Justice-driven CCE extends beyond traditional STEM settings, emphasizes people-focused over planet-focused aims, and encompasses diverse educational processes and outcomes across formal, community-based, and activist learning contexts

This article examines how justice frameworks are being incorporated into climate change education through a systematic review of peer-reviewed literature. The authors argue that while climate justice is increasingly central to policy discussions about addressing climate change, justice considerations are often missing from educational approaches. Through analysis of publication trends, methodological approaches, and educational processes described in the literature, the paper reveals opportunities and challenges for advancing more justice-oriented climate change education.

The research analyzes 55 peer-reviewed articles featuring participants from 57 countries published between 2007 and 2020. The analysis reveals several important trends, including that most publications are authored by scholars in Global North institutions despite data collection occurring globally, and that justice-driven climate change education (CCE) occurs more often in social sciences than STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, mathematics). The authors identify various types of justice frameworks being employed, from environmental and social justice to climate justice specifically, though many articles lack clear definitions or theoretical grounding.

The authors identify four key findings about justice in climate change education:

1. First, justice frameworks are increasingly central to CCE but often lack clear articulation of how justice principles inform educational practice. 
2. Second, justice-driven CCE occurs across diverse settings beyond traditional classrooms, including community and activist spaces. 
3. Third, people-focused aims like advancing equity are more common than environmental protection goals.
4. Fourth, most educational approaches emphasize collective over individual action.

The article makes an important contribution by documenting the emergence of justice-focused approaches to climate change education while highlighting areas needing development. This framing emphasizes the importance of clearly articulating justice principles and processes in educational practice while expanding beyond traditional classroom settings.

The analysis highlights that justice considerations in CCE are growing but still nascent. However, it also reveals innovative approaches emerging globally through formal and informal education channels. The authors note that while some educators face institutional barriers to justice-focused teaching, many are finding creative ways to integrate justice frameworks.

A key finding is that effective justice-driven CCE requires moving beyond science-focused instruction to engage with social, political and ethical dimensions of climate change. The authors argue this represents not only an educational opportunity but an imperative, as traditional approaches may inadvertently uphold inequitable systems by not challenging them.

The authors conclude by calling for more explicit articulation of justice principles in CCE and greater documentation of educational practices. They suggest that advancing justice through CCE requires supporting educators, expanding beyond traditional classroom settings, and centering marginalized voices and experiences.

For practitioners looking to implement climate justice education, the review offers several practical insights. Effective teaching approaches frame climate change through both scientific and social justice lenses, helping students explore how climate impacts affect different communities unequally. Programs that include opportunities for collective action at the community level appear particularly impactful. The most successful approaches use real-world examples and foster critical thinking about systemic causes and solutions.