students' awareness on climate change research paper

Understanding Climate Change Perception of Teachers and Students: An Overview

• First Online: 22 August 2021

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• Khandaker Jafor Ahmed 6 ,
• Mohammed Thanvir Ahmed Chowdhury 7 ,
• Mufti Nadimul Quamar Ahmed 7 &
• Shah Md. Atiqul Haq 8  

Part of the book series: Climate Change Management ((CCM))

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Climate change and associated extreme climatic hazards are the most pressing issues in the world of climate emergency. It is now widely recognised that climate change research is important for education and reorienting education in the current climate emergency. In facing the adverse effects of climate change, educational institutions, particularly universities, play an essential role in creating and promoting knowledge and integrating climate change issues into their teaching and research programmes. Therefore, this chapter carried out a systematic review of the literature on how academic institutions shape perceptions of climate change and how climate change perceptions vary in terms of types of educational institutions, disciplinary backgrounds, and experiences with climate-related extreme events. The chapter also covered a discussion from relevant literature to understand climate change perception at the university, college or school level. The chapter also aimed to add a critical review of how and why climate change perceptions vary between teachers and students. The literature review findings demonstrated that teachers and students have a well understanding of climate change. Moreover, there is a consensus among them that climate change is happening globally, and the significant cause is human-induced. Several factors influence and even lead the variations of climate change understanding between teachers and students: socio-demographics, the experience of climatic disasters, climate change-related education, and involvement in environmental activities. The research’s broader implication includes promoting climate change education and awareness-raising programmes across the disciplines of academic institutions to minimise the risk of climate change and address appropriate mitigation and adaptation strategies.

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Khandaker Jafor Ahmed

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Department of Sociology, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, 3114, Bangladesh

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Ahmed, K.J., Chowdhury, M.T.A., Ahmed, M.N.Q., Haq, S.M.A. (2021). Understanding Climate Change Perception of Teachers and Students: An Overview. In: Alam, G.M.M., Erdiaw-Kwasie, M.O., Nagy, G.J., Leal Filho, W. (eds) Climate Vulnerability and Resilience in the Global South. Climate Change Management. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-77259-8_20

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Positive Youth Development in the Context of Climate Change: A Systematic Review

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Climate change has been acknowledged as one of the most significant current threats for younger generations. However, few studies have focused on climate change impacts on youth and how they can be supported. The purpose of this systematic review is to emphasize that a developmental perspective is fundamental within the interdisciplinary studies concerning climate change. Specifically, we focus our research on how the Positive Youth Development framework may inform future approaches to promote adolescents' and young adults' well-being and engagement in the context of climate change. A systematic review was conducted following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. The search comprised two databases, and a total of 13 articles were finally considered eligible for review. Data were analyzed using a narrative method. The results show that the Positive Youth Development theory is not yet directly embedded in existing studies concerning adolescents and young adults in the context of climate change, but some of its principles were identified. Examples are provided of how Positive Youth Development characteristics and constructs can enhance future research, practice, and policies. We highlight this framework as an innovative and promising approach in the context of climate change.

Introduction

Climate change and youth development.

Climate change is considered one of the most critical contemporary threats (Stanley et al., 2021 ). Serious risks and impacts on biodiversity, ecosystems, population health and livelihoods are expected (IPCC, 2018 ). The most recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2021 ) has added robust evidence about the role of human influence on the current state of the climate and the human actions that can still determine future scenarios. Human beings have, thus, a triple role concerning climate change: accountable actors, victims, and agents of change. Furthermore, climate change is said to be an intergenerational issue. It compounds a challenge that opposes and transcends generations, requiring interventions and solutions currently focused on the younger population's potential (Gauvain, 2018 ; Sanson et al., 2018 ; Clemens et al., 2020 ).

Existing research is more focused on adults than youth (Majeed and Lee, 2017 ; Burke et al., 2018 ; Sanson et al., 2018 ), and most studies result from the transfer of literature on related topics (Clemens et al., 2020 ; Han and Ahn, 2020 ). Nevertheless, evidence has been collected concerning the climate change impacts on youth development. Adolescents and young adults are particularly vulnerable to climate change since several of their present and future life dimensions may be negatively affected: the surrounding socioeconomic conditions, their security, well-being, physical and mental health, personal and interpersonal development, and sense of future (Ojala, 2015 ; Clayton et al., 2017 ; Sanson et al., 2018 ; Han and Ahn, 2020 ). Overall, three types of impacts from climate change have been described: (1) direct effects of extreme events, (2) indirect effects through disruptions to social, economic, and environmental determinants of physical and mental health, and (3) indirect effects as distress and anxiety about the future due to this global environmental threat (Fritze et al., 2008 ; Clemens et al., 2020 ).

Regarding the first type of impact, the literature provides evidence for poorer mental health, changes in behavior, development, memory, executive function, decision-making, and scholastic achievement in children and youth due to exposure to extreme events (Clayton et al., 2017 ; Clemens et al., 2020 ). From a developmental point of view, this is explained by their physiological immaturity and significant dependency on parental physical, emotional, and social well-being (Sanson et al., 2019 ). Thus, the most disadvantaged children and adolescents may be particularly affected with long-term educational and economic consequences (Clemens et al., 2020 ).

Secondly, significant changes in social and environmental determinants of health and development have been noticed due to climate change (Watts et al., 2021 ). For instance, rising temperatures, droughts, floods, and severe storms have been associated with malnutrition, diminished quality of life, psychological distress, elevated interpersonal and intergroup conflict, inflated negative affect, or compromised sense of belonging, while also affecting outdoor recreational opportunities (Evans, 2019 ). This is particularly relevant for youth since nature constitutes a developmental resource, benefiting physical, cognitive, social, and emotional outcomes (Bowers et al., 2021 ). The opportunity of growing up in a supportive, enabling, and secure environment may be seriously compromised.

Thirdly, climate change impacts are not restricted to youth already experiencing distress from extreme events since indirect encounters with climate change may also arise from exposure to media coverage, educational resources, or interpersonal interactions (Swim et al., 2011 ; Ojala, 2015 ; Clemens et al., 2020 ). A recent international study on climate anxiety found that 60% of the respondents reported feeling “very” or “extremely” worried about climate change, and nearly half (45%) asserted that their feelings about climate change were negatively affecting their daily lives (Hickman et al., 2021 ). Not surprisingly, youth climate strikes have scaled worldwide in the last years, claiming climate action (Sanson et al., 2019 ; Han and Ahn, 2020 ). The academic community has justified and supported these initiatives, with thousands of scientists stating that countries fail to act on climate change (Warren, 2019 ). In addition, youth potential on helping to solve this global challenge has been increasingly acknowledged (Kleinert and Horton, 2016 ; Sawyer et al., 2018 ).

A Developmental Perspective on Climate Change

Research shows the importance of investing in this age period from a developmental point of view. For instance, a systematic review on youth perceptions about climate change reported that levels of belief, concern, and willingness to take some actions declined from younger to older youth and then expectably raised as they become young adults (Lee et al., 2020 ). This has been previously named the “adolescent dip” in environmental attitudes and behaviors (Olsson and Gericke, 2016 ). Psychological and emotional development through adolescence points to the progressive maturation of the brain, from early adolescence to middle and late adolescence, being the final phase of the adult brain organization nearby young adulthood (Patton et al., 2016 ). This would mean the achievement of greater future orientation and the cumulative capacity to weight the long-term impacts of decisions. However, adolescents are developing in a rapidly changing world (Dahl et al., 2018 ) and the interaction of multiple factors may determine climate action. Thus, the positive development of cognitive, affective, self-regulatory capacities, and an adult identity in close interaction with an increasingly complex social set is crucial to shaping conscious consumers and active and adapted citizens (Patton et al., 2016 ; Dahl et al., 2018 ). Consequently, adolescence has been acknowledged as a sensitive period for learning and shaping behaviors, providing opportunities for pivotal influences on developmental trajectories (Dahl et al., 2018 ).

