Climate change education and gender: constructing the role for the South African Commission on Gender Equality

Climate change poses high risks to many natural and human systems. The science is clear: we need to act to reduce these risks. However, the lack of appropriate expertise strongly limits the effectiveness of climate action. Estonia has a high rate of climate scepticism, and there needs to be a clear national policy on educating people about climate change and climate change mitigation and adaptation. In an EEA-financed project, "KLIIMATEADLIK - Climate Change Education to Promote Climate Action", we focus on promoting climate change education in formal and non-formal education to increase the competencies necessary for climate change mitigation and adaptation. We aim to establish climate change education at all education levels in Estonia. We develop education strategies, create learning materials and support teachers. The first step was to understand the current situation regarding climate change education. For this, we assessed the national curricula. Climate change is mentioned as an independent topic only in natural sciences. Another problem is that only the concept of local climate is introduced. Not connecting climate topics to the global climate system makes it challenging to integrate climate change issues. The next step was to study the status quo of teaching. We analysed the textbooks and surveyed the teachers. Unfortunately, the textbooks do not include a scientific understanding of climate change. The explanations of the causes and impacts of climate change are missing. Moreover, climate change mitigation and adaptation are not covered at all.  Our solution is to educate teachers and prepare study materials. The study materials cover the causes and impacts of climate change together with climate change mitigation and adaptation. Educating teachers and students will translate to increased climate change awareness in Estonian society in general.  

