Climate change education in Indian schooling: examining the perspectives of environmental educators

Abstract

While the urgent need for climate change education (CCE) has been recognised internationally, there is limited research on the ways in which educators in the global South conceptualise and implement CCE within their own particular contexts. This qualitative study addresses this gap by examining perceptions and practices recounted by environmental educators in the context of India. Findings suggest that current framings of CCE in India are shaped by a national emphasis on economic development. Persistent socioeconomic inequalities within society, meanwhile, create specific challenges and opportunities for a more comprehensive integration of CCE into Indian schools. While barriers to socially critical and indigenous approaches are highlighted, pragmatic suggestions for the successful implementation of CCE into school curricula are noted, and modifications to Stevenson’s curricular reform framings are suggested.