Climate change education (CCE) encompasses school and out-of-school activities that: teach skills and knowledge about climate change mitigation (such as sustainable lifestyles) and adaptation (such as disaster risk reduction); promote safe and sustainable learning spaces; actively engage communities as agents of change; and strengthen collaboration between policy makers and researchers in education and climate. It can take different forms (laboratory activities, school projects, etc.).

Despite the growing number of scientific studies on CCE, the concrete effects of these educational interventions remain uncertain. This is why, following a call for research proposals, AFD has selected two projects for systematic reviews of the existing literature and its main gaps: 

1. The first project focuses on the effects of climate change education on the knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of schoolchildren and their entourage; it is carried out by a team of researchers from the departments of psychology and natural sciences of the University of Rosario in Colombia.
2. The second focuses on the effects of climate change education on behaviour and norms; it is led by a team of researchers from the Groupe d’Analyse et de Théorie Economique (GATE-CNRS) and the Department of Experimental Economics at the University of Rosario in Colombia.

The study conducted by the University of Rosario analyses the impacts of climate change education according to the type of intervention (“traditional”, immersive, innovative teaching activities, etc.) and the strategies mobilized (based on knowledge, habits, emotions…). It aims to assess the effects of these different interventions on the knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of preschool and school-age children and their entourage, with a focus on their sociodemographic characteristics. 

The study led by GATE-CNRS examines the impact of climate change education on the behaviours and the social norms that shape behaviors and expectations  of children and young adults within society, through the prism of behavioral sciences. It aims to identify educational activities and content that promote changes in social norms, as well as possible cognitive biases and cultural and normative barriers. This systematic review will be supplemented by a research experiment conducted by GATE-CNRS.

Both research projects are based on systematic reviews, namely rigorous and reproducible syntheses of the results of all existing original studies answering the same research question, which makes it possible to identify, select, evaluate and summarize primary studies, data and research findings on this issue.

The study led by the University of Rosario adopts the PIO (Population, Intervention, Results) methodology, which helps in the formulation of the research question and the realization of bibliographic research. A comparative analysis is then conducted to assess the effects of education on different populations (for example, younger students versus older students, etc.).

The study conducted by GATE-CNRS uses the PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Result) approach, in which a comparative analysis allows to evaluate the most popular, effective or reliable types of interventions from a methodological point of view, behaviours and social norms, with a focus on intervention contexts. An experimental study conducted in France and Colombia will then aim to fill some gaps observed in the literature by testing two hypotheses: 

1. immersive educational activities are more effective than traditional activities in inducing pro-environmental behaviours and normative changes;
2. the level of adherence to norms and civic engagement in both countries result in a different propensity to engage.

Each of the two research projects resulted in a “Policy Dialogue” publication, presented at COP28, as well as a research paper published in the collections of Editions Agence française de développement. The project of the GATE-CNRS team will also give rise to a second research paper presenting the results of the field experiment.

A webinar from the “Research Conversations” series, held in April 2025 to present the latest findings, is available for replay (in French with English subtitles):

The two systematic literature reviews highlight gaps in research on climate change education, but also some promising results for this area of intervention.

The study conducted by the University of Rosario highlights, among other things, the omission of the gender equality lens, the difficulties in analyzing the effectiveness of long-term interventions, and the fact that research focuses more on the effects on knowledge than on behaviour. The study also highlights that the most relevant interventions are those that mobilize innovative pedagogies, that are based on information drawing on personal experiences, and that generate positive emotions, while those based on negative emotions can have counterproductive effects.

The study led by the GATE-CNRS finds that the types of intervention are very diverse. Projects based on concrete activities, those that combine several types of interventions and those that involve several stakeholders (teachers, students, etc.) lead to more convincing results. The study also highlights the very small amount of work that focuses on social norms; the fact that this research is conducted mainly in high-income countries and in urban areas; and that it focuses on recycling and waste behaviours, easily observable, neglecting behaviours with a greater impact on climate (transport, etc.).

