Fostering Climate Change Education for Effective Locally-Led and Community-Led Adaptation

Abstract

This study highlights the transformative role of climate change education (CCE), understood here as formal, non-formal and informal learning that equips people with the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes needed to act as agents of change for climate mitigation and adaptation in enhancing locally-led adaptation (LLA)—where local actors shape priorities and control key decisions and resources and community-led adaptation (CLA)—where communities collectively organize and implement shared adaptation actions by fostering climate literacy, participatory action, and resilience. CCE bridges local knowledge and scientific insights, empowering marginalized communities to engage in decision-making and design context-sensitive strategies. Integrating CCE into adaptation frameworks is essential to overcoming barriers, ensuring equitable, sustainable outcomes, and empowering communities for long-term climate resilience.