In January 2020, during China’s COVID-19 outbreak, the NASA Earth Observatory captured aerial images indicating significantly lower emissions of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a major air pollutant, across China’s mainland.[1] Scientists across the globe have reported preliminary empirical data that amid shelter-in-place directives and the shutting down of large-scale economic activity, the environment is flourishing. Abnormal sightings of wild animals roaming freely in deserted cities have been widely reported. For example, monkeys in Lopburi, Bangkok and leatherback turtles on deserted beaches in Florida, US are thriving.[2] This pandemic has given mother earth a chance to ‘breathe.’ Environmentalists are asking how long the breather will last and whether it will sustain the earth for years to come, when business as usual returns bringing environmental challenges. This pandemic has shaken up business as usual including major economic drivers of supply and demand. At the moment, the demand for oil is at an all-time low whereas personal protective equipment (PPE) markets are booming. The world has entered into a recession, with estimates of a US $2 trillion loss. Approximately 11 million people are being pushed into poverty.[3] People are functioning differently: there is a shift toward working remotely, micro gardening in urban settings, more mindful use of resources, and spending more time at home with friends and family. These trends may put less strain on people as well as on the environment. As people find a better work-life balance and commute less, the 77.5% of pollution caused by car and air travel, may be reduced.[4] Some scientists also argue that if the planet were healthier we would see fewer viruses take hold.[5] Although scientists estimate that the impact of COVID-19 on the environment may be temporarily positive, long-lasting action and commitment are necessary to mitigate climate change. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by United Nations member states in 2015 aim to achieve climate action, sustainable cities, and sustainable use of the earth and ocean’s resources by 2030. While there is a short-term environmental benefit of lower emissions, the long-term goals may be set back due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[6] The SDGs include eliminating poverty, protecting the planet, and ensuring prosperity and peace for all people.[7] The SDGs are a stark reminder that the pre-COVID-19 world was far from perfect. Most countries’ economies are driven by exponential capitalist growth in which the environment and people are exploited for the sake of profit. Nearly half the world lives on less than $5.50 a day.[8] 44 percent of the world’s net worth belongs to 0.8 percent of the world’s individuals[9]. This crisis has exposed systemic flaws even more, as those who have lower socio-economic standing are disproportionately affected by this pandemic. They are more susceptible because they do not have access to basic sanitation and are often forced to live in places affected worse by climate change and pollution. In 2019 Greta Thunberg, the 15-year-old environmental activist, made the case that the economics to solve the current environmental constraints did not yet exist. In 2020, amid the pandemic, the United Nations (UN) reported that there is a need to rebuild economies differently.[10] Individuals and governments may be spurred to change their approach to climate action requiring a shift of societal norms to value the environment and people’s happiness more than profit growth. In Amsterdam, donut economics will be used to help the economy recover.[11] Donut economics originated from Kate Raworth of Oxford University’s Environmental Change Institute’s book, ‘Donut Economics: seven ways to think like a 21st century economist.’ The inner ring of the donut refers to the minimum that people need to live a good life, which is based on the UN’s SDGs (such as food, clean water, housing, sanitation, energy, education, healthcare, gender equality, income, and political voice). Any person who does not have access to these minimum standards of living is described as living in the doughnut’s hole. The outer ring of the doughnut, where the sprinkles go, represents the ecological outer parameters, drawn up by earth-system scientists. These outer parameters delineate the boundaries which humanity should not progress beyond if it is to avoid damage to the ozone layer, oceans, freshwater resources, and abundant biodiversity. In developing countries such as South Africa, the opportunity to rebuild the economy by means of donut economics seems idealistic because a large percentage of the population lives inside the doughnut hole. The immediate challenges of debt, poverty, and food shortage brought about by the COVID-19 lockdown are pressing.[12] However, visionary leaders should take a long-term perspective as there is opportunity to do so now. For example, during this time President Cyril Ramaphosa aims to reduce the number of ‘people living inside the donut’s hole’ by improving housing infrastructure in rural areas. Rebuilding a more ethical post-COVID-19 world of both environmental and human flourishing[13] will require a planetary health perspective.[14] The Lancet[15] suggests that a planetary perspective must move beyond an emergency response toward resilience and prevention planning. In “Happiness explained: What human flourishing is and what we can do to promote it,” Paul Aland explains that the principles of human flourishing are fairness, autonomy, community, and engagement. These principles may be the pillars for post-COVID-19 environmental policies. Amid the chaos and trauma of this pandemic, it is up to individuals, leaders, scientists, and bioethicists to take a breather to reflect. It is time to dare to imagine what human and environmental flourishing may look like in a more sustainable post-COVID-19 world and start rebuilding it one step at a time. Photo by RawFilm on Unsplash [1] “These Satellite Photos Show How COVID-19 Lockdowns Have Impacted Global Emissions,” World Economic Forum, March 25, 2020, https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/03/emissions-impact-coronavirus-lockdowns-satellites/. [2] Harry Kretchmer, “These Locked-down Cities Are Being Reclaimed by Animals,” World Economic Forum, April 17, 2020, https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/04/covid-19-cities-lockdown-animals-goats-boar-monkeys-zoo/. Deena Robinson, “Endangered Sea Turtles Thriving Amid COVID-19 Restrictions,” April 20, 2020, https://earth.org/endangered-sea-turtles-thriving-amid-covid-19-restrictions/. [3] World Economic Forum, “Why We Cannot Lose Sight of the Sustainable Development Goals during Coronavirus,” April 23, 2020, https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/04/coronavirus-pandemic-effect-sdg-un-progress/. [4] Hiroko Tabuchi, “‘Worse Than Anyone Expected’: Air Travel Emissions Vastly Outpace Predictions,” The New York Times (Online), September 19, 2019, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/19/climate/air-travel-emissions.html. [5] “First Person: COVID-19 Is Not a Silver Lining for the Climate, Says UN Environment Chief,” United Nations News, April 5, 2020, https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/04/1061082. [6] The World Bank, “Poverty,” April 16, 2020, https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/poverty/overview. [7] United Nations Development Programme, “What Are the Sustainable Development Goals?,” 2015, https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/sustainable-development-goals.html. [8] The World Bank, “Nearly Half the World Lives on Less than $5.50 a Day,” October 17, 2018, https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2018/10/17/nearly-half-the-world-lives-on-less-than-550-a-day. [9] James Davies, Rodrigo Lluberas, and Anthony Shorrocks, “Global Wealth Report 2018,” Credit Suisse Research Institute, 2018. [10] “First Person: COVID-19 Is Not a Silver Lining for the Climate, Says UN Environment Chief,” United Nations News, April 5, 2020, https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/04/1061082. [11] Daniel Boffey, “Amsterdam to Embrace ‘doughnut’ Model to Mend Post-Coronavirus Economy,” April 8, 2020, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/08/amsterdam-doughnut-model-mend-post-coronavirus-economy. [12] A van den Heever et al., “South Africa Needs a Post-Lockdown Strategy That Emulates South Korea,” The Conversation, April 18, 2020, https://theconversation.com/south-africa-needs-a-post-lockdown-strategy-that-emulates-south-korea-136678. “‘People Need to Eat’: South Africa Eases Coronavirus Lockdown,” Aljazeera, January 5, 2020, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/05/eat-south-africa-eases-coronavirus-lockdown-200501072927207.html. [13] Rose Deller, “Book Review: Happiness Explained: What Human Flourishing Is and How We Can Promote It by Paul Anand,” The London School of Economics and Political Science, August 24, 2016, https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofbooks/2016/08/24/book-review-happiness-explained-what-human-flourishing-is-and-how-we-can-promote-it-by-paul-anand/. [14] Alistair Brown and Richard Horton, “A Planetary Health Perspective on COVID-19: A Call for Papers,” The Lancet 395 (April 4, 2020): 1099. [15] Brown and Horton.

