High School Students Awareness and Attitudes Toward Climate Change

Ayu Deshiana; Ida Sriyanti; Ismet Ismet

doi:10.20527/bipf.v10i3.14001

High School Students Awareness and Attitudes Toward Climate Change

Ayu Deshiana, Ida Sriyanti, Ismet Ismet

Abstract

Climate change is a tremendous threat to the environment and human beings. Students are among the younger generation who immediately feel the effects of climate change. The younger generation is expected to have the knowledge and a positive attitude toward the framework for climate change adaptation and mitigation. The objectives of this study describe awareness and attitudes concerning climate change held by 611 high school students in South Sumatra. The methods of this study employed qualitative research. The findings of this research indicated that 98.4% of students were aware of climate change. Additionally, more than 80% of students know climate change contributes to droughts, floods, declining water quality, and the spread of vector-borne illnesses such as dengue fever and malaria. 95.7 % of students have a positive attitude toward mitigating climate change.

Keywords

Awareness; Attitude; Climate Change; Mitigation

Full Text:

PDF

References

Adejoke, O. C., Mji, A., & Mukhola, M. S. (2014). Students’ and teachers’ awareness of and attitude towards environmental pollution: a multivariate analysis using biographical variables. Journal of Human Ecology, 45(2), 167–175. https://doi.org/10.1080/09709274.2014.11906690

Akhtar, R., Afroz, R., Masud, M. M., Rahman, M., Khalid, H., & Duasa, J. B. (2018). Farmers’ perceptions, awareness, attitudes and adaption behaviour towards climate change. Journal of the Asia Pacific Economy, 23(2), 246–262. https://doi.org/10.1080/13547860.2018.1442149

Ambusaidi, A., Boyes, E., Stanisstreet, M., & Taylor, N. (2012). Omani students views about global warming: Beliefs about actions and willingness to act. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 21(1), 21–39. https://doi.org/10.1080/10382046.2012.639154

Apichatibutarapong, S. (2018). Factor affecting on public awareness concerning university environment. Proceedings, 2(22), 1369. https://doi.org/10.3390/proceedings2221369

Asilsoy, B., Laleci, S., Yildirim, S., Uzunoglu, K., & Özden, Ö. (2017). Environmental awareness and knowledge among architecture students in north cyprus. International Journal of Educational Sciences, 19(2–3), 136–143. https://doi.org/10.1080/09751122.2017.1393957

Barmby, P., Kind, P. M., & Jones, K. (2008). Examining changing attitudes in secondary school science. International Journal of Science Education, 30(8), 1075–1093. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500690701344966

Bennett, L. (2017). Deforestation and climate change.

Bofferding, L., & Kloser, M. (2015). Middle and high school students’ conceptions of climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies. Environmental Education Research, 21(2), 275–294. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2014.888401

Boyes, E., Stanisstreet, M., Skamp, K., Rodriguez, M., Malandrakis, G., Fortner, R. W., Kilinc, A., Taylor, N., Chhokar, K., Dua, S., Ambusaidi, A., Cheong, I. P. A., Kim, M., & Yoon, H. G. (2014). An international study of the propensity of students to limit their use of private transport in light of their understanding of the causes of global warming. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 23(2), 142–165. https://doi.org/10.1080/10382046.2014.891425

Caminade, C., McIntyre, K. M., & Jones, A. E. (2019). Impact of recent and future climate change on vector-borne diseases. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1436(1), 157–173. https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.13950

Carman, J., Zint, M., Burkett, E., & Ibáñez, I. (2021). The role of interest in climate change instruction. Science Education, 105(2), 309–352. https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.21610

Chhokar, K., Dua, S., Taylor, N., Boyes, E., & Stanisstreet, M. (2012). Senior secondary Indian students’ views about global warming, and their implications for education. Science Education International, 23(2), 133–149.

Cui, J., Jo, H., & Velasquez, M. G. (2015). The influence of christian religiosity on managerial decisions concerning the environment. Journal of Business Ethics, 132(1), 203–231. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-014-2306-5

Eagly, A. H., & Chaiken, S. (2007). The advantages of an inclusive definition of attitude. Social Cognition, 25(5), 582–602. https://doi.org/10.1521/soco.2007.25.5.582

Eugenia, Udegbunam & Onyegegbu, N. (2021). Awareness and attitude of secondary school biology teachers and students on climate change adaptation in awka education zone of anambra state. African Journal of Science, Technology & Mathematics Education (AJSTME), 6(1), 204–216.

