Pupils' knowledge of climate change needs improving
Findings from the DfE's 2024 Climate Literacy Survey, which assesses the level of climate literacy amongst school leavers leaving secondary education in England, show that just over half (55 per cent) of respondents remembered learning about climate change in their final year.
This is despite its inclusion in GCSE science and other subjects.
Only one in five (20%) school leavers were able to identify the correct meaning of net zero emissions, with 40% saying they did not know.
Furthermore, 31% of school leavers said that they did not know the extent of global warming since 1850, and of those who did give an answer to the question, 52% overestimated the impact of global warming.
School leavers correctly indicated that natural changes have the least impact (46%) on global warming. However, almost half of school leavers overestimated the contribution of transport (46%) and 49% overestimated the contribution of plastic waste to global warming, underscoring the need for a more nuanced understanding of sustainability related issues.
Just over a half (54%) of school leavers are concerned about climate change and a similar number (49%) indicated that they think that they will personally be affected by climate change. Of those who are concerned, 71% indicated that they think it will affect them personally.
Only 31% of school leavers could accurately define the difference between weather and climate and 44% were able to select the correct definition of climate change. Fewer than one in seven school leavers (14%) correctly identified large-scale weather patterns (such as El Niño) as the biggest cause of global climate variability, highlighting a lack of understanding about natural short term climate variability.
While most school leavers correctly identified major greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (84%) and methane (76%), 40% mistakenly responded that carbon monoxide (CO) was a greenhouse gas. Almost nine in 10 (86%) school leavers correctly identified oil as a fossil fuel, followed by coal (85%) and natural gas (68%).
76% of school leavers indicated a general understanding that the Earth’s climate system is not static. Around three quarters of school leavers recognised rising sea levels (74%), melting glaciers (79%) or melting sea ice (73%) as indicators of a warming climate. Fewer recognised migrating species (41%) and changing seasons (35%). However, the responses given displayed a lack of awareness of geographical variations in the impacts of climate change. While there was good awareness of the impact of climate change on extreme weather (43%), the extent of that impact was widely overestimated, suggesting a need for clearer communication about extreme weather event attribution.
Read moreLatest News
16/01/2025 - 10:02
In a survey by Schoolzone comprising over 500 secondary school teachers in the UK, commissioned by the British Heart Foundation, it has been found that 22 per cent of secondary schools are not teaching cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
16/01/2025 - 09:41
A webinar hosted by LACA, the school food people, has opened up their Campaign Update Webinar to non-members in order to increase the reach of their mission to secure fairer free school meals funding
15/01/2025 - 10:53
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has published a report which urges the government to take action to improve support for children and young people with special educational needs (SEN), as well as putting almost half of English councils in danger of effective bankruptcy within 15 months.
15/01/2025 - 09:27
The Welsh government has invested over £20 million towards helping universities cut down on their emissions.
14/01/2025 - 10:05
Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) have published guidance for their next visits that will look at how well children with special educational needs and/ or disabilities (SEND) are being supported.
