Sezen Çiçek-Apaydin, Burcu Sari-Uğurlu, Halime Öztürk-Çalikoğlu, Ebru Aktan, Özge Sönmez, Erdem Vardar, Desalegn Yayeh Ayal, Ulisses M. Azeiteiro, Henri-Count Evans, Inga Grinfelde, José Baltazar Salgueirinho Osório de Andrade Guerra, Jasenka Gajdoš Kljusurić, João Carlos Correia Leitão, Chunlan Li, Newton R. Matandirotya, Bethwel Mutai, Gustavo J. Nagy, Thierry Razanakoto, Jame Schaefer, Goran Trbic, Roberto Ariel Abeldaño Zuñiga, Sane Pashane Zuka, Charles Galdies, Adriana Consorte-McCrea, Francisco Platas, Mittul Vahanvati, Pedi Obani, Safwatun Nida, Lucas Gabriel Zanon, Mayara Régia Sousa de Melo, Alison Glover, Roman Vakulchuk
This chapter presents the Early Childhood Climate Change Education Model (ECE-CCE), a structured framework designed to introduce climate change concepts to young children in a developmentally appropriate, engaging, and solution-focused manner. Developed through collaboration between early childhood educators, researchers, and NGOs, the model integrates experiential learning, systems thinking, and interdisciplinary education to foster meaningful engagement with environmental topics. It is structured around three thematic modules: World as a System, which helps children understand natural cycles, climate patterns, and ecological interconnections; Humans as a Part of Nature, Not Its Owner, which encourages respect for biodiversity and recognition of human dependence on the environment; and Earth-Friendly Consumption, which focuses on sustainable living practices, such as waste reduction and distinguishing between needs and wants. A pilot study conducted in a community-based kindergarten indicated that children participated with interest, actively followed the activities, and eagerly asked questions. These observations suggest that when introduced through experiential and interactive methods, young children can meaningfully engage with climate-related topics. Additionally, family engagement was incorporated to extend learning beyond the classroom and encourage discussions on sustainability at home. The ECE-CCE model offers a promising approach to integrating climate change educationClimate change education into early learning environments by embedding systems thinking into early childhood curricula. Its adaptability across different educational settings makes it a valuable tool for fostering awareness and engagement in young learners. © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2026.
Yuva Association, Istanbul, Turkey; Center for Food Security Studies, College of Development Studies, Addis Ababa Univesity, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; The Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM) and Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal; Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Eswatini, Manzini, Kwaluseni Campus, Matsapha, South Africa; Institute of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Engineering, Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, Jelgava, Latvia; Center for Sustainable Development (Greens), Universidade do Sul de Santa Catarina (Unisul), Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil; School of Urban and Regional Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China; Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Centre, Beitbridge, Zimbabwe; Kgotso Development Trust, Beitbridge, Zimbabwe; Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República Uruguay, Montevideo, Uruguay; CERED, University of Antananarivo, Antananarivo, Madagascar; Marquette University, Milwaukee, United States; University of Sierra Sur, Oaxaca, Mexico; University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Department of Land Economy, University of Malawi, The Polytechnic, Blantyre 3, Malawi; Institute of Earth Systems, University of Malta, Msida, Malta; Academy for Sustainable Futures, Canterbury Christ Church University, Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom; Casa de Cultura de la UAEMéx en Tlalpan, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico; School of Global, Urban and Social Studies, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; University of Bradford, Bradford, United Kingdom; Science Education Department of Universitas Negeri Malang, Malang, Indonesia; University of São Paulo, São Carlos, Brazil; State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil; The Open University, Cardiff, United Kingdom; Norwegian Institute of International Affairs, Oslo, Norway; Mathematics and Science Education Department, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Canakkale, Turkey; Child Development Department, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Canakkale, Turkey; Educational Sciences Deportment, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Canakkale, Turkey; Early Childhood Education Department, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Canakkale, Turkey