Eze, E. (2020). Sociographic analysis of climate change awareness and pro-environmental behaviour of secondary school teachers and students in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigeria. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 29(1), 89–105. https://doi.org/10.1080/10382046.2019.1657683

Featherstone, H., Weitkamp, E., Ling, K., & Burnet, F. (2009). Defining issue-based publics for public engagement: Climate change as a case study. Public Understanding of Science, 18(2), 214–228. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963662507082890

Fernandez, M., Piccolo, L. S. G., Maynard, D., Wippoo, M., Meili, C., & Alani, H. (2016). Talking climate change via social media: Communication, engagement and behaviour. WebSci 2016 - Proceedings of the 2016 ACM Web Science Conference, 85–94. https://doi.org/10.1145/2908131.2908167

Fleming, E., Payne, J. L., Sweet, W. V., Craghan, M., Haines, J., Hart, J. A. F., Stiller, H., & Sutton-Grier, A. (2018). Chapter 8 : Coastal Effects. Impacts, Risks, and Adaptation in the United States: The Fourth National Climate Assessment, Volume II. https://doi.org/10.7930/NCA4.2018.CH8

Fownes, J. R., & Allred, S. B. (2019). Testing the influence of recent weather on perceptions of personal experience with climate change and extreme weather in New York state. Weather, Climate, and Society, 11(1), 143–157. https://doi.org/10.1175/WCAS-D-17-0107.1

García Vinuesa, A., Rui Mucova, S. A., Azeiteiro, U. M., Meira Cartea, P. Á., & Pereira, M. (2022). Mozambican students’ knowledge and perceptions about climate change: an exploratory study in Pemba City. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 31(1), 5–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/10382046.2020.1863671

Goldman, D., Pe’er, S., & Yavetz, B. (2017). Environmental literacy of youth movement members–is environmentalism a component of their social activism? Environmental Education Research, 23(4), 486–514. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2015.1108390

Goldman, D., Yavetz, B., & Pe’er, S. (2006). Environmental literacy in teacher training in Israel: Environmental behavior of new students. Journal of Environmental Education, 38(1), 3–22. https://doi.org/10.3200/JOEE.38.1.3-22

Haider, H. (2019). Climate change in Nigeria: impacts and responses.

Halady, Indriani. R., & Rao, P. (2009). Does awareness to climate change lead to behavioral change? International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management, 2(1), 6–22. https://doi.org/10.1108/17568691011020229

Hasan, Z., & Akhter, S. (2011). Determinants of public awareness and attitudes on climate change in urban Bangladesh: Dhaka as a case. European Journal of Social Sciences, 21(1), 154–162.

Hayhoe, K., Wuebbles, D. J., Easterling, D. R., Fahey, D. W., Doherty, S., Kossin, J. P., Sweet, W. V., Vose, R. S., & Wehner, M. F. (2018). Chapter 2 : Our changing climate. impacts, risks, and adaptation in the united states: The fourth national climate assessment, volume ii. https://doi.org/10.7930/NCA4.2018.CH2

Hegerl, G. C., Brönnimann, S., Cowan, T., Friedman, A. R., Hawkins, E., Iles, C., Müller, W., Schurer, A., & Undorf, S. (2019). Causes of climate change over the historical record. Environmental Research Letters, 14(12). https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab4557

Hermans, M., & Korhonen, J. (2017). Ninth graders and climate change: Attitudes towards consequences, views on mitigation, and predictors of willingness to act. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 26(3), 223–239. https://doi.org/10.1080/10382046.2017.1330035

Higde, E., Oztekin, C., & Sahin, E. (2017). Turkish pre-service science teachers’ awareness, beliefs, values, and behaviours pertinent to climate change. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 26(3), 253–263. https://doi.org/10.1080/10382046.2017.1330040

IPCC. (2014). Climate Change 2014: Mitigation of Climate Change. In Journal of Environmental Quality (Vol. 38, Issue 2). https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq2008.0024br