Climate change is a global environmental phenomenon which many countries throughout the world have been trying to address. Climate change has affected almost all economies and societies as well as creating environmental problems worldwide. Over recent decades, numerous regions have suffered from dangerous disasters, such as heavy storms and floods, severe heatwaves and droughts, as well as adverse weather conditions which have caused loss and damage to both human life and property. Vietnam, the focus of this research, is highly affected by climate change impacts and natural hazards, especially in coastal zones. In acknowledging climate change, the Vietnamese government has planned for and employed National Climate Change Adaptation Programs in order to adapt to its threats. However, these National programs seem to focus on finding solutions relating to infrastructure, livelihoods, migration and so on, while efforts to change individuals' behaviour towards the environment are not seriously considered. Education to improve the awareness and adaptive capacity of Vietnamese coastal community residents to address climate change has been identified as a priority which was unresolved in the study site. This research aims to help bridge the gap by designing and implementing a climate change education program for a specific Vietnamese coastal community in order to enhance knowledge about and perceptions of climate change, and actions to adapt to it. To best achieve the main goal of the study, it was developed in three phases: a data gathering phase, an intervention phase, and finally an evaluation phase. Mixed methods were employed to address the research objectives, involving questionnaires, observations and interviews. Preliminary results from a sample of 108 Vietnamese coastal participants and qualitative analyses of interviews and observations in Phase One revealed a low level of climate change knowledge, especially among school students and farmers. However, residents were very concerned about climate change and predicted with a high level of accuracy a range of negative future effects of climate change. They also agreed that a climate change education program is necessary for the Thinh Loc community. Phase Two implemented a climate change education program to 98 participants. They were divided into three classes, comprising 58 school students, 10 teachers, 17 farmers, and 13 local government staff members. The educational intervention was designed from the results from the baseline data obtained in Phase One and using guidelines from climate change education programs found in the literature review. Constructivist teaching methods were applied to encourage students to actively engage in a variety of learning activities to build understanding, skills and the ability to critically analyse and discuss climate change knowledge, mitigation and adaptation strategies. Phase Three involved a post-intervention evaluation phase that measured the effectiveness and impact of the intervention on the participants. Analysis of 88 survey recipients, interview transcripts, and field observations demonstrated changes in awareness, perception and attitudes towards climate change, as well as the application of strategies to mitigate and adapt to climate change 6 months after the intervention. It was concluded that the climate change education program was effective in enhancing awareness and adaptive capacity to cope with climate change in this specific Vietnamese coastal community, with the potential to become a model that could be duplicated in other communities in Vietnamese coastal regions. Thereby, this research helps to contribute to developing climate change adaptation theory and practice.

