Beyond Access: Motivation and Digital Literacy in Sustainable Technology Use

Abstract

This article explores how motivation, background, digital literacy, and environmental awareness interact with sustainable digital practices in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It advances third-level digital divide research and extends Resource and Appropriation Theory by analyzing how users adopt technology to reduce their ecological footprint. Survey data from the UAE show that motivation, along with digital skills and awareness, significantly influences behavior. Socioeconomic status also matters, with motivated, high-income individuals showing the highest engagement. Vocational training emerges as more relevant than university education for digital sustainability. While access and literacy are foundational, their environmental impact depends on human agency and structural factors. The findings offer policy insights for digital literacy and sustainability in non-Western contexts.