Learning from young people’s experiences of climate change education

ABSTRACT

This article centres on young people’s experiences of climate change education (CCE). There is much written on CCE (e.g. what it is, what it should be, how it should be taught, where it should be taught), but there is little exploring young people’s views on learning about climate and the climate crisis. This Spotlight On article considers data collected as part of 21 focus groups, which engaged more than 100 young people in Bristol (UK), Galway (Ireland), Genoa (Italy) and Tampere (Finland). The article outlines key themes that transect young people’s experiences of CCE. The authors then consider how prominent themes inform the guiding principles for future CCE according to the young people participating in the CCC-CATAPULT European project.

Keywords:

• climate change education
• young people
• youth voice
• youth experience

Funding acknowledgements

The CCC-CATAPULT project is funded under the SOLSTICE programme – an initiative of the Joint Programming Initiative Connecting Climate Knowledge for Europe (JPI Climate). In the UK, this work was supported by the UK Economic and Social Research Council (Grant Number ES/V014048/1). In Ireland, this project is funded under the Irish EPA Research Programme 2021-2030 (Grant Number 2020/CCRP/MS69). The EPA Research Programme is a Government of Ireland initiative funded by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. In Finland, this work is supported by the Academy of Finland (Grant Number 337453). In Italy, the work is supported by the Directorial Decree n. 1452 of the 28 June 2021 by the Ministero dell’Università e della Ricerca. The contributions of the wider CCC-CATAPULT research consortium are also acknowledged.

Notes

1 In line with institutional ethical guidelines pseudonyms have been used to preserve the anonymity of participating young people.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Kathy Reilly

Kathy Reilly School of Geography, Archaeology & Irish Studies, University of Galway, Ireland.

Bronagh Dillon

Bronagh Dillon School of Geography, Archaeology & Irish Studies, University of Galway, Ireland.

Frances Fahy

Frances Fahy School of Geography, Archaeology & Irish Studies, University of Galway, Ireland.

Dean Phelan

Dean Phelan, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland.

Essi Aarnio-Linnanvuori

Essi Aarnio-Linnanvuori Faculty of Education and Culture, Tampere University, Finland.

Laura De Vito

Laura De Vito School of Architecture & Environment, University of the West of England, UK.

Ilaria Gnecco

Ilaria Gnecco Department of Civil, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Genoa, Italy.

Deepak Gopinath

Deepak Gopinath School of Architecture & Environment, University of the West of England, UK.

Andrew Holmes

Andrew Holmes School of Architecture & Environment, University of the West of England, UK.

Sophie Laggan

Sophie Laggan School of Architecture & Environment, University of the West of England, UK.

Anette Mansikka-aho

Anette Mansikka-aho Faculty of Education and Culture, Tampere University, Finland.

Anna Palla

Anna Palla Department of Civil, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Genoa, Italy.

Rosamund Portus

Rosamund Portus School of Architecture & Environment, University of the West of England, UK.

Inkeri Rissanen

Inkeri Rissanen Faculty of Education and Culture, Tampere University, Finland.

Sabrina Sposito

Sabrina Sposito Department of Civil, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Genoa, Italy.

Sara-Jayne Williams

Sara-Jayne Williams School of Architecture & Environment, University of the West of England, UK.

Lindsey McEwen

Lindsey McEwen School of Architecture & Environment, University of the West of England, UK.