Climate Literacy & School Leavers

The UK Department for Education published, on 17 December 2024, the results of the 2023/ 2024 Climate Literacy Survey of school leavers. 

Forest fire

This survey is an important piece of evidence about the state of climate awareness amongst our young people, as well as the key gaps in the climate education they are currently receiving.

A very good and sometimes alarming summary of the report’s findings is available here: https://www.metlink.org/blog/climate-change/dfe-climate-literacy-survey-2024/ 

Key Findings

Just over half of respondents (55%) remembered learning about climate change recently, stating they were aged 15-16 years when they were last taught about it in a lesson at school. Only 18% of respondents correctly identified that over 80% of global climate change since the industrial revolution has been caused by people. 

The majority of respondents ‘didn’t know’ (31%) or overestimated (52%) the extent of global warming since 1850. Respondents correctly indicated that natural changes are generally the least impactful (46%) on global warming. However, there was an overestimation of the contribution from transport (46% thought it contributed more than it does) and disposal of plastic waste (49% thought it contributed more than it does) and a corresponding underestimation of the role of industry and deforestation, agriculture and other land use changes. 

More than half of the sample (54%) indicated some concern about climate change. Almost half of respondents (49%) appreciated that climate change will impact them personally, with 11% expecting a “great deal” of impact and 38% indicating quite a bit. 

Wading through floods to school

Respondents showed a good understanding of the difference between weather and climate and of the definition of climate change. When exploring the causes of global climate variability, respondents tended to overestimate the impact of changes in the Earth’s orbit, but generally appreciated the impact of changes in greenhouse gas concentrations. There was low awareness of the role of large-scale weather patterns. Carbon dioxide and methane were well recognised as greenhouse gases, water vapour and nitrous oxide less well. Oil and coal were well recognised as fossil fuels, natural gas less well. Whilst respondents demonstrated a good awareness of which countries are currently emitting most greenhouse gases, there was less understanding of historical emissions or per capita emissions. Burning fossil fuels and deforestation are well recognised as sources of carbon dioxide (CO2), however, cement and decomposition were less well recognised. Respondents demonstrated a good understanding that atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) has increased over the past 500 years, with 83% correctly identifying an increase. The majority of respondents (61%) correctly identified livestock as a major source of methane (CH4). However, there was lower awareness of other major sources of methane including landfill and waste, wetlands and rice cultivation. Whilst respondents were aware of the different sources of greenhouse gases, there was also confusion between methane and carbon dioxide and their respective sources. There was a good understanding that greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are the main contributing factor impacting the Earth’s temperature. There was a good awareness of common indicators of a warming climate such as melting glaciers (79%) and rising sea levels (74%), as well as the impact of climate change on extreme weather events. Related to this, the data reveals a tendency for school leavers to think that mitigation strategies are adaptation strategies, as well as a low general awareness or understanding of mitigation strategies. Almost a quarter of respondents indicated that they thought that global temperatures would keep rising if anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases were halted, implying low awareness that global warming can still be mitigated.

Net Zero Awareness

Only one in five (20%) of respondents were able to identify the correct meaning of ‘net zero’ which is a term widely used in the media and across a diverse range of organisations and employers, whilst twice as many respondents indicated that they did not know (40%). Nearly a third (31%) stated that they didn’t know what the 2°C climate change target was and fewer than one in five (17%) correctly identified it as referring to a global average temperature increase above pre-industrial levels. Around a third of respondents (34%) correctly identified that the UK climate will become warmer and wetter during winters as the global climate warms. Almost three quarters (74%) of respondents correctly identified that the UK climate will become hotter and drier during summers as the global climate warms. The majority (64%) of respondents correctly identified ‘melting glaciers and ice sheets’ as contributors to relative sea level rise around the UK. However, far fewer correctly identified ‘Expansion of sea water as it warms’ (35%).

Awareness of UK Risks

There was generally good awareness of climate change risks in the UK, particularly of coastal flooding and extreme summer heat. Only a third of respondents (33%) correctly recognised that it will cost more for the UK to adapt to climate change impacts compared to implementing policies to limit climate change. A higher proportion, 45%, thought that it will cost more for the UK to implement globally agreed policies to limit climate change. One in 11 respondents (9%) correctly indicated that all of the industries suggested will have to adapt due to the impact that climate change is having on their business. Agriculture (57%), transport (54%) and food supply (52%) were selected by the majority of school leavers. The majority of respondents indicated a high awareness of solar (76%) as a source of electricity, potentially demonstrating that they appreciated that the solar panels they see on house roofs contribute to the UK’s energy mix. Awareness was lower for other renewables such as offshore wind, nuclear fission, hydroelectric, biomass and on-shore wind.

Underestimation of Contribution of Renewables to UK Electricity Generation

The majority of respondents (74%) overestimated the UK’s reliance on fossil fuels for the generation of electricity and underestimated the contribution of renewables to UK electricity generation (72%). Only 22% of respondents thought that between 80-100% of scientists agree on human-caused climate change and 35% thought that fewer than 60% of scientists are in agreement. The data shows that 35% of respondents correctly identified the UNFCCC’s role in global climate policy and 22% correctly identified the IPCC’s role.

High Level of Trust in Science Teachers & the BBC

Respondents place a comparatively high level of trust in science teachers (76%) and news sources such as the BBC (58%) for information about global warming, while expressing lower trust in sources including social media (33%), the Prime Minister (26%) and tabloid newspapers (21%).

The full report is here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67616fecf666d2e4faef3972/Climate_Literacy_School_Leavers_2024.pdf