to examine an environmental sustainability policy: insights from the UK’s bag charge policy. Eur. Manag. Rev. 18, 249–262. doi: 10.1111/emre.12453

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Martínez, J. F. G., Gómez, L. M. T., Guzmán, M. F., Vanegas, N. C. S., and Ruíz, D. D. P. (2020). Energy from biomass: alternative for the reduction of atmospheric emissions. Lámpsakos 23, 70–78. doi: 10.21501/21454086.3457

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Masukujjaman, M., Alam, S. S., Siwar, C., and Halim, S. A. (2021). Purchase intention of renewable energy technology in rural areas in Bangladesh: Empirical evidence. Renewable Energy 170, 639–651. doi: 10.1016/j.renene.2021.01.125

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Matheson, G. J. (2019). We need to talk about reliability: making better use of test-retest studies for study design and interpretation. PeerJ 7:e6918. doi: 10.7717/peerj.6918

PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Matsiori, S. K. (2020). Application of the new environmental paradigm to Greece: a critical case study. Econ. Analy. Pol. 66, 335–344. doi: 10.1016/j.eap.2020.02.010

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Meyer, R. (2017). Bioeconomy strategies: contexts, visions, guiding implementation, principles and resulting debates. Sustainability 9:1031. doi: 10.3390/su9061031

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Meys, R., Kätelhön, A., Bachmann, M., Winter, B., Zibunas, C., Suh, S., et al. (2021). Achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emission plastics by a circular carbon economy. Science 374, 71–76. doi: 10.1126/science.abg9853

PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Mijailoff, J. D., and Burns, S. L. (2023). Fixing the meaning of floating signifier: discourses and network analysis in the bioeconomy policy processes in Argentina and Uruguay. Forest Policy Econ. 154:103039. doi: 10.1016/j.forpol.2023.103039

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Mougenot, B., and Doussoulin, J.-P. (2022). Conceptual evolution of the bioeconomy: a bibliometric analysis. Environ. Dev. Sustain. 24, 1031–1047. doi: 10.1007/s10668-021-01481-2

PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Mukhtarov, F., Gerlak, A., and Pierce, R. (2017). Away from fossil-fuels and toward a bioeconomy: knowledge versatility for public policy? Environ. Plan. C 35, 1010–1028. doi: 10.1177/0263774X16676273

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Nagarajan, D., Lee, D.-J., and Chang, J.-S. (2022). “Circular bioeconomy approaches for sustainability and carbon mitigation in miroalgal biorefinery” in Biomass, biofuels, biochemicals: circular bioeconomy: technologies for waste remediation. eds. S. Varjani, A. Pandey, M. Taherzadeh, H. H. Ngo, and R. D. Tyagi (Amsterdam: Elsevier), 557–598.

Google Scholar

Nagy, E., Berg Rustas, C., and Mark-Herbert, C. (2021). Social acceptance of forest-based bioeconomy— Swedish consumers’ perspectives on a low carbon transition. Sustainability 13:7628. doi: 10.3390/su13147628

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Naseri, R. N. N., Azis, S. N., and Abas, N. (2023). A review of technology acceptance and adoption models in consumer study. FIRM J. Manag. Stud. 8, 188–199. doi: 10.33021/firm.v8i2.4536

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Navrátilová, L., Výbošťok, J., Dobšinská, Z., Šálka, J., Pichlerová, M., and Pichler, V. (2020). Assessing the potential of bioeconomy in Slovakia based on public perception of renewable materials in contrast to non-renewable materials. Ambio 49, 1912–1924. doi: 10.1007/s13280-020-01368-y

PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Ncube, A., Sadondo, P., Makhanda, R., Mabika, C., Beinisch, N., Cocker, J., et al. (2022). Circular bioeconomy potential and challenges within an Africa context: from theory to practice. J. Clean. Prod. 367:133068. doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.133068

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Notaro, S., and Paletto, A. (2022). Attitude and willingness to pay of young generations toward bio-textile produced using wood fibers. Ann. Silvicult. Res. 47, 10–23. doi: 10.12899/asr-2318

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Ogunbode, C. A. (2013). The NEP scale: measuring ecological attitudes/worldviews in an African context. Environ. Dev. Sustain. 16, 1477–1494. doi: 10.1007/s10668-013-9446-0

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Oguntuase, O. J. (2018). Bioeconomy for sustainable development in Nigeria: lessons from international experiences. J. Res. Rev. Sci. 4, 97–104. doi: 10.36108/jrrslasu/7102/40(0151)

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Oguntuase, O. J., and Adu, O. B. (2021). “Bioeconomy as climate action: how ready are African countries” in African handbook of climate change adaptation. eds. W. L. Filho, et al. (Springer), 2519–2533.

