Literature review on the role of green influencers in building environmental awareness among young people

Abstract

Background: Environmental awareness and behavior in society help to raise global environmental issues. Innovative communication strategies on the environment are rapidly developing in the era of social media. The role of influencers as digital agents of change helps communication to raise awareness of environmental issues. Methods: This study applies a literature review and meta-analysis of 10 international journal articles to examine the influence of eco-green influencers on environmental awareness, systematically collecting, coding, and comparing findings to identify patterns, evidence, and research gaps within the social sciences context. Findings: The results of the review show that the credibility, authenticity, and social appeal of influencers are the main factors in shaping environmental messages. The use of gain message frames, visual storytelling, and green word of mouth has been proven to increase the audience's awareness and actions. In addition, cross-generational collaboration and online community involvement strengthen the image of green destinations and encourage an environmentally conscious lifestyle among modern societies. Conclusion: The review shows that social media and influencers strongly influence pro-environmental awareness and behavior—especially among Millennials and Generation Z—through credible and positively framed messaging, though their impact varies across cultural contexts. Novelty/Originality of this article: This study synthesizes influencer research to show how credibility and positive framing within social media ecosystems drive pro-environmental awareness among Millennials and Generation Z, contributing to critical debates on platform culture and digital environmental activism.