Climate change impacts in Missouri State Parks: Perceptions from engaged park users

Water sprays from an open fire hydrant in Brooklyn, New York, in the midst of a July 2010 heat wave that affected much of the eastern United States.In 2007 the New York City Department of Environmental Protection first teamed up with Alianza Dominicana, a Washington Heights community organization, to educate city residents about the appropriate use of fire hydrants and other ways

The book highlights the critical yet often overlooked role of education in combating climate change. It advocates for a transformative educational framework integrating social-emotional learning and interdisciplinary collaboration. Traditional education, which focuses solely on factual knowledge, is deemed insufficient. Instead, education should foster empathy, provide hands-on experiences, and encourage active engagement in climate solutions. The book outlines various ways education can drive climate action, such as raising awareness, preparing individuals for green jobs, empowering communities and fostering innovation in higher education. It highlights the interconnectedness of climate change and education, particularly for marginalised populations. It shows how quality education can enhance mitigation and adaptation strategies while supporting Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 and SDG 13. Key chapters discuss successful initiatives, such as the Keep it Cool – Climate Change Education (KIC-CCE) project in South Africa, and offer strategies for integrating climate change education into subjects like Natural Sciences and Geography. Ultimately, the book positions education as a strategic tool for promoting sustainable development and building climate resilience. New research findings presented in the book connect education to climate change, highlighting education as both a tool to address climate issues and a domain affected by these issues. The book integrates empirical evidence, innovative theories and practical examples to ensure intellectual integrity and academic rigour. It introduces a unique framework that emphasises social-emotional learning, action-oriented teaching and interdisciplinary collaboration. Case studies, such as the KIC-CCE initiative in South Africa, illustrate these concepts. The book critiques traditional models and advocates for transformative approaches to climate education, aligning with SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 13 (Climate Action). It also highlights the significance of teacher preparedness, community empowerment, gender equality, and innovation, providing valuable insights for scholars, policymakers, and practitioners who are addressing the climate crisis.

The effects of climate change are becoming ever clearer. Young people’s participation in movements demanding action on climate change has grown and achieved new visibility. Yet the relations between climate change and education remain under-theorised. Such a theorisation should, we argue, take account of the current disconnection between climate change education and action, and the exclusion of the complex social, cultural, aesthetic and political effects of climate change from curricula. Further, it should consider a changed relation to young people as political subjects, that takes climate action as the moment and means of a more imaginative, interdisciplinary climate change education. Finally, we must confront the contradiction of such a climate change education to fundamental aspects of formal schooling including its governmental function. This special issue draws participants and contributions from across four continents and includes papers that take global or transnational perspectives and foreground the perspectives of Indigenous peoples. Its contributions engage with the problematic of climate change education by exploring the relationship between youth climate activism and education in terms of both education’s responsibility to foster generative encounters with young people whose futures will be conditioned by climate change, and the role of young people’s climate activism in disrupting and changing educational systems. Collectively the contributions pursue three broad lines of inquiry: (i) the dramatisation and visualisation of climate change for and by young people, (ii) the need for culturally responsive frameworks for climate change education, (iii) alternative pedagogical approaches that bring climate activism and education together.

The challenge of anthropogenic climate change has attracted considerable attention, particularly from the United Nations. The United Nations has through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Kyoto Protocol, the Paris Agreement, the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the Conference of the Parties devised several strategies to address Climate Change. Environmental Education and the associated Education for Sustainable Development and Climate Change Education, have been promoted as strategies. The conceptualisation and employment of these ideals, whose emergence and significance are closely related to the concern for environmental deterioration, have been of considerable interest. Be that as it may, there are several obstacles in the effective employment of Environmental Education/Climate Change Education in addressing the climate crisis. These include the perspectives promoted by climate change sceptics and deniers, the reluctance/refusal of the Global North to accept responsibility for climate action based on a reparation principle, the insistence of the Global South on climate justice, and unorganised climate action laggards or inactive individuals and groups. Aggressive and effective Climate Change Education is necessary in order to achieve the UN’s objectives of 1.5 degrees centigrade and the Net-Zero objectives.