Google Scholar

Okafor, C.L., Ahove, M.A., Odewunmi, S.G., MacCracken, M., and Odesanya, B. (2021). Real-time quantitative assessment of transport induced greenhouse gases emissions profile in Lagos, Nigeria. ResearchSquare.

Google Scholar

Otekhile, C., and Verter, N. (2017). The socioeconomic characteristics of rural farmers and their net income in Ojo and Badagry local government areas of Lagos state, Nigeria. Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis 65, 2037–2043. doi: 10.11118/actaun201765062037

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Park, E. (2021). Social acceptance of renewable energy technologies in post-Fukushima era. Front. Psychol. 114:612090. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.612090

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Park, J., Kim, H. J., and McCleary, K. W. (2014). The impact of top management’s environmental attitudes on hotel companies’ environmental management. J. Hospital. Tour. 38, 95–115. doi: 10.1177/1096348012452666

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Perea, L. N., Gaviria, D., and Redondo, M. I. (2020). Bioeconomy: bibliometric analysis from 2006-2019. Espacios 41, 10–28. doi: 10.48082/espacios-a20v41n43p02

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Perišic, M., Barcelo, E., Dimic-Misic, K., Imani, M., and Brkić, V. S. (2022). The role of bioeconomy in the future energy scenario: a state-of-the-art review. Sustainability 14:560. doi: 10.3390/su14010560

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Piwowar, A., Wolańska, W., Orkusz, A., Kapelko, M., and Harasym, J. (2023). Modelling the factors influencing polish consumers’ approach towards new food products on the market. Sustainability 15:2818. doi: 10.3390/su15032818

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Ponto, J. (2015). Understanding and evaluating survey research. J. Adv. Pract. Oncol. 6, 168–171. doi: 10.6004/jadpro.2015.6.2.9

PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Rajaee, M., Hoseini, S. M., and Malekmohammadi, I. (2019). Proposing a socio-psychological model for adopting green building technologies: a case study from Iran. Sustain. Cities Soc. 45, 657–668. doi: 10.1016/j.scs.2018.12.007

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Ramcilovik-Suominen, S., and Pülzl, H. (2018). Sustainable development – A ‘selling point’ of the emerging EU bioeconomy policy framework? J. Clean. Prod. 172, 4170–4180. doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.12.157

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Raykov, T., and Marcoulides, G. A. (2016). Scale reliability evaluation under multiple assumption violations. Struct. Equ. Model: A Multidisciplinary J. 23, 302–313. doi: 10.1080/10705511.2014.938597

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Rincón-Moreno, J., Ormazábal, M., Álvarez, M. J., and Jaca, C. (2021). Advancing circular economy performance indicators and their applications in Spanish companies. J. Clean. Prod. 279:123605. doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.123605

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Rizkalla, N., and Erhan, T. P. (2020). Sustainable consumption behaviour in the context of millennial in Indonesia – can environmental concern, self-efficacy, guilt and subjective knowledge make a difference? Management: journal of sustainable business and management solutions in emerging. Economics 25, 43–54. doi: 10.7595/management.fon.2020.0001

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Rosa, S. F. P., and Martius, C. (2021). “Forest-based bioeconomy in sub-Saharan Africa: looking at benefits, barriers and burdens from a social sustainability standpoint” in Occasional paper 219 (Bogor, Indonesia: CIFOR)

Google Scholar

Rosenboom, J.-G., Langer, R., and Traverso, G. (2022). Bioplastics for a circular economy. Nat. Rev. Mat. 7, 117–137. doi: 10.1038/s41578-021-00407-8

PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Rudolph, K. (2018). “Barriers to acceptance of bio-based substitutes: how schema incongruity can hinder the purchase of bio-based products” in Towards a sustainable bioeconomy: principles, challenges and perspectives. eds. W. Leal Filho, D. M. Pociovalisteanu, P. R. Borges de Brito, and I. Borges de Lima (Cham: Springer), 117–133.

