PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF RENEWABLE ENERGY TRANSITION AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY IN PORT HARCOURT METROPOLIS

Abstract

The study looked at how the public in Port Harcourt Metropolis felt about the switch to renewable energy and environmental sustainability. The design used was cross-sectional. Residents of Port Harcourt Metropolis made up the study's population. To guarantee fair representation of participants from all parts of the city, a sample size of 200 respondents was chosen using a straightforward random selection procedure. The "Public Perception of Renewable Energy Transition and Environmental Sustainability Questionnaire" (EMPLSQ), a structured questionnaire with a 4-point Likert scale, was used to gather data .Environmental management specialists verified the tool, and Cronbach Alpha yielded a reliability value of 0.87. Descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) were used to analyze the data.The findings showed that residents in Port Harcourt Metropolis have a moderate level of awareness of the renewable energy transition, which is important for promoting environmental sustainability. Renewable energy is impacted by issues like high installation costs, low awareness, bad government policies, and a lack of technical expertise. It was determined that even while the shift to renewable energy is seen favorably, current economic, technical, and institutional challenges limit its effective adoption for environmental sustainability in Port Harcourt Metropolis. It recommended among others that Policymakers should provide incentives, subsidies, and affordable financing options to reduce the high cost of renewable energy installation in Port Harcourt Metropolis.