An online survey was conducted of 85 people involved in climate change education and mitigation, primarily in the United Kingdom. The survey was designed to explore the significant life experiences (SLEs) and formative influences contributing to the respondents' concern about climate change and their interest in climate change education and mitigation. The questionnaire included (a) closed-response questions about attitudes towards climate change and mitigation actions respondents were engaged in, (b) open-response questions about significant experiences, and (c) closed-response questions about motivations for action and values.
This study differs from previous SLE research in several ways. The previous research focused primarily on environmentalists and environmental educators and did not mention climate change as a concern. Additionally, participants in the previous SLE research were asked to identify significant life experiences influencing their pro-environmental behaviors and their work in the field of environmental education. This study, in contrast, asked participants to identify both significant life experiences and “formative influences” (which might be understood to include more repeated/ongoing and ordinary experiences in a person's life) leading to their interest and work in climate change education and mitigation. This study also examined whether or not the values respondents held contributed to their concern and actions relating to climate change. For the most part, previous SLE research did not include an investigation into specific values and motivations.
Findings from previous studies indicated that outdoor experiences involving exposure to nature -- often in childhood – served as the primary influence in the development of 'environmental sensitivity' which, in turn, led to pro-environmental behavior and work-related choices. The findings from this current study were different. Nature-related experiences – while important influences for some of the respondents -- were not a major formative influence for the sample as a whole. Social justice concerns were found to be more motivating for action than concerns about the non-human environment.
Results from this study suggest that people who engage with climate change do not all act from an affective connection to non-human nature. Concern about people most affected by climate change may be a bigger concern. Researchers involved in this study suggest that environmental educators would do well to include social justice themes in their work with children and adults and to consider what Louise Chawla discovered in some of her SLE research – that is, that in addition to a “life path” into environmental action by way of environmental sensitivity, there is an alternative path by way of a concern for social justice.
Research Partner