Climate Action can “Flip the Switch”: Resourcing Climate Empowerment in Chemistry Education

Traditional approaches to chemistry curriculum for undergraduate students prioritize coverage of fragmented individual topics rather than employing systems thinking to embed chemistry concepts in immersive holistic contexts vital to our planet’s future, such as climate change. Many students are eager to understand and tackle climate change, drawing on political, socio-economic, sustainability and chemistry perspectives. However, educators face substantial barriers in resourcing climate empowerment through chemistry education. This paper outlines interactive resources and activities educators can use to help students engage with climate literacy and action, grounded in an emerging understanding of key concepts in chemistry. These resources draw from the work of 14 third- and fourth-year undergraduate students at The King’s University who were learning about climate change in an environmental chemistry class. The students collaborated in small groups and as an entire class to develop learning activities, pilot activities created by others, articulate topics for educators, and perform several rounds of peer review. Topics chosen for this publication include systems thinking and Earth systems connections; the nature of and evidence for climate change; Earth’s radiation balance, greenhouse gases, and climate engineering; models to forecast the future; and chemistry’s role in solutions. Together, the students developed activities and learning outcomes they hope others will use to connect climate change to cognitive, affective, and kinesthetic learning in chemistry.