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Climate change ignorance: an unacceptable legacy

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Abstract

Climate change effects will be most acutely felt by future generations. Recent prior research has shown that school students’ knowledge of climate change science is very limited in rural Australia. The purpose of this study was to assess the capacity of preservice teachers and parents to transmit climate change information and understanding to school students in a rural tropical part of Australia using Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological systems theory as a guiding theoretical framework. Samples consisted of parents of school-age children in northern Queensland (n = 267) and first year pre-service teachers (n = 199) attending a local university serving the same geographic region of Australia. Survey results gathered in the aftermath of cyclone Yasi highlighted gaps in pre-service teachers’ knowledge of climate change science and parental concerns about climate change impacts and a mistrust of climate change communication. Findings suggested that home and school influences upon school aged students were unlikely to support students’ understanding of climate change or to be able to empower them to adapt to and mitigate climate change impacts. Implications of these findings, which are potentially applicable to other rural and remote parts of the world, are discussed within the context of teacher training and climate science communication.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Arts, Society and Education, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia

    Helen J. Boon

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  1. Helen J. Boon
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Correspondence to Helen J. Boon.

Appendices

Appendices

Appendix 1: Teachers survey

  1. 1.

    Greenhouse gases in the lower atmosphere (troposphere) absorb:

    1. (a)

      incoming ultraviolet radiation

    2. (b)

      infrared radiation emitted by the earth’s land surfaces and oceans

    3. (c)

      incoming solar radiation reflected by clouds

    4. (d)

      incoming solar radiation across the entire electromagnetic spectrum.

  2. 2.

    Climate change is caused by…

    1. (a)

      a hole in the earth’s atmosphere

    2. (b)

      natural climate fluctuations

    3. (c)

      increased cloud cover

    4. (d)

      increased carbon emissions.

  3. 3.

    The major source of anthropogenic carbon emissions comes from:

    1. (a)

      using coal to generate electricity

    2. (b)

      burning carbon containing fossil fuels and destroying forests

    3. (c)

      increased run-off of nutrients from farmland

    4. (d)

      increased populations of animals and humans breathing out carbon dioxide and producing methane gas.

  4. 4.

    Some water, a small amount of soil, a few green aquatic plants and a fish were placed in a large bottle. The bottle was sealed to prevent the exchange of gases and other materials between its contents and the outside. The bottle was placed in a window to receive light during the daytime. Is carbon dioxide produced by the plants?

    1. (a)

      Yes, but it is produced only at night when the plants can no longer carry on photosynthesis.

    2. (b)

      Yes, it is produced all the time as a result of cellular respiration.

    3. (c)

      No, it is a waste product of animals only.

    4. (d)

      No, plants take in only the waste products exhaled by animals.

    5. (e)

      No, plants only produce oxygen.

  5. 5.

    The major human impact on the water cycle is:

    1. (a)

      increasing population breathing out more carbon dioxide and water vapour

    2. (b)

      acidifying rain water by the burning of fossil fuels

    3. (c)

      run off from industry, agriculture and sewage which dissolve in water and pollutes it

    4. (d)

      humans cannot have an impact upon the water cycle as it is governed by the sun, circulating water through its phases

    5. (e)

      over use causing water to run out.

  6. 6.

    The ozone layer has been mainly depleted by…

    1. (a)

      burning of fossil fuels

    2. (b)

      pollution from garbage tips

    3. (c)

      the release of CFC’s into the atmosphere

    4. (d)

      the increasing temperature of the sun’s rays.

  7. 7.

    The biggest environmental threat to Australian farmland as a result of climate change is …

    1. (a)

      soil salinity

    2. (b)

      land clearing

    3. (c)

      drought

    4. (d)

      pesticides.

  8. 8.

    Water shortages are caused in Australia because:

    1. (a)

      fast growing urban development is utilising available water sources

    2. (b)

      agricultural irrigation consumes most available water

    3. (c)

      climate change is exacerbating Australia’s arid climate

    4. (d)

      hydroelectricity uses most available water.

Appendix 2: Parental survey

  1. (1)

    I trust what scientists say about the environment

  2. (2)

    I am concerned about climate change

  3. (3)

    I trust what the government says about the environment

  4. (4)

    I feel I know a lot about climate change

  5. (5)

    I trust what the media says about the environment

  6. (6)

    I think climate change is a serious problem right now

  7. (7)

    I think climate change is caused by human activities

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Boon, H.J. Climate change ignorance: an unacceptable legacy. Aust. Educ. Res. 42, 405–427 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13384-014-0156-x

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