Thus, a developmental perspective is fundamental within the interdisciplinary effort of understanding the impact of climate change on youth and how they can be supported (Gauvain, 2018 ; Sanson et al., 2018 ; Allen, 2020 ). Historically, developmental psychology has been focused on promoting well-being and enhanced life chances for all (Lerner et al., 2002 ; Lerner et al., 2005 ; Lerner et al., 2012 ). Specifically, this scientific branch reunites the expertise for examining developmental pathways of risk, resilience, and well-being; studies the causes of human behavior and how to change it, and; offers models and interventions for developing protective skills, managing negative emotions and fostering engagement of adolescents and young adults as future and current agents of change (Petersen and Verma, 2018 ; Sanson et al., 2018 ; Han and Ahn, 2020 ). In addition, developmental researchers draw on the bioecological systems perspective (Bronfenbrenner and Morris, 2006 ) for understanding the complex interplays between a changing environment and individual development. They also privilege models that incorporate adolescents' search for autonomy, novelty, and opportunities to demonstrate courage and responsibility (Sanson et al., 2018 ).

Contributions From Positive Youth Development Framework

Positive Youth Development (PYD) has risen on the intersection of developmental and bioecological models, drawing particularly on the concepts of plasticity of human development and adaptive developmental regulations (Lerner et al., 2002 ; Leman et al., 2017 ; Lerner and Chase, 2019 ; Shek et al., 2019 ). Combining these concepts suggests that there is potential for promoting positive changes throughout development and that mutually beneficial individual-context relations lead to positive individual and societal development (Lerner et al., 2005a , 2006 ). Thus, PYD is related to developmental experiences conducive to youth thriving and attaining adult potential and well-being (Lerner et al., 2000 , 2002 ; Benson and Scales, 2009 ). Accordingly, PYD approaches are broadly designed to build skills, foster agency, build healthy relationships, strengthen the environment, and transform systems (Catalano et al., 2019 ). Several PYD models have been proposed in the scientific literature, such as social-emotional learning (Zins and Elias, 2007 ), Benson's model on external and internal developmental assets (Benson et al., 2011 ), and Catalano's 15 PYD constructs (Catalano et al., 2002 ). However, one of the most prominent and empirically supported frameworks (Arnold and Silliman, 2017 ) is the Five Cs Model of Positive Youth Development (Lerner et al., 2005b ). According to this model, thriving reflects the manifestation of the Five Cs (competence, confidence, connection, character, and caring or compassion) over time, leading to an additional sixth C that consists of youth contribution to their positive development and healthier surrounding contexts, such as family, community, and civil society. Nevertheless, the lack of a shared set of constructs among models remains a common vulnerability identified through PYD literature (Tolan, 2014 ; Ciocanel et al., 2017 ; Leman et al., 2017 ; Lerner et al., 2018 ; Shek et al., 2019 ). Thus, a recent systematic review (Catalano et al., 2019 ) has proposed the integration of constructs from different models, organizing PYD constructs by four domains: (1) assets—exposure to education or training, interpersonal skills, recognizing emotions and self-control; (2) agency–positive identity, self-efficacy, ability to plan, perseverance, positive feelings about the future; (3) contribution–engagement in civil society and with adults, and; (4) enabling environment–bonding, prosocial opportunities, support, prosocial norms, values, and recognition, gender-responsive, physical and psychological safety.

PYD theory has been claimed to be a valuable approach for preparing adolescents and young adults for the realities of climate change (Sanson et al., 2018 , 2019 ; Olenik, 2019 ). Sanson et al. ( 2019 ) found some congruence between the characteristics that will be most useful for the next generation to adapt successfully in the context of climate change and those included in models of positive development. International donors have demonstrated a high interest in PYD, prioritizing this framework to answer global issues and challenges (Olenik, 2019 ). Also relevant is PYD acknowledgment within other crises. After the 2008–2009 economic recession, an intervention based on PYD principles has successfully ensured youth opportunities to be heard, empowered as change agents, and engaged in meaningful decisions (Frasquilho et al., 2018 ). During the Covid-19 pandemics, PYD approaches have been highlighted as the pathway forward, considering that these promote safe and structured contexts, developmental relationships with caring adults, skill-building opportunities, and chances for authentic leadership (Arnold, 2020 ). Concerning climate change, evidence also shows that opportunities to engage in meaningful actions may benefit well-being, as this gives the sense that something is being done (Clemens et al., 2020 ; Nielsen et al., 2021 ; Sanson and Bellemo, 2021 ; The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health, 2021 ). Furthermore, environmental action and behaviors that reflect a concern for the environment have been identified as indicators of positive development (Moore and Halle, 2001 ; Gomez-Baya et al., 2020 ).

Considering the potential relevance of positive youth development approaches in the context of climate change, this paper is focused on a systematic review of existing literature related to this topic. We found that published reviews on PYD have not identified studies related to climate change (Catalano et al., 2002 , 2019 ; Roth and Brooks-Gunn, 2003 ; Lapalme et al., 2014 ; Sancassiani et al., 2015 ; Ciocanel et al., 2017 ; Franco and Rodrigues, 2018 ; García-Poole et al., 2019 ; Waid and Uhrich, 2019 ). Only a program focused on promoting environmental activism (Johnson et al., 2007 ), but not specifically climate change, was mentioned by Curran and Wexler ( 2017 ). Thus, we intend to explore and further advance how Positive Youth Development theory is integrated within climate change literature. We aim to provide up-to-date and comprehensive contributions from the PYD framework for future research, interventions, and policy recommendations. As a result, we expect to highlight the unique perspective and potential benefits of a developmental approach to research on adolescents and young adults in the context of climate change.

Research Aims

We intended to identify existing studies on the interface of Positive Youth Development constructs and climate change to gather, synthesize and enrich the current empirical evidence about the potential of PYD approaches in the context of climate change. Regarding the PICOS framework (Liberati et al., 2009 ), we searched for studies focused on youth (population), promoting constructs related to positive youth development in the context of climate change (outcomes) and with an empirical basis (study design). No specific interventions or comparisons were required. We, thus, considered the following research questions:

• - How is Positive Youth Development addressed in empirical studies relating adolescents and young adults to climate change?
• - Which PYD constructs are included in these empirical studies?
• - How do these studies' outcomes inform future approaches to promote positive youth development in the context of climate change?

Study Design and Search Strategy

A systematic review was conducted following the 2009 Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines (Liberati et al., 2009 ; Moher et al., 2009 ). Literature was searched using a protocol previously designed. The search was concluded on 4th August 2020, using Scopus and Web of Science databases, and the period of publication was not limited. Considering the wide scope of the positive youth development construct, this review draws in what has been the search strategy in previous systematic reviews concerning PYD (Sancassiani et al., 2015 ; Catalano et al., 2019 ), considering a wide range of search terms to best capture related studies. Combinations of different terms were tested through preliminary searches, which informed the selection of final search terms, considering target population, climate change and PYD related terms, and type of study or intervention. The search strings were combined according to the databases, considering “abstract, title and keywords” search in Scopus and “topic” search in Web of Science. As recommended by PRISMA guidelines, we illustrate this process by providing as an example the full electronic search strategy for one of the databases (see Table 1 ).

Search strings on Web of Science.

The inclusion criteria were:

• (1) peer-reviewed journal articles,
• (2) articles in English only,
• (3) articles from social sciences, psychology and arts, and humanities,
• (4) empirical studies,
• (5) studies relating adolescents and young adults with climate change and including at least one construct of positive youth development as described by Catalano et al. ( 2019 ), and
• (6) studies related to adolescents and young people ranging from 10 to 24 years old.

The exclusion criteria were:

• (1) studies not focused on the specific issue of climate change (e.g., studies focused on the broader issue of sustainable development) or developed around a specific component related to climate change but without integration in the global issue of climate change (e.g., energy consumption, water-saving, extreme weather events, and natural disasters),
• (2) studies that include adolescents and young people as part of a larger sample,
• (3) studies focused on describing youth knowledge, attitudes, or perceptions or in curriculum development, and
• (4) studies without detailed information on the method and results.

Screening and Study Selection

Considering all the search results, a total of 601 records, 453 from Web of Science, and 148 from Scopus, we independently screened the retrieved articles. After duplicates removal, the title, abstract, and keywords were scanned to determine which studies should be assessed further. A significant number of studies were not considered because climate change was not the focus as defined in the exclusion criteria. All potentially relevant articles were then analyzed as full text. Any disagreements about whether to include studies were resolved without the need of a third party. A total of 13 articles were finally considered eligible for review (see Figure 1 ).

