Climate change education with a bright horizon? : Pedagogical reflections on teacher training for climate education that aims to empower students

Climate change is already affecting communities around the world and the impacts will only get worse, according to scientists, unless we significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These realities can lead to climate anxiety, not least among youth. How can teachers educate students about climate change in a constructive way? This study examines pedagogical reflections from grade school and gymnasium teachers who participated in a professional development workshop entitled “Climate workshop with a bright horizon” organized by The House of Science, the Bolin Center for Climate Research, and Stockholm City. To address students’ climate anxiety, research says that teaching methods characterized by pluralism, democratic participation, and authenticity can be empowering to students in helping them to engage, act, and cope with unpredictability. This study identifies opportunities to strengthen these aspects in climate education by, for example, using socio-scientific issue dialogues.