By Adeboye Ado
A Professor of Applied Social and Environmental Psychology at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Oluyinka Ojedokun, has said that most environmental challenges confronting the world are largely driven by human behaviour and collective actions, urging citizens to adopt what he described as responsible environmental conduct to address the problem.
Ojedokun made the assertion on Tuesday while delivering the institution’s 56th inaugural lecture titled, “God Made the Earth, Humans Made the Town,” where he emphasised the need for deliberate actions to restore and maintain a balanced ecosystem.
According to the scholar, environmental problems such as climate change, biodiversity loss, poor waste management and urban pollution are consequences of human activities, stressing that behavioural change remains critical to addressing them.
He called on governments and other stakeholders to give priority to environmental education programmes capable of raising awareness about the dangers of pollution while also encouraging responsible environmental conduct among Nigerians.
The don said the Earth remains humanity’s primary source of existence and survival, warning that continued environmental degradation poses serious risks to human wellbeing.
“Humanity’s origin is the Earth, and it continues to serve as the foundation of our survival. Therefore, we cannot afford the continued degradation of the environment,” he said.
He explained that responsible environmental behaviour represents a preventive strategy aimed at influencing how individuals interact with their surroundings, rather than relying solely on awareness campaigns designed to change attitudes.
“Responsible environmental behaviour, by its very nature, demands a future-oriented mindset, requiring individuals to incur small present costs, such as effort, inconvenience or restraint, in exchange for benefits that are largely deferred and collective, in order to safeguard environmental conditions for future outcomes,” he said.
The professor added that environmentally responsible conduct does not occur by chance but is shaped by several psychological and social factors.
“Environmentally responsible behaviour does not happen randomly. It is shaped by the interaction of attitudes, self-concept, self-efficacy, personality traits, future time perspective, emotional responses such as eco-anxiety, and the social and institutional environments within which individuals operate,” he stated.
Ojedokun also urged universities, schools and community-based organisations to design environmental education initiatives that move beyond awareness campaigns and focus on practical strategies capable of influencing behaviour.
He recommended the use of approaches such as habit interruption, deliberate action planning and the reinforcement of social norms through goal-setting exercises, scenario-based workshops and visual reminders that help individuals link present actions with long-term environmental consequences.
To strengthen environmental protection efforts, the professor called for the adoption of behavioural assessment tools such as the Littering Prevention Behaviour Scale and the Littering Attitude Scale by researchers and policymakers to evaluate and monitor interventions aimed at reducing environmental degradation.
He added that the findings from such assessments should guide policy formulation, programme development and targeted interventions to ensure sustainable environmental outcomes.
The lecturer further recommended the involvement of social and environmental psychologists in designing initiatives that will improve environmental self-efficacy, promote positive self-concept and altruism, and strengthen residents’ and students’ ability to monitor and regulate their environmental behaviour.
According to him, achieving lasting environmental change requires collaboration across different sectors of society.
He said governments and local authorities must ensure the provision of accessible waste disposal facilities, clear public signage and consistent enforcement of anti-littering laws while integrating behavioural insights into sanitation campaigns.
Ojedokun also urged community leaders, non-governmental organisations and civil society groups to promote community-based programmes that encourage residents to participate in clean-up exercises and peer-monitoring initiatives aimed at reinforcing anti-littering culture.
He further called on private waste management firms to improve the accessibility and reliability of their services, integrate behavioural insights into service delivery and collaborate with government and educational institutions to enhance waste collection, sorting and recycling while encouraging proper disposal habits.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of the university and Chairman of the occasion, Olugbenga Ige, commended the inaugural lecturer for his contributions to research, teaching and community development.
Ige noted that the theme of the lecture reflects the institution’s commitment to generating knowledge capable of addressing societal challenges, particularly in the area of environmental sustainability.