Selection of eligible articles (see submitted figure).

Quality Assessment

Considering the included studies' heterogeneity, we used the Quality Assessment for Diverse Studies tool (QuADS, Harrison et al., 2021 ), a refined version of the Quality Assessment Tool for Studies with Diverse Designs (QATSDD, Sirriyeh et al., 2012 ). QuADS is used to determine the methodological and reporting quality and transparency of multi- and/or mixed-methods studies when included in systematic reviews. This appraisal tool is comprised of 13 items, which are scored using a four-point scale (0–3), with a maximum possible of 39 points. These items include the following content: (1) theoretical or conceptual underpinning, (2) research aims, (3) research setting and target population, (4) appropriateness of study design to address research aims, (5) sampling appropriateness, (6) data collection tools rationale, (7) appropriateness of data collection tools to address research aims, (8) data collection procedure, (9) recruitment data, (10) analytic method, (11) appropriateness of analytic method to answer research aims, (12) involvement of stakeholders, and (13) strengths and limitations. Two reviewers independently scored the selected papers. The included studies' total rates ranged between 21 and 32 points. The lowest scores were related to items concerning sampling appropriateness, recruitment data, stakeholder involvement, critical discussion of strengths and limitations, and rationale for choosing data collection tools. This appraisal reflects some limitations in the reporting of studies rather than a judgment of the studies' quality, and therefore, none of the studies was excluded. A weighted Cohen's kappa (Cohen, 1968 ) of 0.86 was obtained for interrater reliability.

Data Extraction and Synthesis

A data extraction matrix (see Table 2 ), developed by the research team according to the aims of this study, was used to collect the data from the included articles. The information extracted was comprised of the following aspects: (a) study characteristics, such as citation, authors affiliation, brief description, study design, participants, country, setting, and (b) specific data concerning research questions, namely PYD framework mentions, PYD constructs targeted and main results related to PYD. The retrieved data was analyzed using a narrative method. First, a preliminary synthesis of findings of included studies was developed using the data comprised in the aforementioned matrix. Secondly, the authors explored varying characteristics between studies, while also grouping findings considered conceptually similar. At last, the synthesis process was critically discussed, and the necessary adjustments were made. For the systematization of the PYD constructs, we acknowledged the categorization presented by Catalano et al. ( 2019 ), as previously mentioned.

Matrix of included articles.

Characteristics of Included Studies

All studies were published in the last decade and six within the previous 2 years. The authors' affiliation reveals that half of the studies are co-authored by researchers from both Life Sciences and Human and Social Sciences. Studies were conducted mainly in North America and Europe. A significant part of the studies took place in schools or universities. Two were conducted in more than one context (Bentz and O'Brien, 2019 ; Deisenrieder et al., 2020 ), and two included a natural setting, namely a botanical garden and a high alpine experience (Bissinger and Bogner, 2018 ; Deisenrieder et al., 2020 ). Participants' ages were mainly between 10 and 18 years old, with only two studies focusing on university students (Ojala, 2012b ; Sayal et al., 2016 ). The most frequent study design was a quantitative survey, but a multi-method approach was also frequently implemented. Nearly half of the studies concerned programs or interventions aimed at promoting climate change engagement, awareness, knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, communication, systems thinking, behaviors, or behavioral intentions (Flora et al., 2014 ; Hu and Chen, 2016 ; Sayal et al., 2016 ; Bissinger and Bogner, 2018 ; Bentz and O'Brien, 2019 ; Trott, 2019 ; Deisenrieder et al., 2020 ). This review also included two models (Busch et al., 2019 ; Ojala and Bengtsson, 2019 ) and five exploratory studies relating several variables with well-being and climate-friendly behavior (Ojala, 2012a , b , 2013 ; Stevenson and Peterson, 2015 ; Bentz and O'Brien, 2019 ).

Findings Concerning the Research Questions

How is positive youth development addressed in empirical studies relating adolescents and young adults with climate change.

None of the selected studies for the final review mentioned the concept of positive youth development. Among studies previously subjected to full-text analysis, only one included PYD as a keyword, but without further development (Kretser and Chandler, 2020 ). However, some similarities were found with PYD principles. The rationale behind some of the analyzed studies was the idea that youth are potential agents of social change, with an important role to play in climate change responses (Ojala, 2012b , 2013 ; Flora et al., 2014 ; Sayal et al., 2016 ; Bentz and O'Brien, 2019 ; Trott, 2019 ) but also profoundly affected by this global challenge (Ojala, 2012a ; Stevenson and Peterson, 2015 ; Ojala and Bengtsson, 2019 ; Deisenrieder et al., 2020 ). Three of the selected papers simultaneously addressed individual and systemic dimensions. Ojala ( 2012a ) and Ojala ( 2013 ) investigated how different coping strategies are associated with well-being, based on the premise that the way people cope with climate change threat could be important for environmental engagement and psychological well-being. Bentz and O'Brien ( 2019 ) explored how promoting reflection on relationships between individual change and systems change facilitates a better understanding of the social-ecological complexities of climate change and deeper awareness of human agency in this process. In addition, Trott ( 2019 ) stressed the importance of a positive approach focused on youth agentic capabilities, mentioning the importance of looking at young people as agents of change rather than focusing on their vulnerabilities.

Which PYD Constructs Are Included in These Empirical Studies?

Similar constructs were conceptualized differently by each author, and some were presented as components of broader concepts. All studies included at least two PYD constructs according to Catalano's ( 2019 ) categorization. PYD constructs in the assets domain included critical or systems thinking (Sayal et al., 2016 ; Bentz and O'Brien, 2019 ), coping strategies (Ojala, 2012a , b , 2013 ; Ojala and Bengtsson, 2019 ), and communication types with significant others (Ojala and Bengtsson, 2019 ). Systems thinking is conceptualized as a form of critical thinking (Sayal et al., 2016 ). Both types of thinking express an increased perception of how climate change is related to the interconnections of the social-ecological system. The reference to coping strategies is associated with acknowledging climate change as a stressor and the importance of cognitive and emotional dimensions of coping both for engagement and psychological well-being, including the well-being of others (Ojala, 2013 ). Eight articles included constructs related to agency, as self, collective or environmental efficacy (Ojala, 2012a , 2013 ; Flora et al., 2014 ; Busch et al., 2019 ; Deisenrieder et al., 2020 ), sense of agency (Trott, 2019 ), hope (Ojala, 2012b ; Stevenson and Peterson, 2015 ), perceived behavioral control as a determinant of behavioral intentions (Hu and Chen, 2016 ), and locus of control as part of attitudes (Deisenrieder et al., 2020 ). Efficacy was commonly explored as a variable influencing environmental action and linked explicitly to locus of control (Deisenrieder et al., 2020 ) and implied in positive expectations about the future (Ojala, 2012b ; Stevenson and Peterson, 2015 ). Constructs concerning contributions were mentioned in all but one study focused on how coping strategies regulate worry and promote hope (Ojala, 2012b ). These mainly included (self-reported) pro-environmental, conservation, ecological, climate-friendly, or sustainable behavior (Stevenson and Peterson, 2015 ; Bissinger and Bogner, 2018 ; Bentz and O'Brien, 2019 ; Busch et al., 2019 ; Ojala and Bengtsson, 2019 ; Deisenrieder et al., 2020 ) or environmental engagement (Flora et al., 2014 ; Sayal et al., 2016 ; Trott, 2019 ). Specifically, two studies considered pro-environmental behavior (Ojala, 2012a , 2013 ) or behavioral intentions (Flora et al., 2014 ; Hu and Chen, 2016 ) as part of environmental engagement. Engagement in climate change is conceptualized as encompassing cognitive, affective, and behavioral aspects (Flora et al., 2014 ; Sayal et al., 2016 ; Trott, 2019 ). All of the mentioned types of behavior are related explicitly to mitigation of climate change and associated with specific actions as transportation choice (Stevenson and Peterson, 2015 ; Bentz and O'Brien, 2019 ), energy conservation, waste avoidance, and consumerism (Bissinger and Bogner, 2018 ; Busch et al., 2019 ), but also information-seeking behavior (Stevenson and Peterson, 2015 ). Finally, under the domain enabling environment, some constructs related to bonding were identified, namely inclusion of nature in one's self, representing connection and conservation tendencies toward nature (Bissinger and Bogner, 2018 ), and place attachment, particularly associated with cultivating emotional engagement (Hu and Chen, 2016 ). Social or subjective norms were addressed as exerting significant influence over youth decision-making (Busch et al., 2019 ).