Google Scholar

Ruf, J., Emberger-Klein, A., and Menrad, K. (2022). Consumer response to bio-based products–A systematic review. Sustainable Production Consum. 34, 353–370. doi: 10.1016/j.spc.2022.09.022

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Rumm, S., Klein, A., Zapilko, M. A., and Menrad, K. (2013). “Labelling for biobased plastics” in First international conference on resource efficiency in interorganizational networks: ResEff 2013. eds. J. Geldermann and M. Schumann (Göttingen: Georg-August-Universität Göttingen), 403–414.

Google Scholar

Russo, I., Confente, I., Scarpi, D., and Hazen, B. T. (2019). From trash to treasure: the impact of consumer perception of bio-waste products in closed-loop supply chains. J. Clean. Prod. 218, 966–974. doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.02.044

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Scherer, C., Emberger-Klein, A., and Menrad, K. (2017). Biogenic product alternatives for children: consumer preferences for a set of sand toys made of bio-based plastic. Sust. Prod. Consump. 10, 1–14. doi: 10.1016/j.spc.2016.11.001

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Scherer, C., Emberger-Klein, A., and Menrad, K. (2018a). Consumer preferences for outdoor sporting equipment made of bio-based plastics: results of a choice-based-conjoint experiment in Germany. J. Clean. Prod. 203, 1085–1094. doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.08.298

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Scherer, C., Emberger-Klein, A., and Menrad, K. (2018b). Segmentation of interested and less interested consumers in sports equipment made of bio-based plastic. Sust. Prod. Consump. 14, 53–65. doi: 10.1016/j.spc.2018.01.003

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Schermelleh-Engel, K., and Moosbrugger, H. (2003). Evaluating the fit of structural equation models: tests of significance and descriptive goodness-of-fit measures. Methods Psychol. Res. Online 8, 23–74.

Google Scholar

Sebos, I. (2022). Fossil fraction of CO2 emissions of biofuels. Carbon Manag. 13, 154–163. doi: 10.1080/17583004.2022.2046173

PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Shadiqi, M. A., Djuwita, R., Febriana, S. K. T., Septiannisa, L., Wildi, M., and Rahmawati, Y. (2022). Environmental self-identity and pro-environmental behaviour in climate change issue: mediation effect of belief in global warning and guilty feeling. IOP Conf. Ser. 1111:012081. doi: 10.1018/1755-1315/1111/1/012081

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Sh Ahmad, F., Rosli, N. T., and Quoquob, F. (2022). Environmental quality awareness, green trust, green self-efficacy and environmental attitude in influencing green behaviour. Int. J. Ethics Syst. 38, 68–90. doi: 10.1108/IJOES-05-2020-0072

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Shakoor, A., Afrif, M. S., Shahzad, S. M., Farooq, T. H., Ashraf, F., and Altaf, M. M. (2021). Does biochar accelerate the mitigation of greenhouse gaseous emissions from agricultural soil? – A global meta-analysis. Environ. Res. 202:111789. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111789

PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Sijtsema, S. J., Onwezen, M. C., Reinders, M. J., Dagevos, H., Partanen, A., and Meeusen, M. (2016). Consumer perception of bio-based products - an exploratory study in five European countries. NJAS 77, 61–69. doi: 10.1016/j.njas.2016.03.007

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Skouloudis, A., Malesios, C., Lekkas, D. F., and Panagiotopulou, A. (2023). Consumer preference in Greece for bio-based products: a short communication. Circul. Econ. Sust. 3, 1065–1076. doi: 10.1007/s43615-022-00215-4

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Soland, M., Steimer, N., and Walter, G. (2013). Local acceptance of existing biogas plants in Switzerland. Energy Policy 61, 802–810. doi: 10.1016/j.enpol.2013.06.111

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Stahl, F. F., Emberger-Klein, A., and Menrad, K. (2021). Consumer preferences in Germany for bio-based apparel with low and moderate prices, and the influence of specific factors in distinguishing between these groups. Front. Sust. 2:624913. doi: 10.3389/frsus.2021.624913

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Stern, P. (2000). Toward a coherent theory of environmentally significant behavior. J. Soc. Issues 56, 407–424. doi: 10.1111/0022-4537.00175

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Stern, P. C., Dietz, T., Abel, T., Guagnano, G. A., and Kalof, L. (1999). A value-belief-norm theory of support for social movements: the case of environmentalism. Hum. Ecol. Rev. 6, 81–97.

