Are Students Ready to Take on Environmental Challenges?

The world demands bold action to meet the global goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. Young people will experience the consequences of climate change more directly during their lifetime than any previous generation in recent history. Education can play a pivotal role in preparing new generations for a greener future. What students learn may mean the difference between accepting the status quo and fostering sustainability to keep the world in ecological balance. Are students ready to actively address these environmental challenges? And how can education endow students with the knowledge, skills and pro-environmental attitudes they need? This report identifies the types of education policy and practices that can help students build an environmentally sustainable future. The report finds varying levels of environmental knowledge and skills, attitudes and actions among 15-year-old students around the world. Students need stronger scientific knowledge and skills in environmental issues than they currently have, especially in countries and economies where student performance in science tends to be lower. Better performers in science have, on average, more pro-environmental attitudes than lower-performing students, and students with pro-environmental attitudes are more likely to take part in actions that benefit the environment.