In a world of declining North Sea production and unstable fossil fuel supplies, we need to diversify our energy sources and use technological innovation to unlock the potential of existing but untapped sources of energy. It is frequently argued that the nature and the pace of technological change and the associated innovation activities will be keys to addressing climate change in the future. This paper aims to examine levels of awareness and performance relating to the promotion of a low-carbon economy (LCE) among the general public in Rivers State, Nigeria. The data and information used were derived from 1150 questionnaires distributed randomly among households in the twenty three local government areas of the state. The results indicate a combination of high awareness with poor understanding of LCE programmes among respondents, with the poor understanding probably due to a shortage of appropriate information from trusted sources and shortcomings in education. Respondents generally showed positive attitudes toward proenvironmental actions, such as refusing to use plastic bags, waste recycling, and water and energy conservation. Apart from regulation and policies, they considered education and economic incentives as effective mechanisms to promote LCE implementation. Overall, those consulted responded favourably towards the prospect of LCE. Results of the study, at this preliminary stage, compares favourably with the results of a similar research carried out to know the level of awareness of LCE among the people of Akwa Ibom State which shares boundary with Rivers State. The results also suggest that the general public in Nigeria has the potential to be a facilitator of environmental improvements in the country.
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