The results of the experimental study are expected by the end of 2025.

• Dr. Cecilia Poggi, Research Officer, AFD
• Dr. Linda Zanfini, Research Officer, AFD
• Dr. Benjamin Quesada, Associate Professor, Earth System Science Director, Research Group Leader "Interactions Climate-Ecosystems" (ICE), University of Rosario (Colombia)
• Dr. Fabio Galeotti, CNRS researcher at the Groupe d’Analyse et de Théorie Economique Lyon St-Etienne (GATE), Head of the 'Experimental economics' research group at GATE (France) 

As recent figures indicate, inequality and poverty in Colombia have increased in recent years, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic. The deterioration of these indicators places Colombia among the most unequal countries in the world. The Multidimensional Diagnostic on Inequalities in Colombia also demonstrates that gender gaps are particularly prevalent in the country. Indeed, employment rates are lower for women than for men at all levels of education. For example, in 2020, while the employment rate of women without any level of education reached 31%, for men it was 65%. 

In this context, the Colombian government is committed to reduce the gaps between population groups and between territories and has identified closing gender gaps as one of its priorities. Given this situation, it is critical to delve into the understanding of the causes and solutions to inequality, and identify ways through which inequality can be reduced through public policies, social spending and fiscal policy. 

In order to support the Colombian government in the development of public policies aimed at reducing inequalities, the Extension of the EU-AFD Research Facility on Inequalities, in close collaboration with local research centres and local authorities, has already:

• Elaborated the Multidimensional Diagnostic on inequalities and generated statistics on inequalities with the National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE). The diagnostic is a statistical overview of inequalities from multiple angles that seeks to support public policy decisions by providing key information for the reduction of the most important gaps in the country. 
• Implemented a fiscal incidence analysis through the methodology of the Commitment to Equity (CEQ), and, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Finances, elaborated a tool, which enables to assess the impact on inequalities of the latest tax reform in the country, through micro-simulations. 

These two studies opened the door to new possibilities of analysis that provide data, information and relevant knowledge for the Colombian Government as an input to strengthen the design, implementation and monitoring of policy instruments that can reduce the inequality and gaps between population groups, especially those of fiscal policy and social spending.

This project is part of the Extension of the EU-AFD Research Facility on Inequalities. Coordinated by AFD and financed by the European Commission, the Extension of the Facility will contribute to the development of public policies aimed at reducing inequalities in four countries: South Africa, Mexico, Colombia and Indonesia over the period 2021-2025.

This research project will use innovative methodologies to take advantage of the information derived from the merging of surveys, databases and administrative records to strengthen the understanding of the impacts of the fiscal and spending measures of the Colombian government on closing gender gaps, and more generally, to strengthen the analysis of income inequality measures in Colombia.

This study also aims to generate an in-house capacity allowing the Government of Colombia to continue reporting and analysing new inequality metrics that inform the design of more equitable public policies in the country.

The research project will:

• Develop a methodology for the analysis of the impacts of fiscal and government spending measures on closing gender gaps and income inequality in Colombia, based on the CEQ tool;
• Determine the necessary methodological and operational components that will be updated on a recurring basis by different actors involved in public policy decision-making;
• Estimate a battery of indicators of the impact of fiscal, tax and social spending policy on gender gaps.

The analysis will use surveys, databases of supply and demand of social programs, as well as administrative records and tax information of natural persons, integrating them into a CEQ model. These data will serve as a basis for the inclusion of the gender approach and for the analyses that will be carried out as part of this research.

Throughout the research, working groups will be organised with the National Planning Department, the National Administrative Department of Statistics, the National Tax and Customs Directorate and other stakeholders who can contribute to the conceptual and methodological development of the research, the analysis of the results and the application of the tool to policy processes.

You will find below the different research papers related to this project:

In progress

Contact: 

• Anda David, research officer at AFD and scientific coordinator of the Facility

Contacto: 

• Anda David, investigadora senior en la AFD y coordinadora científica de la Facilidad