Understanding Climate Change Education Practices in Kalimantan Through Exploratory Field Research With Local Voices

Abstract

This article is based on a study that examines the practices and perspectives of selected educational actors in Kalimantan, Indonesia, on climate change education. The region is highly affected by climate crises and holds global relevance for mitigation due to its tropical forests and peatlands. Empirical insights derive from participant observation and semi-structured interviews conducted during a 4-week field phase. Using content analysis, the study explores how climate crises are understood, pedagogically addressed, and implemented in both formal and informal settings. The findings indicate relational understandings of the interdependence between humans and nature, as well as approaches that are location-specific and intergenerational. Indigenous knowledges emerge as a particularly important dimension, shaping educational practices and notions of responsibility. Notably, questions of global justice receive little explicit attention in the investigated contexts. By foregrounding the perspectives of local actors and rendering them visible for international discourse, the study seeks to contribute to more equitable climate change education. To pursue this aim of epistemic justice, particular attention was paid to collaboration between the white lead author and local actors, with this collaboration forming an integral part of the study's reflexive approach.