Google Scholar

Stern, T., Ranacher, L., Mair, C., Berghäll, S., Lähtinen, K., Forsblom, M., et al. (2018). Perceptions on the importance of forest sector innovations: biofuels, biomaterials, or niche products? Forests 9:255. doi: 10.3390/f9050255

PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Taber, K. S. (2017). The use of Cronbach’s alpha when developing and reporting research instruments in science education. Res. Sci. Educ. 48:1273. doi: 10.1007/s11165-016-9602-2

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Tarinc, A., Ergun, G. S., Aytekin, A., Keles, A., Ozbek, O., Keles, H., et al. (2023). Effects of climate change belief and the new environmental paradigm (NEP) on eco-tourism attitudes of tourists: moderate role of green self-identity. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 20:4967. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20064967

PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Timmons, D. S., Buchholz, T., and Veeneman, C. H. (2016). Forest biomass energy: assessing atmospheric carbon impacts by discounting future carbon flows. GCB Bioenergy 8, 631–643. doi: 10.1111/gcbb.12276

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Tran, T. C. T., and Cheng, M. S. (2017). Adding innovation diffusion theory to technology acceptance model: understanding consumers’ intention to use biofuels in Viet Nam. Int. Rev. Manag. Busi. Res. 6, 595–609.

Google Scholar

Treece, E.W., and Treece, J.W. (1982). Elements of research in nursing (3rd). St Louis, MO: Mosby.

Google Scholar

Trigkas, M., and Karagouni, G. (2023). State/academia key stakeholders’ perceptions regarding bioeconomy: evidence from Greece. Sustainability 15:9976. doi: 10.3390/su15139976

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Truong, Y., and McColl, R. (2011). Intrinsic motivations, self-esteem, and luxury goods consumption. J. Retail. Consum. Serv. 18, 555–561. doi: 10.1016/j.jretconser.2011.08.004

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Twumasi, Y. A., Merem, E. C., Namwamba, J. B., Mwakimi, O. S., Ayala-Silva, T., Abdollahi, K., et al. (2020). Degradation of urban green spaces in Lagos, Nigeria: evidence from satellite and demographic data. Adv. Rem. Sen. 9:99251. doi: 10.4236/ars.2020.91003

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Usmani, R. A. (2023). “Biofuel consumption and global climate change: solutions and challenges” in Environmental sustainability of biofuels: prospects and challenges. eds. K. R. Hakeem, S. A. Bandh, F. A. Malla, and M. A. Mehmood (Elsevier), 183–200.

Google Scholar

Van der Werff, E., and Steg, L. (2016). The psychology of participation and interest in smart energy systems: comparing the value-belief-norm theory and the value-identity-personal norm model. Energy Res. Soc. Sci. 22, 107–114. doi: 10.1016/j.erss.2016.08.022

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Van Winkle, C., Zhang, W., Yuan, Y., and Qian, Y. (2013). Bioproducts: consumer perceptions and willingness to pay. Durham, North Carolina: Duke Center for Sustainability.

Google Scholar

Venkatesh, V., and Davis, F. D. (1996). A model of the antecedents of perceived ease of use: development and test. Decis. Sci. 27, 451–481. doi: 10.1111/j.1540-5915.1996.tb01822.x

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Viot, C., Lancini, A., Bayart, C., and Lécuyer, C. (2023). Introducing gadget love and subjective knowledge into the theory of planned behavior to understand intention to adopt smart-connected products. Question(s) De Manag. 45, 93–106. doi: 10.3917/qdm.225.0093

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Vogelpohl, T. (2021). Transnational sustainability certification for the bioeconomy? Patterns and discourse coalitions of resistance and alternatives in biomass exporting regions. Ener. Sust. Soc. 11:3. doi: 10.1186/s13705-021-00278-5

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Von Braun, J., and Mirzabaev, A. (2019). The development of bioeconomy of the Baltic region in the context of regional and global climate change. Dev. Baltic Reg. 11, 20–35. doi: 10.5922/2079-8555-2019-4-2