How Do These Studies' Outcomes Inform Future Approaches to Promote Positive Youth Development in the Context of Climate Change?

Globally, the programs considered in this review were successful in their aims, whether promoting skills or climate engagement. Thus, attention was given to program features that may inform future approaches since some studies' rationale claimed the need for appropriate intervention beyond climate science knowledge (Sayal et al., 2016 ; Bissinger and Bogner, 2018 ; Busch et al., 2019 ; Deisenrieder et al., 2020 ). These comprised developing arts projects and adopting sustainable behaviors for some time (Bentz and O'Brien, 2019 ), simulating authentic environments in a botanical garden or an alpine setting (Bissinger and Bogner, 2018 ; Deisenrieder et al., 2020 ), developing an assembly combining educational and entertainment characteristics (Flora et al., 2014 ), promoting communication with seniors (Hu and Chen, 2016 ), involving international speakers on environmental justice and exchange between a developed and a developing country (Sayal et al., 2016 ), and engaging participants in youth-led programs (Trott, 2019 ). Deisenrieder et al. ( 2020 ) stressed that some environment-friendly actions are out of adolescents' scope. Thus, his measure of climate-friendly behavior comprised multiplicative action by influencing family and friends. In addition, these authors specifically explored differences between participants in the Fridays for Future movement and those who only took part in an intervention, finding that the first showed higher means in action-related components of climate change awareness. However, some authors recognize limitations while interpreting these results: no evaluation about whether changes are sustained over time (Sayal et al., 2016 ; Trott, 2019 ), no exploration of other potential explanatory variables (Deisenrieder et al., 2020 ), testing effects (Flora et al., 2014 ), lack of a control group (Flora et al., 2014 ; Deisenrieder et al., 2020 ) or interventions not aiming at promoting long-term changes in behaviors (Bentz and O'Brien, 2019 ). Moreover, unexpected results should be taken into consideration. One study mentioned some feelings of disempowerment after the intervention (Bentz and O'Brien, 2019 ). On a positive note, the same authors also reported influence on family and friends and continued behavioral changes. The role of family and friends was mentioned in two other studies. Flora et al. ( 2014 ) reported that the behaviors most influenced by the intervention are communication with family and friends, and Ojala and Bengtsson ( 2019 ) concluded that positive communication patterns with parents and friends were positively related to problem and meaning-focused coping strategies. In turn, models and exploratory studies analyzed within this review advanced empirical evidence concerning pro-environmental behavior or mitigation intentions predictors, such as social norms (Busch et al., 2019 ), perceived behavioral control (Hu and Chen, 2016 ), efficacy (Busch et al., 2019 ), norms and place attachment (Hu and Chen, 2016 ), problem and meaning-focused coping (Ojala, 2012a , 2013 ; Ojala and Bengtsson, 2019 ), and hope and higher socioeconomic status (Stevenson and Peterson, 2015 ). It was also found that efficacy mediated the effects of social norms on behavior (Busch et al., 2019 ) and was positively associated with problem and meaning-focused coping (Ojala, 2012a , 2013 ). However, only meaning-focused coping is associated with positive affect and some dimensions of well-being, life satisfaction, and positive affect (Ojala, 2012a ), hope (Ojala, 2012b ), and optimism (Ojala, 2012a , 2013 ).

Positive Youth Development and Climate Change

This review aimed to explore how PYD theory is integrated within climate change literature and advance current knowledge. We may find justification for the scarce direct mentions of PYD in the fact that so far, studies concerning climate change have focused mainly on adults (Majeed and Lee, 2017 ; Burke et al., 2018 ; Sanson et al., 2019 ). Interest in this developmental period triggered by the youth climate movement is still novel. Also, as noticed in two recent systematic reviews (Monroe et al., 2019 ; Roussell and Cutter-Mackenzie-Knowles, 2020 ), research has placed a greater emphasis on climate education, mainly in top-down and science-based interventions. As Eichas et al. ( 2019 ) advanced, PYD is a demanding framework that requires significant methodological shifts if used as more than a guiding meta-theory.

However, this review advances similarities concerning PYD approaches and current climate change research. We have found four main ideas in common: (1) the focus on youth as agents of change, (2) the double target of promoting well-being and engagement, (3) the relevance of systemic thinking, and (4) program characteristics. Thus, some reflections can be made on how the PYD framework could enhance these features in the context of climate change. Firstly, agency is a core dimension of PYD (Lerner et al., 2002 ) and has been considered a central component of studies focused on promoting children and youth adaptation in the context of climate change (Sanson et al., 2019 ; Hickman et al., 2021 ). In this regard, it is important to mention that some authors (Walker, 2017 ; Börner et al., 2020 ; Trott, 2021 ) have recently introduced a more multifaceted understanding of agency in the context of climate change action, which comes across with the ecological features of PYD approaches. This notion is based on everyday interaction with the environment, focusing research on the capacity and potential of youth as everyday agents and young citizens and not necessarily engaged in more visible forms of agency. Secondly, the holistic and integrative approach provided by the PYD framework can tackle both well-being and engagement. Within this review, well-being dimensions have been mostly associated with meaning-focused coping strategies that imply activating positive feelings and values to buffer negative feelings and sustain well-being and positive action (Ojala, 2012a , b , 2013 ). This type of strategy has been recently discussed under different conceptualizations in climate change literature concerning eco-anxiety (Clayton and Karazsia, 2020 ; Hickman, 2020 ; Hickman, 2021) and eco-anger (Stanley et al., 2021 ). We believe that the positive focus brought by positive development constructs (Tolan, 2014 ) could help support the integration of these feelings. Engagement with climate issues, in turn, is mainly associated with climate-friendly behaviors in the studies included in this review. Behaviors are considered a priority to tackle by Psychology and the social sciences (Nielsen et al., 2021 ). These authors suggest that it is not sufficient to consider behavior plasticity but also behaviors impact and feasibility considering surrounding contexts and the multiplicity of roles played by the individuals. As discussed in previous sections, we argue that PYD ecological foundations could bring new input to these desirable pathways on climate-related behaviors research. A relevant idea highlighted within this review is that some environment-friendly actions are out of adolescents' scope, who can anyway have a multiplicative action by influencing family and friends (Trott, 2019 ). We remind that PYD adds the possibility of cascade effects since additional outcomes may be expected from PYD interventions than the targeted ones (Eichas et al., 2019 ). This means that PYD interventions may result in many positive outcomes for participants with different characteristics. Thirdly, in this review and the broader context of climate change research, a systemic approach has been recommended, acknowledging the diverse contexts and their reciprocities when considering climate change issues (Berry et al., 2018 ). Including multiple contexts to inform developmental trajectories is precisely one of PYD's major strengths (Benson et al., 2007 ; Sherrod, 2007 ). Finally, we have noticed that some PYD programs characteristics, as posited by Roth and Brooks-Gunn ( 2003 ) and Lerner ( 2004 ), namely real-life experiences, authentic environments, opportunities for a proactive role, and significant interactions with meaningful adults, were included in some studies as an attempt to go further than traditional science-based interventions.

Strengths and Limitations

As the main strength of this review, we highlight the fact of opening space to a different approach concerning current research about adolescents and young adults in the context of climate change. Developmental science is positioned as a relevant and transdisciplinary contributor to climate change studies. In addition, we add evidence to the potential that has been acknowledged to Positive Youth Development models in the context of global crises. Nevertheless, some limitations must be considered. We note that relevant studies may not have been included in this review due to strict inclusion criteria: the exclusive focus in English, in peer-reviewed articles, and on studies that exclusively concern the broad concept of climate change. Additionally, constraints inherent to selecting specific databases and the search terms may have led to missing some studies. Finally, even though it might have resulted in additional relevant information, this review did not intend to provide a thorough analysis of program efficacy or comparison between studies. It would be anyhow a challenging task, considering both PYD (Tolan, 2014 ; Ciocanel et al., 2017 ; Leman et al., 2017 ; Lerner et al., 2018 ; Shek et al., 2019 ) and climate change studies (Sanson et al., 2018 ) lack a broadly accepted standard structure to allow comparisons.