Karpudewan, M., & Mohd Ali Khan, N. S. (2017). Experiential-based climate change education: fostering students’ knowledge and motivation towards the environment. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 26(3), 207–222. https://doi.org/10.1080/10382046.2017.1330037

Kind, P., Jones, K., & Barmby, P. (2007). Developing attitudes towards science measures. International Journal of Science Education, 29(7), 871–893. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500690600909091

Kuthe, A., Keller, L., Körfgen, A., Stötter, H., Oberrauch, A., & Höferl, K. M. (2019). How many young generations are there?–A typology of teenagers’ climate change awareness in Germany and Austria. Journal of Environmental Education, 50(3), 172–182. https://doi.org/10.1080/00958964.2019.1598927

Kuthe, A., Körfgen, A., Stötter, J., & Keller, L. (2020). Strengthening their climate change literacy: A case study addressing the weaknesses in young people’s climate change awareness. Applied Environmental Education and Communication, 19(4), 375–388. https://doi.org/10.1080/1533015X.2019.1597661

Lall, U., Johnson, T., Colohan, P., Aghakouchak, A., Arumugam, S., Brown, C., Mccabe, G. J., & Pulwarty, R. S. (2018). Chapter 3 : Water. Impacts, Risks, and Adaptation in the United States: The Fourth National Climate Assessment, Volume II. https://doi.org/10.7930/NCA4.2018.CH3

Lavonen, J., & Laaksonen, S. (2009). Context of teaching and learning school science in Finland: Reflections on PISA 2006 results. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 46(8), 922–944. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.20339

Lehnert, M., Fiedor, D., Frajer, J., Hercik, J., & Jurek, M. (2020). Czech students and mitigation of global warming: beliefs and willingness to take action. Environmental Education Research, 26(6), 864–889. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2019.1694140

Leuliette, E. (2014). The Budget of Recent Global Sea Level Rise.

Malandrakis, G., Boyes, E., & Stanisstreet, M. (2011). Global warming: Greek students’ belief in the usefulness of pro-environmental actions and their intention to take action. International Journal of Environmental Studies, 68(6), 947–963. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207233.2011.590720

Malgwi, P. G., & Joshua, W. K. (2021). Assessment of the perception and awareness of climate change and the influence of information amongst tertiary education students in north-east nigeria. Library and Information Science Digest, 14(1), 14–24.

Masson - Delmotte, V., P.Zhai, A.Pirani, & S.L Connors. (2021). Climate change 2021: The physical science basis. In Cambridge University Press (Vol. 59).

Masson-Delmotte, V., Zhai, P., Pörtner, H.-O., Roberts, D., Skea, J., Shukla, P. R., & Pirani, A. (2018). IPCC report Global warming of 1.5°C. Ipcc - Sr15, 2(October), 17–20.

Mavrodieva, A. V., Rachman, O. K., Harahap, V. B., & Shaw, R. (2019). Role of social media as a soft power tool in raising public awareness and engagement in addressing climate change. In Climate (Vol. 7, Issue 10). MDPI AG. https://doi.org/10.3390/cli7100122

Mochizuki, Y., & Bryan, A. (2015). Climate change education in the context of education for sustainable development: rationale and principles. Journal of Education for Sustainable Development, 9(1), 4–26. https://doi.org/10.1177/0973408215569109

Mustafa, G., Latif, I. A., Bashir, M. K., Shamsudin, M. N., & Daud, W. M. N. W. (2019). Determinants of farmers’ awareness of climate change. Applied Environmental Education and Communication, 18(3), 219–233. https://doi.org/10.1080/1533015X.2018.1454358

Newell, R., & Dale, A. (2015). Meeting the climate change challenge (MC3): The role of the internet in climate change research dissemination and knowledge mobilization. Environmental Communication, 9(2), 208–227. https://doi.org/10.1080/17524032.2014.993412

Okaka, F. O., & Odhiambo, B. D. O. (2018). Urban residents’ awareness of climate change and their autonomous adaptive behaviour and mitigation measures in the coastal city of mombasa, kenya. South African Geographical Journal, 100(3), 378–393. https://doi.org/10.1080/03736245.2018.1500302

Oliver, M. C., & Adkins, M. J. (2020). “Hot-headed” students? Scientific literacy, perceptions and awareness of climate change in 15-year olds across 54 countries. Energy Research and Social Science, 70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2020.101641

