Climate change education and citizen engagement are crucial drivers in the shift toward a decarbonized society. Informal learning environments, such as research centers, science labs, and especially environmental observatories, are well positioned to rise to this challenge. By incorporating real-world data from environmental monitoring stations and satellites as well as computer model simulations, educators can offer students both a clear understanding of climate change and engaging research experiences. Climate researchers are key actors in this process: by sharing datasets, contextualizing findings, and collaborating with educators, they transform scientific evidence into powerful tools for learning, trust-building, and combating misinformation.

However, effective climate education goes beyond presenting scientific data, it also requires understanding how different populations perceive and respond to climate change. People’s attitudes and adaptation strategies vary based on geographical location, environmental background, education level, income, and other socio-economic factors. Diagnosing these variations is essential for designing targeted and impactful educational approaches. Looking ahead, fostering long-term partnerships between educators, citizens, and climate researchers will be essential to building resilient communities capable of anticipating challenges and co-creating solutions for a sustainable future.

This session invites studies that employ quantitative and qualitative methods to assess environmental, economic, and social dimensions of climate change perception. Through case studies, participants will explore how real-world data can be leveraged to meet diverse educational needs across various national curricula.