Implications for Policy, Practice, and Future Research

Within this review, we have gathered some evidence that PYD can be an adequate approach to be considered by policymakers, researchers, and practitioners. A PYD perspective may open the way to a new age of more developmental and bioecologically sensitive approaches, tackling at the same time two purposes. On the one hand, this framework promotes specific skills that are useful to climate change engagement. Furthermore, it facilitates the development of more globally competent and adjusted individuals who contribute significantly to their own lives and society. We find this argument particularly relevant for investors and policymakers. Furthermore, even though we acknowledge a psychological perspective, we are aware of the interdisciplinarity required concerning climate change research (Nielsen et al., 2021 ). This review has shown that social sciences and life sciences researchers co-authored a significant part of the included papers. PYD theory already surpasses this demand, as it is known by its bridging character, which crosses diverse academic domains and multiple spheres of practice (Benson et al., 2007 ).

Additionally, as described in the previous sections, we have provided some clues about the most relevant constructs and features to consider in future interventions and several variables found to be positively related to pro-environmental behaviors. Considering the systemic and ecological features of the climate change phenomenon, we suggest that some of the variables found in this review reflecting bonding with place and nature should also be considered in future studies. Literature refers that becoming bonded to a place has psychological benefits and implications for climate. If someone has a strong attachment to a place, they probably want to protect it (Scannell and Gifford, 2013 ; Gifford, 2014 ). Regarding program evaluation, we suggest that search for evidence of alignment concerning individual-context relations should be added to group differences analysis as an indicator of intervention success in PYD programs, as posited by Tolan ( 2016 ).

Concerning future research, we find relevant a deeper understanding of the individual-systems interrelations in the context of climate change. Developmental researchers have long advocated for more research on everyday contexts (Dahl, 2017 ). This could be achieved by exploring how adolescents and young adults think, feel, and act facing the climate threat and how this may affect well-being and influence behaviors and its impact and feasibility. Daily life studies may be informative of these interconnections and add data to a more multifaceted understanding of agency, studying youth potentialities as everyday agents and not exclusively on acknowledged forms of activism. This type of study would also allow both an interindividual and intraindividual analysis. Feelings of disempowerment should be carefully analyzed as a possible result of interventions concerning climate change. In addition, a significant gap was detected concerning research among young adults. Considering the broad scope of adolescence's current conceptualization (Sawyer et al., 2018 ) and PYD specificities across developmental periods, studying differences according to each age group would also be relevant. Finally, given that PYD constructs may be manifested differently in diverse cultural contexts (Lerner et al., 2018 ), we acknowledge the need for further studies concerning countries out of American and European countries.

Conclusions

We conclude that PYD theory is not yet deliberately integrated into studies concerning adolescents and young adults in the context of climate change. However, this review's search for common denominators demonstrates that several of its constructs and principles are acknowledged within current research. A strong intersection has been identified, and this provides innovating clues and a pathway for future research. In a moment in which the international scientific community requires insights from the social sciences, particularly psychology, to contribute to achieving climate change targets (cf. Nielsen et al., 2021 ), we advocate for PYD as an innovative and promising approach. PYD offers a multidisciplinary, comprehensive, and holistic perspective aligned with climate change research requirements. We also notice that an enquiring word parallel may be found with Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC, Falkner, 2016 ). These national plans regarding climate actions are currently considered the crucial means to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change. This review highlights the perspective that youth contribution has been essential to mobilize international action and will be fundamental to sustain climate change targets in the future. The investment in youth development is, thus, a priority. It is essential to promote adaptability, attenuate expected or already vivid impacts from climate change, and support adolescents and young adults' active engagement. Finally, we believe in having encouraged a step forward regarding developmental psychology acknowledgment in the context of climate change research. As previously asserted (Gauvain, 2018 ), developmental scientists' involvement may contribute to the effectiveness of many projects and new reflections regarding youth policies. In addition, by refocusing research on current global changes and significant consequential stresses in youth lives, development theory may be enriched with new insights regarding adolescents' and young adults' current experiences, challenges, and resilience.

Data Availability Statement

Author contributions.

TP wrote the first draft of the manuscript. TF critically revised it. All authors contributed to the study's conception and design, performed the literature search and data analysis, and read and approved the final manuscript.

This study was conducted at the Psychology Research Centre (PSI/01662), School of Psychology, University of Minho, supported by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) through the Portuguese State Budget (UIDP/PSI/01662/2020) and under a Ph.D. fellowship also supported by the FCT (SFRH/BD/143814/2019).

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Publisher's Note

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Acknowledgments

We appreciate the contributions from Flávia Veppo regarding quality assessment procedures.

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• Published: 03 November 2023

Towards a greater engagement of universities in addressing climate change challenges

• Walter Leal Filho   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-1241-5225 1 , 2 ,
• Sebastian Weissenberger 3 ,
• Johannes M. Luetz 4 , 5 , 6 ,
• Javier Sierra 2 , 7 ,
• Izabela Simon Rampasso 8 ,
• Ayyoob Sharifi 9 , 10 ,
• Rosley Anholon 11 ,
• Joao Henrique Paulinho Pires Eustachio 2 &
• Marina Kovaleva 2  

Scientific Reports volume  13 , Article number:  19030 ( 2023 ) Cite this article

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Many higher education institutions around the world are engaged in efforts to tackle climate change. This takes place by not only reducing their own carbon footprint but also by educating future leaders and contributing valuable research and expertise to the global effort to combat climate change. However, there is a need for studies that identify the nature of their engagement on the topic, and the extent to which they are contributing towards addressing the many problems associated with climate change. Against this background, this paper describes a study that consisted of a review of the literature and the use of case studies, which outline the importance of university engagement in climate change and describe its main features. The study identified the fact that even though climate change is a matter of great relevance to universities, its coverage in university programmes is not as wide as one could expect. Based on the findings, the paper also lists the challenges associated with the inclusion of climate change in university programmes. Finally, it describes some of the measures which may be deployed in order to maximise the contribution of higher education towards handling the challenges associated with a changing climate.

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Introduction.

Many universities worldwide are continuously showing their commitment to preparing students for a role in society where they can contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation 1 . Education plays an important role in changing people's behaviour and attitudes; young people in the classrooms can learn about the impacts of climate change and how to mitigate and adapt to it, and they can be motivated to act 2 . The university’s role in relation to climate change education is critical in addressing scientific, environmental, social, and political challenges. Future decision-makers need to make their decisions from an informed position, and for this reason, climate change education and research programmes are of major importance 3 . Higher education institutions (HEIs) are part of both the solution and the problem regarding climate change 4 . By becoming actively engaged in efforts against climate change, HEIs can provide research-based and educational solutions to identify the most critical climate impacts and ways to handle them. Institutions can operate as hubs by creating, testing, and disseminating information about climate mitigation and adaptation strategies. Furthermore, HEI often undertakes research activities and seize upon opportunities to generate innovative knowledge that can help their local communities to adapt to climate change 5 . They deliver significant engagement and provide a platform for designing, testing and implementing innovative practices which may help in efforts to address the many impacts of climate change, locally, nationally, and globally. For instance, universities are among the key players in exploring and developing effective carbon pricing solutions including their economic feasibility and stimulating investments to reduce the technologies’ costs 6 . In the light of additional pressure posed by climate change on healthcare systems worldwide, it is essential to strengthen educational and training programs by introducing ‘climate change’ into medical school curricula and students’ activities. This will ensure that graduate health professionals acquire knowledge and skills to diagnose and respond to the health threats and impacts of climate change and understand public health issues 7 , 8 . Another role universities play in affecting climate action-related transformational change is through their engagement in advocacy and activism 9 . For instance, in the United States and Canada HEI have been involved in the fossil fuel divestment (FFD) 10 , 11 . In the United States, campaigns, primarily led by students, focus on justice including social, environmental, and economic issues 10 . In Canada, the campaigns use the signing of sit-ins, petitions, protests and rallies as well as branding and messaging from international environmental organizations 11 .