The scientific community has made the urgent need to mitigate climate change clear and, with the ratification of the Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the international community has formally accepted ambitious mitigation goals. However, a wide gap remains between the aspirational emissions reduction goals of the Paris Agreement and the real-world pledges and actions of nations that are party to it. Closing that emissions gap can only be achieved if a similarly wide gap between scientific and societal understanding of climate change is also closed. Several fundamental aspects of climate change make clear both the need for education and the opportunity it offers. First, addressing climate change will require action at all levels of society, including individuals, organizations, businesses, local, state, and national governments, and international bodies. It cannot be addressed by a few individuals with privileged access to information, but rather requires transfer of knowledge, both intellectually and affectively, to decision-makers and their constituents at all levels. Second, education is needed because, in the case of climate change, learning from experience is learning too late. The delay between decisions that cause climate change and their full societal impact can range from decades to millennia. As a result, learning from education, rather than experience, is necessary to avoid those impacts. Climate change and sustainability represent complex, dynamic systems that demand a systems thinking approach. Systems thinking takes a holistic, long-term perspective that focuses on relationships between interacting parts, and how those relationships generate behavior over time. System dynamics includes formal mapping and modeling of systems, to improve understanding of the behavior of complex systems as well as how they respond to human or other interventions. Systems approaches are increasingly seen as critical to climate change education, as the human and natural systems involved in climate change epitomize a complex, dynamic problem that crosses disciplines and societal sectors. A systems thinking approach can also be used to examine the potential for education to serve as a vehicle for societal change. In particular, education can enable society to benefit from climate change science by transferring scientific knowledge across societal sectors. Education plays a central role in several processes that can accelerate social change and climate change mitigation. Effective climate change education increases the number of informed and engaged citizens, building social will or pressure to shape policy, and building a workforce for a low-carbon economy. Indeed, several climate change education efforts to date have delivered gains in climate and energy knowledge, affect, and/or motivation. However, society still faces challenges in coordinating initiatives across audiences, managing and leveraging resources, and making effective investments at a scale that is commensurate with the climate change challenge. Education is needed to promote informed decision-making at all levels of society.

Contents: Preface. S.S. Klein with C. Kramarae and B. Richardson, Examining the Achievement of Gender Equity in and Through Education. B. Richardson, Part I: Facts and Assumptions About the Nature and Value of Gender Equity. J. Hyde, S.M. Lindberg, Facts and Assumptions About the Nature of Gender Differences and the Implications for Gender Equity. N. Stromquist, Gender Equity Education Globally. B. Richardson, P. Sandoval, Impact of Education on Gender Equity in Employment and Its Outcomes. D. Grayson, Part II: Administrative Strategies for Implementing Gender Equity. M. Nash, S.S. Klein, B. Bitters, S. Hobbs, W. Howe, L. Shevitz, L. Wharton, The Role of Government in Advancing Gender Equity in Education.C. Shakeshaft, G. Brown, B.J. Irby, M. Grogan, J. Ballenger, Increasing Gender Equity in Educational Leadership. D. Sadker, K. Zittleman, P. Earley, T. McCormick, C. Strawn, J-A. Preston, The Treatment of Gender Equity in Teacher Education. L. Fox, Part III: General Educational Practices for Promoting Gender Equity. D. Reed, L. Fox, M.L. Andrews, N. Betz, J.P. Evenstad, A. Harris, C. Hightower-Parker, J. Johnson, S. Johnson, B. Polnick, P. Rosser, Gender Equity in Testing and Assessment. E. Arms, Gender Equity in Coeducational and Single Sex Educational Environments. G. Abbott, L. Bievenue, S. Damarin, C. Kramarae with G. Jepkemboi and C. Strawn, Gender Equity in the Use of Educational Technology. M.A. Paludi with L. Nydegger, J. Martin, C.A. Paludi, Jr., Sexual Harassment: The Hidden Gender Equity Problem. C. Kramarae, Part IV: Gender Equity Strategies in the Content Areas. C. Lacampagne, P. Campbell, S. Damarin, A. Herzig, C. Vogt, Gender Equity in Mathematics. C. Burger, G. Abbott, S. Tobias, J. Koch, C. Vogt, with L. Bievenue, D. Carlito, T. Sosa, and C. Strawn, Gender Equity in Science, Engineering, and Technology. A. Taylor, A. Bailey, P. Cooper, C.A. Dwyer, C. Kramarae, B. Lieb, Gender Equity in Communication Skills. C. Brantmeier, J. Wilde, J. Schueller, C. Kinginger, Gender Equity in Foreign and Second Language Learning. C.L. Hahn, J. Bernard-Powers, M. Crocco, C. Woyshner, Gender Equity in Social Studies. E. Garber, R. Sandell, M.A. Stankiewicz, D. Risner, with G. Collins, K. Congdon, M. Floyd, M. Jaksch, P. Speirs, S. Springgay, E. Zimmerman, and R. Irwin, Gender Equity in Visual Arts and Dance Education. E. Staurowsky, N. Hogshead-Makar, M.J. Kane, E. Wughalter, A. Yiamouyiannis, P. Lerner, Gender Equity in Physical Education and Athletics. J. DeLamater, Gender Equity in Formal Sexuality Education. M.E. Lufkin, M. Wiberg, C.R. Jenkins, T. Boyer, E. Eardley, J. Huss, Gender Equity in Career and Technical Education. B. Eudey, with E. Correa, S. Lukas, The Role of Women's and Gender Studies in Advancing Gender Equity. D. Pollard, Part V: Gender Equity Strategies for Diverse Populations. O.M. Welch, F.E. Patterson, K.A. Scott, D. Pollard, Gender Equity for African Americans. A. Ginorio, M. Vasquez, Y. Lapayese, Gender Equity for Latina/os. M. Spencer, Y. Inoue, G.P. McField, Gender Equity for Asian and Pacific Island Americans. A. Calhoun, M. Goeman, M. Tsethlikai, Gender Equity for American Indians. J. Kosciw, E. Byard, S.N. Fischer, C. Joslin, Gender Equity and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues in Education. L. Fox, J. Soller, Gender Equity for Gifted Students. D. Mertens, A. Wilson, J. Mounty, Gender Equity for People With Disabilities. C.A. Dwyer, Part VI: Gender Equity From Early Through Postsecondary Education. B. Polnick, C. Dwyer, D. Fromberg, M. Froschl, C.F. Haynie, B. Sprung, Gender Equity in Early Learning Environments. J. Cooper, P. Eddy, J. Hart, J. Lester, S. Lukas, B. Eudey, J. Glazer-Raymo, M. Madden, Improving Gender Equity in Postsecondary Education. S.S. Klein, Summary and Recommendations for Achieving Gender Equity in and Through Education.