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Wang, L., Wong, P. P. W., and Alagas, E. N. (2020). Antecedents of green purchase behaviour: an examination of altruism and environmental knowledge. Int. J. Cult. Tour. Hosp. Res. 14, 63–82. doi: 10.1108/IJCTHR-02-2019-0034

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Wilke, U., Schlaile, M. P., Urmetzer, S., Mueller, M., Bogner, K., and Pyka, A. (2021). Time to say ‘good buy’ to the passive consumer? A conceptual review of the consumer in the bioeconomy. J. Agric. Environ. Ethics 34:20. doi: 10.1007/s10806-021-09861-4

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Wurster, S., and Schulze, R. (2020). Consumers’ acceptance of a bio-circular automotive economy: explaining model and influence factors. Sustainability 12:2186. doi: 10.3390/su12062186

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Yamane, T. (1967) Statistics: an introductory analysis (2nd Edn.). New York: Harper and Row.

Google Scholar

Yang, M., Chen, L., Wang, J., Msigwa, G., Osman, A. I., Fawzy, S., et al. (2023). Circular economy strategies for combating climate change and other environmental issues. Environ. Chem. Lett. 21, 55–80. doi: 10.1007/s10311-022-01499-6

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Yang, L., Wang, X.-C., Dai, M., Chen, M., Qiao, Y., Deng, H., et al. (2021). Shifting from fossil-based economy to bio-based economy: status quo, challenges, and prospects. Energy 228:120533. doi: 10.1016/j.energy.2021.120533

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Zander, K., Will, S., Göpel, J., Jung, C., and Schaldach, R. (2022). Societal evaluation of bioeconomy scenarios for Germany. Resources 11:44. doi: 10.3390/resources11050044

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Zhang, L., Ruiz-Menjivar, J., Luo, B., Liang, Z., and Swisher, M. E. (2020). Predicting climate change mitigation and adaptation behaviours in agricultural production: a comparison of the theory of planned behaviour and the value-belief-norm theory. J. Environ. Psychol. 68:101408. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvp.2020.101408

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Zhang, W., and Liu, L. (2022). How consumers’ adopting intentions towards eco-friendly smart home services are shaped? An extended technology acceptance model. Ann. Reg. Sci. 68, 307–330. doi: 10.1007/s00168-021-01082-x

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Zheng, M., Tang, D., and Xu, A. (2023). Attribute-driven or green-driven: the impact of subjective and objective knowledge on sustainable tea consumption. Foods 12:152. doi: 10.3390/foods12010152

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Zobeidi, T., Yazdanpanah, M., and Bakhshi, A. (2020). Climate change risk perception among agriculture students: the role of knowledge, environmental attitude, and belief in happening. J. Agricul. Sci. Technol. 22, 43–55.

Google Scholar

Zografakis, N., Sifaki, E., Pagalou, M., Nikitaki, G., Psarakis, V., and Tsagarakis, K. P. (2010). Assessment of public acceptance and willingness to pay for renewable energy sources in Crete. Ren. Sust. Ener. Rev. 14, 1088–1095. doi: 10.1016/j.rser.2009.11.009

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Zwicker, M. V., Brick, C., Gruter, G. J. M., and van Harreveld, F. (2021). (not) doing the right things for the wrong reasons: an investigation of consumer attitudes, perceptions, and willingness to pay bio-based plastics. Sustainability 13:6819. doi: 10.3390/su13126819

CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar

Keywords: bioeconomy, circular economy, climate change, psychological factors, technology acceptance model, Nigeria

Citation: Oguntuase OJ, Adu OB and Obayori OS (2023) How do individual-level factors influence the adoption of low-carbon technology? Proposing and validating the bioeconomy technology acceptance model in the context of Africa. Front. Sustain. 4:1148001. doi: 10.3389/frsus.2023.1148001

Received: 19 January 2023; Accepted: 20 November 2023;
Published: 22 December 2023.

Edited by:

Susan (Sue) Snyman, African Leadership University, Rwanda

Reviewed by:

Grigorios L. Kyriakopoulos, National Technical University of Athens, Greece
Ioannis Sebos, National Technical University of Athens, Greece

Copyright © 2023 Oguntuase, Adu and Obayori. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

*Correspondence: Oluwaseun J. Oguntuase, oluwaseunoguntuase@gmail.com

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.