Aligning attitudes and actions: experience of extreme weather events raises environmental concerns and pro-environmental behaviors of residents.

Background: Under the dual pressures of global climate change and the increasing frequency of extreme weather events, understanding the drivers of public pro-environmental behavior is crucial for achieving sustainable development goals. While existing research has explored various socio-economic and social interaction factors, the role of subjective experiences with extreme weather events and their translation into environmental action remains underexplored. Furthermore, a significant "attitude/intention-behavior gap" persists, and it is unclear whether such experiences foster genuine behavioral change or merely increase environmental concern without corresponding action. Methods: This study empirically examines the relationship between subjective experiences of extreme weather events and pro-environmental behavior among the Chinese public. Using data from the 2021 Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS), we analyze how severity appraisal of extreme weather events influences both private-sphere and public-sphere pro-environmental behaviors. We employ mediation analysis to test the role of public environmental concern and moderation analysis to assess the influence of media use (traditional vs. new media), while also exploring regional, urban-rural, and environmental self-efficacy-based heterogeneities. Results: The findings reveal that more severe extreme weather event experiences significantly and positively predict both public- and private-sphere pro-environmental behaviors. Public environmental concern partially mediates this relationship, indicating that disaster experience indirectly promotes action by enhancing environmental awareness. However, new media use negatively moderates the direct effect on private-sphere behavior, weakening this positive influence. Significant heterogeneity exists: residents in Southern China, non-rural areas, and those with high environmental self-efficacy demonstrate a stronger behavioral response to extreme weather events compared to their counterparts in Northern China, rural areas, and those with low self-efficacy. Conclusion: Extreme weather experiences can serve as a catalyst for pro-environmental action, effectively bridging the gap between environmental concern and behavior. To leverage this potential, policymakers should integrate behavioral promotion into post-disaster recovery, strengthen environmental risk communication, and optimize new media content to provide clear, actionable guidance rather than sensationalized or fragmented information. Furthermore, differentiated strategies are needed to support less responsive groups through enhanced infrastructure, community-based training, and psychological empowerment programs, thereby fostering a more inclusive and effective pathway to climate-resilient sustainable development.