On the other hand, universities are contributors to climate change and hence, often feel an obligation to address individual impacts by greening their campuses. Many HEIs around the world have adopted initiatives such as the ‘carbon neutral university’ converting to low-emission or carbon–neutral organisations. As examples of these initiatives, the University for Sustainable Development in Eberswalde and Leuphana University both in Germany, are on a path to becoming carbon–neutral 12 . Others are engaging in initiatives to handle climate change as part of their efforts in the field of sustainable development 13 . In addition to carbon neutrality and waste management, universities aim to improve materials and resource use efficiency, environmental quality, retrofitting residential and non-residential construction buildings, and increase green areas and use of green transportation. For instance, Arizona State University, one of the largest public universities in the USA, with almost 100,000 students and employees, reported the achievement of carbon neutrality in 2019 14 . Development of green campuses in China focuses on energy and resource efficiency through introducing energy-saving technology in campus buildings and facilities, energy statistics and auditing, as well as energy-saving operations. All these initiatives are strongly supported by the national government through policies and financial tools 15 . In Italy, the largest campus in the country of the University of Calabria (UNICAL) has significantly improved its energy systems through the use of photovoltaic, solar, and geothermal energy produced on campus 16 . Additionally, by introducing internal carbon pricing, universities could demonstrate practical implications for emission reduction through waste management 17 and energy use 18 . Climate change education and approaches to greening campuses are also considered among the university's strategies to contribute to sustainable development 19 . The strong linkage between these fields contributes to overcoming challenges in attaining the goals of the other. Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 13, particularly Target 13.3, aims at “improving education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning”. Furthermore, the wide range of initiatives launched to foster climate change literacy and education including the UNESCO Climate Change Education for Sustainable Development Programme 20 . The program contributed to advancing such topics as sustainable development and climate change in national curricula and educational standards across the countries 21 .

Most of the current studies report on one or several aspects concerning HEIs efforts to tackle climate change, like the aforementioned examples. Therefore, there is a need for studies that identify the overall nature of HEIs participation, and the extent to which they are contributing towards addressing the many problems associated with climate change. This paper explores universities' engagement in addressing the threats posed by climate change, its main features, potential measures towards its maximisation, and associated challenges worldwide. To achieve this goal, this research consisted of a review of the literature and the use of case studies, which outline the importance of university engagement in climate change and describe its main features. The consequent sections describe methods used, obtained results, and lessons learned. The paper concludes by summarising the main findings and describing measures that higher education institutions should deploy in the long term, to better address climate change.

The objective of this study is to find out what climate change-related themes and topics have been pursued by universities. One way to answer this question is to examine publications that have focused on issues related to climate change education and research programs and initiatives in academic institutions. For this purpose, we relied on bibliometric analysis techniques as they can highlight key terms that have been used in the literature and their interactions. Various software tools such as CiteSpace, SciMAT, and VOSviewer are available for bibliometric analysis. Here, we used the latter as its term co-occurrence maps are more detailed and easier to interpret 22 , 23 . The input data for bibliometric analysis can be obtained from academic literature databases such as Scopus and the Web of Science. In this study, we used the Web of Science for its reputation to index quality peer-reviewed literature. To retrieve relevant literature for inclusion in the analysis, we developed a search string that is a combination of terms related to climate change, impacts of climate change, teaching and research programs, and academic institutions.

The full search string is available in the “ Appendix ”. It was created to embrace the main topics related to this research (inclusion criteria), with a structure of four main blocks. The first is related to terms related to climate change and encompasses variations commonly used in the literature such as ‘global warming’, ‘climate variability’, etc. The second block of terms is related to ‘extreme events’, while the third brings some practices of universities such as education, teaching, training, curricula, research, etc. Finally, the last section of the search string was created due to the focus selected in this study, which is to understand the perspective of higher education institutions. It is worth considering, however, that the terms chosen might now encompass the totality of possible terms related to climate change since there is a huge variety used throughout the literature. The authors are aware of this issue and brought this discussion as a limitation in the conclusions section.

The initial literature search was conducted on July 18, 2022, and returned 1214 documents. These documents were screened to only include those that show how climate change education and/or research is pursued by universities (exclusion criteria). At the end of the screening process. A total of 794 documents remained in the database and were used for term co-occurrence analysis in VOSviewer. The co-occurrence analysis was done in several steps to ensure obtaining the most accurate outputs. To be more specific, after the initial analysis, we found out many synonyms need to be merged (e.g., ‘climate change’ and ‘climate-change’). For this purpose, we developed a thesaurus file and added it to the software. The process was repeated until no synonyms were found in the output. The final output (Fig.  1 ) is a network of nodes and links, where node size is proportional to the occurrence to frequency (of terms) and link width is proportional to the strength of connections between terms. Closely connected terms form clusters that can be interpreted as major thematic areas that have received relatively more attention in the literature. In this perspective, it was possible to label clusters manually since the number of clusters formed and the terms extracted were manageable. To label the clusters, the authors analysed the relationship of terms of a specific cluster and provided a label representing the discussion embedded in each one of the clusters 24 . These will be further explained in the results section.

Results of the term co-occurrence analysis.

In addition to this, we completed the literature review by selecting a set of key case studies regarding four core areas for university engagement, namely (1) research and development, (2) teaching and learning, (3) governance and operations, and (4) civic engagement and community outreach. We performed a literature mapping using the Web of Science database to identify the case studies. This was completed using a general search using Google and recognised case studies implemented by universities in different countries. Relevant case studies were selected by the research team using the following criteria: number of citations, degree of innovation, diversity of knowledge and research areas, geographical diversity, and potential for replication and mainstreaming in other contexts. Four tables were designed with selected examples, which entail a specific set of information, namely the type of climate change work undertaken, the main purpose of the implemented initiative, the name of the participating universities, and the country. Also, to ensure the tracing of the information, the tables contain bibliographical references or web links. This also allows a cross-check of the information and enables readers to obtain further details.

Using this literature mapping approach identified, collected, and analysed the existing literature on specific case studies of interest. This process made it possible to highlight and synthesise key issues from the selected literature, thus providing clear insights into the state of knowledge on key case study topics. Accordingly, literature mapping conceptualised a range of possible future research directions, policy implications, and/or practical recommendations for different stakeholder groups. Crucially, surveying the state of the art in this manner helped the researchers to avoid duplicating previous work, identify areas where further investigation is needed, and enable the development of strategies for evidence-based decision-making that researchers, policymakers, and practitioners may leverage in different contexts.

Results and discussion

Bibliometric assessment.

Figure  1 shows that multiple topics related to climate change adaptation and mitigation have been addressed in the context of higher education. This is evidenced by the diversity of terms in each of the four clusters which can be considered as research strands explored by the literature in the field. The output of the term co-occurrence analysis (Fig.  1 ) shows that multiple topics related to climate change adaptation and mitigation have been addressed in publications on climate change-related education and/or research activities/programs.

The red cluster describes aspects related to general policies aimed at reducing vulnerabilities and enhancing resilience and adaptive capacity, embracing terms related to biodiversity, food systems, and ecosystem services. Studies in this cluster usually discuss the relevance of governance in HEIs to ensure universities’ contribution towards reducing their impact, implementing adaptation strategies on climate change vulnerabilities, and fostering sustainable development 25 , 26 , 27 . This governance perspective is relevant since it could contribute to the universities’ process of ensuring that desired practices are initiated, implemented, and continued by the several stakeholders engaged in the process 28 . This perspective also implies the adaptation policies that aim to assist the universities in assembling their several systems, tackling the university’s campus operations, and helping society by producing research on the climate change field, especially related to themes such as ecology, food, and biodiversity. Ecology and biodiversity policies in the context of higher institutions are also discussed, especially in the context of green spaces, generating externalities in the perspective of ecological function and urban communities 29 and fostering the discussion of how to maintain biodiversity in a context of climate change adaptation since many species are constrained by changes in climate 30 , 31 . This cluster also presents studies on campus as ecosystems, exploring whether humans and the biosphere could be reconnected, enhancing the awareness of how to deal with the biodiversity loss related to climate change 32 .

