Adult (25-64 yrs)

Changing an adult's mind about climate change is difficult. Studies have found that adults' political ideologies strongly influence their views on climate change – and that individuals tend to seek out information that fits their preconceptions. The complexity of climate change science and the availability of misinformation have added challenges to the process of building a strong collective response.

Climate change has been highly politicized in the United States, and it is frequently taught as a controversial and disputed subject in schools. Science teachers have political beliefs that may influence the way they teach climate change, and many lack knowledge about the scientific consensus about the complex web of causes behind climate change.

Taiwan created its nationwide ESD requirement, the Environmental Education Act (Act), as part of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) programs and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Act requires about one-sixth of Taiwan's population, including all K-12 students and civil servants, to complete at least four hours of ESD instruction each year. Topics include the circular economy, climate change, sustainable development, reducing carbon emissions, and more.

Education for sustainable development (ESD) is important to integrate into all ages of learning. In Sweden, ESD for preschoolers currently consists of teaching about the environment, and less so about environmental issues and solutions. There are two common methods of teaching to preschoolers. Normative teaching practice is defined as using traditional teaching methods to teach children, it is fact-based, such as teaching kids what can be recycled. The teacher has a crucial influence on the learning in this context.

Energy and water conservation recommendations ask individuals to conserve their use of these utilities, such as turning off the lights when leaving a room. Research shows that people need a reasonable number of options to give them agency and limit indecision. Listing five behaviors as examples rather than making them seem mandatory might improve the outcome. The elaboration likelihood model (ELM) says a person's elaboration of a message, or how much conscious effort they put into understanding the message, influences how deeply they can be persuaded.

Environmental research organizations often run citizen science programs which bring non-expert volunteers into the scientific process to collect and analyze data. These programs help further scientific research and generate positive outcomes for volunteers, including learning and place attachment, which is defined as an appreciation for the intangible value of a certain location. Past research shows that place attachment and learning can both contribute to conservation behavior and advocacy in participants.

Due to the political polarization of climate change, training teachers on climate change principles and solutions can be difficult. Environmental education may see greater outcomes from educating children in K-12 settings; however, many K-12 teachers feel ill-prepared to teach about climate change and sustainability. Professional development may help teachers feel more confident, but systematic barriers exist the can prevent teachers seeking professional development. No research has studied how these barriers apply to climate change professional development (CCPD).

Parks and outdoor recreation areas are valuable sites for the public to engage with nature, but depend on visitors practicing good stewardship. Due to minimal staffing, parks must rely on indirect management of visitor behavior, via messaging that influences visitors to practice pro-environmental behaviors. The most famous example of indirect management is the Leave No Trace (LNT) program, which was started in the 1960s and continues today. Historically, LNT messaging has focused on individual knowledge gain, such as informing visitors of the six LNT principles.

Park managers try to maximize visitors' enjoyment and satisfaction with personal interpretation experiences – face-to-face interactions such as amphitheater shows and guided hikes – to create lasting behavior change in visitors. Research suggests that interpretation enhances visitor learning; enhanced knowledge can alter a person's attitudes; and many factors that improve attitude change also improve visitor satisfaction. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) model shows that attitudes can influence a person's behaviors.

Environmental education has traditionally focused on increasing knowledge and encouraging pro-environmental behavior but has paid little attention to the emotional needs of its audience. Research shows that climate change disasters can cause lasting mental health impacts in children, and merely learning about climate change may harm a child's mental health. In addition, children are affected by adults' emotional states when experiencing or learning about climate change. Media articles indicate that parents and teachers seek advice on ways to speak to children about climate change.