ABSTRACT
Climate change caused by global warming is transforming life on earth. It is this century's most important environmental challenge, perhaps the most significant problem facing all citizens today. This chapter explores the nature of climate change and climate change education. Specifically, the chapter discusses the science of climate change including its causes, impacts, and implications. Greenhouses gases and the greenhouse effect are discussed in terms of increasing global temperatures. The Web of life game is presented as a way of understanding the connections between climate change and other related issues such as biodiversity. Climate change is examined in the context of Covid-19. Most importantly, this chapter stresses the importance of climate justice or the need to examine climate change though an equality and human rights perspective. Climate change is not just an environmental issue, it is also a justice issue. People respond to the threat of climate change in a myriad of ways. These responses range from denial to adaptation (an attempt to lower the risks posed by the consequences of climate change) to mitigation (efforts to limit the rate of global warming). The chapter provides a strong rationale for including climate change education in primary schools.
