CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCATION IN TRANSITION: A CRITICAL REVIEW OF RECENT RESEARCH ON CHINESE CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCATION

Abstract

Delivering effective climate change education (CCE) is essential but challenging for countries in the Global South. However, few studies have investigated CCE in developing countries such as China – an important player in global climate change conferences and policies and the world’s largest carbon emitter. This study analyzed research published between 2002 and 2024 on the topic of CCE for children and young people in China. To date, the literature on CCE in China has been limited to the formal educational setting of schools, where a top-down, science-based approach to CCE prevails. Schoolteachers focus on presenting climate-change–related knowledge and developing corresponding curricula and resources. At the same time, innovative bottom-up approaches are beginning to emerge. However, the literature has largely failed to explore diversity in CCE. This review highlights the need for educators to develop participatory, interdisciplinary, creative and affect-driven approaches to CCE in China.