Nationalism and environmentalism from the global perspective: A comparative survey analysis of eco‐nationalism

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between environmentalism and nationalism, including eco‐nationalism, from comparative empirical survey studies. This study uses the Integrated Value Survey dataset, comprising approximately 240,000 respondents from 100 countries since 2010, to explore nationalism and pro‐environmental attitudes among public opinion across various countries. From a global perspective, a positive correlation between national pride or national identity and environmentalism is observed among many countries, whereas in a few regions, namely, certain parts of Western Europe and North America, both sentiments exhibit a negative correlation. Further regression analysis indicates that eco‐nationalism and green nationalism tend to emerge in less economically developed countries but are not affected by the degree of democracy, resource rent and level of globalisation. This study demonstrates that the link between environmentalism and nationalism is not definitive but contextual, and it clarifies the context that defines it through empirical international comparisons.