Teaching Atmospheric Hazards in the Climate Change Context—Environmental Didactic Proposals in the Mediterranean Region for Secondary Schools

Abstract

The political sphere is starting to take an interest in how the teaching of atmospheric risks at pre-university stages can be improved. This interest has arisen due to the fact that, as stated in the 2030 Agenda, education is an important factor for reducing the effects of natural hazards within the context of current climate change. However, in developed countries education has not played a prominent role in the design of risk prevention policies. The purpose of this study was to identify the principal deficiencies that characterise the study of natural risks in non-university education and then to propose didactic activities for improving the teaching of the main processes associated with climate change (episodes of intense rains and droughts) that already affect the Spanish Mediterranean region. Their implementation in the classroom seeks, first, to correct the deficiencies in the knowledge of the students in terms of the sources from which they obtain information, and second, to raise awareness about the importance of education in the prevention and mitigation of climate risks. These proposals are intended to serve as a guide to activities to be implemented in classrooms in other international areas, taking into account their geographical characteristics and the availability of data.