Environmental awareness influences green innovation intention among Saudi Generation Z through attitude and perceived behavioral control

Abstract Environmental awareness is widely assumed to motivate sustainable behavior, yet a persistent gap remains between knowledge and action. This study examines whether awareness directly drives green innovation intention among Saudi Generation Z or operates through psychological mediation. Drawing on the Theory of Planned Behavior, a structural equation model was tested using survey data from university students. The findings show that environmental awareness does not directly predict intention. Instead, its influence is transmitted through attitude toward green innovation and perceived behavioral control, with perceived control emerging as the dominant pathway. These results clarify the mechanisms underlying the awareness–action gap and demonstrate that youth sustainability engagement depends more on perceived agency than on information alone. By extending behavioral sustainability research into a rapidly transforming non-Western context, the study highlights the importance of empowerment-based strategies for mobilizing young populations in support of long-term green transformation.