The yellow cluster is focused on climate and environmental education and risk reduction. This cluster, in particular, focuses on the educational practices of universities and the extent to which they address climate change and environmental challenges 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 . More specifically, it deals with the knowledge and sustainability behaviour of students in the process of educating well-versed agents in climate change aspects and capable of conducting adaptation and mitigation strategies 37 , 38 . This cluster also reports on integrating disaster reduction for extreme events 39 , 40 , 41 , highlighting the significance of disaster risk education and environmental awareness programs to effectively address these challenges 42 .

Studies that belong to the blue cluster, in turn, are mainly focused on assessing the temperature, precipitation, and other aspects of climate change variability 43 , 44 , 45 . The relation this cluster has with HEIs is mainly focused on research practices, where research centres contribute to assessing climate change challenges by finding patterns and estimating indicators related, for example, to rainfall, temperature, and extreme events 46 , 47 . For example, Stefanidis and Alexandridis 48 studied the temporal variability, precipitation trends, and evapotranspiration in two forest regions in Greece. They discussed the drought scenarios and the implications for climate change adaptation. Similarly, Rawat and colleagues 49 analysed the rainfall variability and intensity of long-term monthly rainfall data using the Precipitation Concentration Index, which, according to the authors, could prepare governments for extreme weather events, which are imperative to adaptation to climate change conditions.

Finally, the green cluster is the second in a number of terms and has two main discussion streams. The first one is related to the climate change impact on water resources, land, and soil degradation, and inducing droughts 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 . The second perspective this cluster highlights is related to the precedents of climate change as well as the adaptation and mitigation strategies to address the challenges related to climate change. For example, there are reports on the potential of organic agricultural systems instead of crop productions using nitrogen-based fertilisers, since it leads to reduced N 2 O emissions 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 , the importance of renewable energy production systems 60 , 61 as well as the industrial and human activities which can contribute to the emission of GHGs and environmental pollution 62 , impacting negatively human health 63 , 64 .

Research and development

Climate change research has been led since 1896 with Svante Arrhenius founding paper 65 . Since then, the volume of scientific literature on climate change has been increasing rapidly. The total number of articles on climate change exceeds 120 000 up to 2015 66 ; almost 90 000 papers were published between 1991 and 2011 67 . New fields of research have merged over time, often responding to society’s needs, such as attribution science, first documented in 2004 68 and included in the IPCC AR5 69 , the study of social health impacts of climate change, the incorporation of traditional ecological knowledge and indigenous perspectives, and generally speaking a growing emphasis on adaptation, including novel approaches like community-based adaptation 70 and participatory action-research 71 , 72 , 73 , 74 . Table  1 presents a set of elected case studies on research institutions.

At the same time, climate change research has become more interdisciplinary and transitioned from individual researchers to research centres, hosted by one or several institutions. It also more often than before involves stakeholders from society, leading to collaborative research initiatives. We illustrate this through examples for all three types of research centres in Canada: single-university—the Prairie Climate Centre, multi-university—the Réseau Inondations InterSectoriel du Québec (RIISQ), collaborative, and Ouranos. Two of the most influential research centers, both in numbers and impact of publications, are the Stockholm Resilience Centre and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, which pioneered ground-breaking work on planetary boundaries, climate tipping points, and exploration of past and future climates in an interdisciplinary perspective 75 , 76 , 77 , 78 . It must be stressed that climate change research is not an exclusivity of European or North American universities. Institutions like the Munasinghe Institute for Development and the International Centre for Climate Change and Development are highly respected in the fields of adaptation or sustainability applied to climate change and incorporate issues, approaches, and values relevant to the Global South in their research. As we wish to demonstrate through the selected research projects below, there is a trend for the development of international, interdisciplinary cross-institution initiatives in climate change research, certainly also favoured by funding agency policies, especially in the research and development sector. Such projects can have a real impact on the ground; however, they need careful scientific and organisational planning in order to be truly successful 79 . Table  2 presents a set of elected case studies on research projects.

Teaching and learning

Equipping graduates with the necessary skills and capabilities required to succeed in both their personal and professional lives is a crucial goal for higher education institutions. In higher education institutions, there are varied interpretations of the cultural, social, economic, and environmental aspects of sustainable development. Simultaneously, teachers do not reach a consensus on how these different dimensions are interconnected 80 . Furthermore, there are diverse perspectives on how these matters should be approached within various degree programs and courses, and this can influence students' perceptions of values related to sustainability, ethics, and social responsibility 81 . However, understanding the complexity of climate change may be challenging for students and educators 82 . This could clarify why students' awareness of sustainability issues is not uniform or consistent 83 . However, it also underscores the potential intricacy associated with enhancing awareness of social, economic, and environmental issues among students 84 . From this viewpoint, students should acquire the skills not just to translate innovative ideas into tangible projects but also to effectively integrate environmental, social, and financial goals 85 .

In this regard, it is vital to increase their interest in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as prepare graduates to implement real-life solutions based on sustainability criteria 86 . Against this background, it is necessary not only to identify misconceptions and guarantee a proper understanding of climate change’s roots and consequences but also to help students become active and critical citizens capable of facilitating real change. In this context, the integration of SDGs in higher education requires the identification and clarification of educational objectives, as well as the adoption of innovative teaching and learning strategies suitable to transform education 87 .

Table  3 presents a set of selected case studies on teaching and learning. Several studies have addressed the issue of students’ perceptions and misconceptions regarding climate change. Some studies have used large samples to explore the drivers of pro-environmental behaviour 88 , but small-group, classroom-based, or program-based studies are also frequent approaches to explore the different ways how students understand climate change 89 , 90 , 91 . As mentioned below, defining, and clarifying the required capabilities and the necessary skills to accelerate the implementation of the SDGs in higher education is essential 92 . A growing number of studies have addressed this issue, using different strategies such as comprehensive approaches based on literature review techniques and the use of surveys 87 , as well as small-group studies relying on quantitative and qualitative techniques 93 . In addition to this, non-conventional, student-centered teaching and learning techniques are becoming increasingly popular in higher education due to their potential to help students acquire multiple learning outcomes 94 . Methodologies such as problem-based learning 95 , 96 , 97 , inquiry-based learning 98 , gamification 99 , 100 , or participatory case studies 101 , are examples of innovative strategies to promote education for sustainable development.

Governance, operations, and institutional practice

All around the world, universities are increasingly adopting carbon–neutral goals and practices 102 , 103 . This is reflected by the growing number of higher education providers that are aiming to become fully carbon–neutral institutions (through low-carbon operational practices) while at the same time innovating their curricula to better educate students (about the benefits of carbon neutrality) 1 , 12 , 104 . With this twin strategy, universities are decreasing their own “carbon footprint” (by lowering institution-linked greenhouse gasses) and increasing the wider community’s “carbon brain print” (by teaching about low-carbon living) 102 , 105 . The literature, therefore, categorises “governance” into matters about the immediate institutional governance and operational practices (of the universities themselves) and their secondary flow-on function of informing and influencing the governance and operational practices of other key stakeholders beyond their organisational confines (e.g., local communities, national governments, and the corporate sector) 106 . Table  3 shows a set of selected case studies addressing areas of governance, operations, and institutional practice. In terms of facilitating institution-wide carbon neutrality, universities are implementing a raft of strategies that may include private-private solar system partnerships 102 , renewables, electric vehicles, tree plantation and enhanced energy efficiency 107 , remote sensing, and campus tree surveys to maximise biosequestration and campus-based ecosystem services 108 , campus community gardening to enhance CSR and institutional sustainability practice 109 , in addition to a range of other priority actions that may achieve net zero carbon buildings and (Paris-aligned) carbon reduction targets 102 , 110 . Furthermore, many universities have announced institutional commitments to divest their endowments from fossil fuel holdings while recalibrating their operational practices in alignment with the UN SDGs 111 , 112 , 113 . These actions may have image-enhancing effects 114 . Pertinent performance metrics are captured by the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings, an annual process that assesses universities against the UN SDGs. In its most recent fourth edition, THE has ranked a total of 1406 universities from 106 countries/regions 115 . Finally, additional information on the strategies, operations, and budgetary plans of higher education institutions (HEIs) regarding their transition to net zero or carbon neutrality might not be found in academic publications but could be available in “grey literature” produced by the HEIs themselves, focusing on their performance and strategic vision. Table  4 includes a set of selected case studies on governance, operations, and institutional practice.