Ostad-Ali-Askari, K., Ghorbanizadeh Kharazi, H., Shayannejad, M., & Zareian, M. J. (2020). Effect of climate change on precipitation patterns in an arid region using gcm models: case study of isfahan-borkhar plain. Natural Hazards Review, 21(2), 04020006. https://doi.org/10.1061/(asce)nh.1527-6996.0000367

Özdem, Y., Dal, B., Öztürk, N., Sönmez, D., & Alper, U. (2014). What is that thing called climate change? An investigation into the understanding of climate change by seventh-grade students. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 23(4), 294–313. https://doi.org/10.1080/10382046.2014.946323

Prevedello, J. A., Winck, G. R., Weber, M. M., Nichols, E., & Sinervo, B. (2019). Impacts of forestation and deforestation on local temperature across the globe. PLoS ONE, 14(3). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0213368

Schuur, E. A. G., Abbott, B. W., Bowden, W. B., Brovkin, V., Camill, P., Canadell, J. G., Chanton, J. P., Chapin, F. S., Christensen, T. R., Ciais, P., Crosby, B. T., Czimczik, C. I., Grosse, G., Harden, J., Hayes, D. J., Hugelius, G., Jastrow, J. D., Jones, J. B., Kleinen, T., … Zimov, S. A. (2013). Expert assessment of vulnerability of permafrost carbon to climate change. Climatic Change, 119(2), 359–374. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-013-0730-7

Scott-Parker, B., Nunn, P. D., Mulgrew, K., Hine, D., Marks, A., Mahar, D., & Tiko, L. (2017). Pacific Islanders’ understanding of climate change: Where do they source information and to what extent do they trust it? Regional Environmental Change, 17(4), 1005–1015. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-016-1001-8

Semenza, J. C., & Suk, J. E. (2018). Vector-borne diseases and climate change: A European perspective. FEMS Microbiology Letters, 365(2), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1093/femsle/fnx244

Shepardson, D. P., Choia, S., Niyogi, D., & Charusombat, U. (2011). Seventh grade students’ mental models of the greenhouse effect. Environmental Education Research, 17(1), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504620903564549

Siegner, A., & Stapert, N. (2020). Climate change education in the humanities classroom: a case study of the Lowell school curriculum pilot. Environmental Education Research, 26(4), 511–531. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2019.1607258

Sola, A. O., & Michael, E. (2016). Awareness of climate change and sustainable development among undergraduates from two selected universities in oyo state, nigeria. World Journal of Education, 6(3), 70–81. https://doi.org/10.5430/wje.v6n3p70

von Storch, H., Chen, X. E., Pfau-Effinger, B., Bray, D., & Ullmann, A. (2019). Attitudes of young scholars in Qingdao and Hamburg about climate change and climate policy – The role of culture for the explanation of differences. Advances in Climate Change Research, 10(3), 158–164. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.accre.2019.04.001

Vose, R. S., Easterling, D. R., Kunkel, K. E., LeGrande, A. N., & Wehner, M. F. (2017). Ch. 6: Temperature changes in the united states. climate science special report: Fourth National Climate Assessment, Volume I. https://doi.org/10.7930/J0N29V45

Westerman, D., Spence, P. R., & Van Der Heide, B. (2014). Social media as information source: recency of updates and credibility of information. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 19(2), 171–183. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcc4.12041

Wuebbles, D. J., Easterling, D. R., Hayhoe, K., Knutson, T., Kopp, R. E., Kossin, J. P., Kunkel, K. E., LeGrande, A. N., Mears, C., Sweet, W. V., Taylor, P. C., Vose, R. S., & Wehner, M. F. (2017). Ch. 1: Our globally changing climate. climate science special report: fourth national climate assessment, volume I (D. J. Wuebbles, D. W. Fahey, K. A. Hibbard, D. J. Dokken, B. C. Stewart, & T. K. Maycock, Eds.). https://doi.org/10.7930/J08S4N35

Zeeshan, M., Sha, L., Tomlinson, K. W., & Azeez, P. A. (2021). Factors shaping students’ perception of climate change in the western Himalayas, Jammu & Kashmir, India. Current Research in Environmental Sustainability, 3, 100035. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crsust.2021.100035

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.20527/bipf.v10i3.14001