Public perception represents a critical factor in people's engagement and support for climate change adaptation and mitigation actions. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the perceptions of youth and their willingness to engage in climate change actions in Lebanon and another six countries in the Red Sea arena (Jordan, Djibouti, Sudan, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia (KSA), and Yemen) by integrating socio-cultural, experiential, cognitive, and sociodemographic as explanatory factors. By employing a mixed-methods approach, 2788 young people aged 18 to 35 years were surveyed using a standardized questionnaire. Key findings reveal significant inter-country differences at all levels. For instance, among the Red Sea countries, Saudi Arabia reported the lowest willingness to act, with an average score of 44.2%, while Sudan recorded the highest, with an average score of 58.7%. Youths from all countries in this study demonstrated moderate to low levels of knowledge about climate change causes, impacts, and impacts of responses, with an overall average score of 47%. The findings revealed that only 26% of participants received formal climate change education, predominantly as elective courses during their study. For the explanatory factors, value orientations were found to influence willingness to act strongly. Biospheric and socio-altruistic values were positively correlated with behavioral willingness, while egoistic values had a weaker or non-significant correlation. Social norms, particularly prescriptive norms, were found to be strong predictors of willingness, underscoring the role of societal pressure in shaping climate-related behaviors. Mitigation response inefficacy (i.e., the belief that actions are ineffective) was negatively correlated with behavioral willingness, highlighting a critical barrier to engagement. Gender, age, level of education, and receiving climate change education were significant predictors of willingness to act, with higher education levels and prior exposure to climate change education correlating with increased willingness. Experience with extreme weather events (EWEs) also shaped behavioral willingness, with those exposed to such events reporting a higher willingness to act. The study identifies critical encounters, including gaps in climate education and the influence of socioeconomic factors on willingness to engage in climate actions. It underscores the need for tailored interventions that address regional disparities and leverage value orientations and social norms to promote climate action among youth. Policies should prioritize integrating climate change education into formal curricula and fostering community-based initiatives to enhance societal and personal willingness to engage in mitigation efforts. Addressing perceived inefficacy through targeted campaigns can also bolster youth participation in climate action.

