Mainstreaming climate change in school curricula: critical review of pedagogy, policy and Global South perspectives

Abstract

This study examines the integration of climate change into school curricula worldwide, focusing on practical pedagogical approaches and contrasting those of the Global South and Global North. A search of Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC, UNESCO, and UNEP, covering peer-reviewed publications between 2005 and 2024, identified 92 articles on curricular integration, pedagogy, policy, and learner outcomes. These articles were coded in NVivo and deductively synthesised across five analytical categories. Three curriculum models emerged: standalone, infusion, and cross-disciplinary, with a growing shift toward hybrid designs. Although many countries have incorporated climate change into education policies, classroom-level integration in the Global South remains limited due to inadequate teacher training, poorly designed teaching resources, and weak evaluation mechanisms. Interactive pedagogies, including inquiry-based learning, project work, socioscientific issues, and place-based approaches, were most strongly associated with gains in knowledge, engagement, and learner agency. However, teacher capacity and assessment instruments are often insufficient, particularly in low-resource contexts. Significant disparities persist in how climate literacy is measured, indicating a need for innovative assessment approaches that capture not only content knowledge but also attitudes and agency. Policy pathways should therefore support low-cost, community-based strategies in the Global South, informed by Global North systems for teacher support and reporting, to bridge implementation gaps, build resilience, and advance SDG 4.7 and SDG 13.