Learning for Change in a Changing Climate: A Community-Based Education Perspective

Abstract

Climate change is emerging as a dominant challenge to environmental and social sustainability in the 21st century. Decelerating the growth of greenhouse gas emissions and reducing other human impacts on the planet, as well as adapting to the changes already in motion, requires fundamental societal changes. While action is needed at all levels of society, individuals and communities have a critical role to play in changing their own behaviours as well as supporting collective action and policy change. The question about how to effectively ‘educate’ individuals and communities on climate change issues is the subject of a growing body of research. Research to date suggests that the educational response to climate change has concentrated primarily on awareness raising and information dissemination, and that the majority of Australians are now aware of and are concerned about climate change. This calls for alternative educational approaches that can help facilitate climate change learning and action within communities. This research used a multi-method, case study approach drawing from three major theoretical areas: environmental education, with an emphasis on learning and change in communities, social diffusion theory, and climate change communication theories. The selected case study was The Climate Project Australia (TCP), which uses community leaders to educate their respective communities on climate change and promote action and community dialogue on the issue. This research explored how community-based education can play a more transformative role in responding to climate change challenges. More specifically, the research examined whether TCP offers an effective educational model to enhance learning and support change at the individual and collective levels. Qualitative and quantitative data, collected through pre/post questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and participant observation, generated evidence of both learning outcomes and processes.