Civic engagement and community outreach

The crucial role that Universities must play is also reflected by the increasing efforts from higher education institutions to foster civic engagement and expand their community outreach. Universities play a vital role in fostering civic commitment and community outreach within their localities. By leveraging their resources, expertise, and diverse talent pool, universities can initiate impactful initiatives that address community needs and promote positive social change. One effective approach is to establish university-community partnerships, where faculty, students, and staff collaborate with local organizations and residents to identify pressing issues and co-create sustainable solutions. Additionally, universities can integrate service-learning programs into their curricula, encouraging students to actively engage with the community while applying their academic knowledge to real-world challenges. Offering workshops, seminars, and public events on relevant topics further encourages dialogue and knowledge-sharing between the institution and the community. By actively involving themselves in the community's fabric, universities can contribute to the betterment of society, nurture socially responsible citizens, and empower students to become agents of positive transformation.

In this context, cooperation among stakeholders led to the concept of “co-creation for sustainability”, which deals with relevant notions and innovative strategies for transformative research 116 , such as participatory action research (PAR) and other community-based research strategies, the creation of urban living labs, and the use of innovative strategies for civic cooperation such as student service learning 117 . Table  5 shows a set of selected successful case studies where cooperation between universities and local stakeholders proved to contribute to facilitating civic engagement/community outreach in their local communities. Against this background, PAR, a community-based technique in which beneficiaries take an active role in research 118 , could be used for multiple purposes to deal with the challenges generated by climate change, such as improving climate planning processes 119 , increase engagement of different stakeholders and identify the scope for developing the adaptive capability of local communities 120 , monitor environmental risks and damage 121 , or strengthening climate justice 122 . Other forms of transformative research rely on multidisciplinary teams formed by diverse stakeholders engaged in evaluating knowledge and providing technical advice 123 or fostering private–public partnerships to boost engineering solutions 124 , among other examples. In line with this multi-stakeholder cooperation, universities and other higher education institutions play a crucial role in creating ‘urban living labs’, understood as spaces where research is used for promoting innovation and collaboration to tackle social, economic, and environmental needs 125 , 126 , 127 . Finally, experiential learning strategies such as student service learning are becoming increasingly popular in higher education 128 , mainly because of their potential to foster critical thinking as well as promote social and civic engagement among students and enhance cooperation between different social actors 125 , 129 .

Conclusions

As this paper has outlined, universities can provide substantial contributions to both consumption and emissions globally. They also have the potential to play a key role in efforts to drive sustainability, both locally and globally.

As this paper has shown, many universities are switching to green operations that involve sustainability in campus activities such as water and energy consumption, waste production, and personal and institutional mobility, all of which have connections with climate change. Improvements may be pursued in respect of the implementation of activities such as smart waste management, sustainable transportation systems, and the more sustainable maintenance of existing buildings. Since daily campus operations result in the usage of large amounts of energy, it is important that higher education institutions that currently use fossil-fuel-based energy -which results in greater greenhouse gas releases- switch towards renewable energy use.

The production of waste also contributes greatly to global carbon emissions, and universities produce a significant amount of waste. Therefore, it is important to put in place appropriate strategies to manage waste and ideally prevent it, especially food waste since a large percentage of food wastage is generated at university canteens. There are ample examples of successfully-run recycling programmes, which may mobilise staff and students in a meaningful way. Some may not only reuse waste but also produce energy from it. Moreover, a further promising area is the use of cleaner transportation methods, as a tool to reduce the carbon footprint of higher education institutions. This may involve the use of campuswide shuttle services, carpooling, or the use of bicycles, by both staff and students. There is also much scope to reduce greenhouse emissions from travel. Whereas this is an essential part of universities´ operations -since both staff and students regularly use travel as part of their mobility and to attend conferences. Here, adequate solutions are also needed, for instance, the optimisation of trips and routes, and greater use of online facilities for those events whose physical attendance is not essential.

Higher education institutions can take several steps to address climate change. Such steps range from curriculum reform to creating new research initiatives and collaborations. Some of the recommendations that may further the cause of a greater engagement of universities on climate change include:

Curriculum Reform: as it is shown in Table  3 , there are few studies focusing on climate change aspects in curriculums, indicating a large opportunity for research. In this sense, higher education institutions should review their curricula to ensure that current and future generations of students are educated in the fundamentals of climate science (in technical subjects) and the global effects of climate change (in non-technical ones).

Education & Awareness: Aligned with the first recommendation, institutions should promote educational campaigns and public awareness initiatives to educate students and the public on the importance of reducing their carbon footprint. The case studies on civic engagement and community outreach shown in Table  5 evidence interesting examples of ways of implementing this kind of initiative for the public in general. As presented in the literature, the complexity and inter-transdisciplinary character of sustainability inhibits its understanding to some extent, but concrete examples of carbon footprint reduction can be an important approach to address this challenge.

Research: There are relevant challenges highlighted in the literature for inserting climate change in university programmes, evidencing the need for studies to deeply analyse these difficulties and propose manners for overcoming them. In addition, the existing research institutions, initiatives, and/or programs focusing on climate change-related aspects (Tables  1 and 4 ) can play a key role in enhancing the efforts in the field and institutions worldwide should encourage and fund research initiatives that seek to understand the causes and effects of climate change, develop solutions and technologies, and identify innovative strategies for addressing the climate crisis.

Collaboration: In the same line of reasoning of the previous recommendation, institutions should establish and enhance partnerships with local governments, non-profit organizations, and other stakeholders to collaborate on initiatives to mitigate climate change.

Renewable Energy: Another evidenced source of improvement opportunity regarding climate change is that institutions should invest in renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, and geothermal, to reduce their emissions and promote sustainability. They should, in other words, practice what they preach.

Green Buildings: Aligned with the previous recommendation, institutions should strive to create and maintain sustainable buildings, such as LEED-certified buildings, to reduce their environmental impact. In Table  4 , examples of case studies on governance, operations, and institutional practice are evidenced, which can be used as a starting point for further development.

This paper has some limitations. The first is related to the sample. The study analysed 1214 documents that only considered how climate change education and/or research is pursued by universities, without focusing on other parameters. Secondly, only 794 documents remained in the database and were used for term co-occurrence analysis in VOSviewer. In addition, the case studies focused on four areas, namely research and development, teaching and learning, governance and operations, and civic engagement and community outreach, and did not consider elements such as collaboration with external organisations. Finally, the authors used the main terms to create the search string, and because of the diversity of the field, it was not possible to track all the possible terms related to each one of the four dimensions. However, this last limitation could be an opportunity for future studies as new terms that are not commonly used till the date of this research might start to gain attention and start to be adopted. Despite these limitations, the paper provides a welcome addition to the literature since it documents and promotes the current emphasis given by universities to climate change.

As to future trends on climate change and universities, there is a perceived need for greater engagement. Universities are important hubs of innovation and knowledge creation, with a comprehensive body of information and experience, which can significantly help to address the challenges of climate change, and across several subjects and contexts. As such, more universities are expected to intensify their efforts in research, education, and outreach activities related to climate change.

Moreover, universities should become more involved in the public policy and advocacy sphere, advocating for solutions to climate change and engaging in climate-related projects. This involvement is expected to increase as universities become more involved in the global climate change discourse.

Data availability

All data generated or analysed during this study are included in this published article [and its supplementary information files].

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Acknowledgements

This study is part of the “100 papers to accelerate the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals” initiative.

This work was funded by Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, TÉLUQ University.

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Walter Leal Filho

European School of Sustainability Science and Research, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Hamburg, Germany

Walter Leal Filho, Javier Sierra, Joao Henrique Paulinho Pires Eustachio & Marina Kovaleva

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Javier Sierra

Departamento de Ingeniería Industrial, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile

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W.L.F. conceived the study. W.L.F., S.W., J.L., J.S., I.S.R., A.S., R.A., J.H.P.P.E., M.K wrote the main manuscript. All authors reviewed the manuscript.

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Leal Filho, W., Weissenberger, S., Luetz, J.M. et al. Towards a greater engagement of universities in addressing climate change challenges. Sci Rep 13 , 19030 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-45866-x

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Received : 04 May 2023

Accepted : 25 October 2023

Published : 03 November 2023

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-45866-x

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