A “lifeline out of the <scp>COVID</scp>‐19 crisis”? An ecofeminist critique of the European Green Deal

This paper puts forth a novel model of Climate Change Education (CCE) targeting to bridge the attitude-behavior gap in students’ climate action, called the behavioral CCE. It refers to relevant literature retrieved through the PRISMA model to identify the determinants of behaviors and pedagogies of CCE, prior to synthesizing a model of behavioral CCE. The model proposes CCE that comprises three domains, namely the knowledge aspect, the practical CCE and the community CCE. The knowledge aspect conveys the basic concepts and modelling of climate change as well as addresses the misconceptions and biases related to climate change. Practical CCE equips students with skills related to lifecycle assessment and carbon footprint calculations while guiding them through identifying, reducing, changing and eliminating daily activities and habits contributing significantly to anthropogenic carbon emission. Community CCE enables students to make an impact on the community and motivate the community towards climate action, thus consolidating the attitude and behavioral changes resulted from the other two CCE components.

Climate change is a worldwide phenomenon and it is a great concern to all countries as it brings about a global warming climate system that affects human behavior. South Africa, like other countries, is severely affected by climate change. Although attempts are increasingly made to integrate climate change into school curricula, teachers have challenges in preparing and implementing climate change lessons. This study, therefore, sought to review literature related to the integration of climate change education in the school curriculum and to identify the strategies teachers use when integrating climate change education in teaching and learning. The study adopted a literature review approach and a comprehensive electronic search for relevant literature was done using Google Scholar search and springer which led to the discovery of a research article suitable for the study. Three African countries Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa were selected as case studies. It emerged from the literature that although governments of South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya, are making concerted efforts to raise climate change awareness and education, there appear to be no clear strategies for teachers to use when integrating climate change education into their lessons. What appears is that these countries are concerned about the effects of climate change and are attempting to achieve its integration in the school curriculum. The study concludes that attempts to address climate change in these countries are made although with varied strategies and paces.

PurposeThis paper examines the professional capital related to climate change education, as reported by Chilean teachers, in their efforts to address climate change in schools.Design/methodology/approachThis paper employs a sequential mixed-methods approach, utilising data from a national survey of teachers in Chile. We conducted a cluster analysis on responses to a set of items related to climate change education practices, using statistical methods to compare and characterise the resulting clusters. Additionally, we explored two case studies through a thematic analysis of interviews to gain insights into teachers’ specific climate change education practices and their reflections on these. Finally, based on the results, we reflect on teachers’ professional capital for climate change education and discuss the implications.FindingsTeachers report engaging in climate change education practices such as integrating climate change topics into the curriculum, incorporating it into lesson planning, utilising students’ experiences in teaching and focusing on developing students’ organisational, communication and representation skills in the context of climate change. They also facilitate classroom discussions on climate change and environmental issues through current events. Teachers in this group identify as activists and science educators, describing themselves as informed about climate change while feeling both optimistic and concerned about its impact. The teachers interviewed for the case study demonstrate a developing professional capital for climate change education, a strong commitment to environmental issues and nuanced understandings of activism and climate action.Research limitations/implicationsFuture research can explore perceptions of activism and climate action in relation to classroom practice. Also, research can explore if having a national curriculum in Chile impacts teachers’ professional capital for climate change education development. In curriculum policy, this study points to constructing decision options regarding approaches for climate change education professional capital development, which can also be part of research endeavours.Practical implicationsThe study points to favouring differentiated professional development opportunities for fostering climate change education professional capital. Survey results and case studies show the need for acknowledging developing practices and tailoring professional development experiences. In curriculum policy, this study points to constructing decision options regarding approaches for climate change education professional capital development.Originality/valueOur analysis operates at the conceptual intersection of teachers’ professional capital and climate change education. We explore forms of professional capital that challenge traditional notions of activism in teaching, particularly in relation to climate change. Additionally, this work contributes to the existing body of knowledge on climate change education in Chile and offers implications for research, practice and policy.