Climate change and sustainability literacy: a mixed-methods study of attitudes to climate education in secondary schools

Climate change and sustainability are inherently socio-political issues and education plays a key role in mobilising action on climate change and environment. This study builds on interdisciplinary work on youth and climate change education including science communication, environmental education, environmental psychology and sociology. It reports on novel mixed-methods research on attitudes to climate change and sustainability education in secondary schools in the UK. The study was undertaken in conjunction with the British Science Association (BSA) Future Forums. Drawing on the findings of a national cross-sectional survey of young people aged 14-18 (n= 1000) and two follow up in-depth workshops (n= 41), the research explored attitudes to, and experiences of, climate education. It also draws on data from a representative cross-sectional national survey of teachers (n = 8275) concerning their views about embedding climate change and sustainability education across the curriculum. Secondary level climate education was found to be generally taught in subject silos, excluding many students. A majority of young people and teachers believe that climate change and sustainability should be embedded across the curriculum. Teaching is currently restricted by exam specifications and the topic tends to be taught as a distant problem divorced from economic, political and social contexts. It mainly focuses on impacts and very infrequently addresses solutions. However, young people want the skills and knowledge to equip them to deal with future challenges and feel disempowered and lacking agency. They access much of their information about current issues from social media, but media literacy and critical thinking are not part of the national curriculum. This study adds new insight into young people’s views about climate education through exploring attitudes towards their educational experiences and media literacy. It argues that the education system could enhance climate change literacy by integrating it across all subject areas, with a focus on critical thinking and media literacy skills. The resourcing of experiential immersive learning, utilising arts-based approaches to study prominent local issues and their solutions, could facilitate a step change in the quality of climate education.