Binyamin Ajayi, Ismail Muraina, Isa Elegbede, Taofik Ajagbe, Imaran Adeleke, Mukaila Rahman, 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
Climate change is a critical global challenge with profound implications for the environment, human health, and economic stability. Tertiary institutions, as centers of learning and research, play a vital role in addressing this issue through climate change education. This study aims to explore the state of climate change education in Nigerian tertiary institutions, focusing on current initiatives, challenges, and opportunities for improvement. By investigating the demographic characteristics, awareness, and perceptions of climate change among students, faculty, and administrators, the study seeks to identify key barriers and gaps in existing educational frameworks. Through a mixed-methods approach, including surveys and interviews with 213 participants from universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, the research finds that though there is a general awareness of climate change, significant gaps in knowledge and engagement persist. A chi-square analysis (p ' 0.05) reveals that while climate change is acknowledged as an urgent issue, a deeper understanding remains limited, particularly among students and staff. This study identifies critical barriers to effective climate change education, including inadequate resources, insufficient expertise, and lack of institutional support. The chapter concludes that integrating climate change into curricula, fostering interdisciplinary approaches, and improving faculty training are essential for effective climate education. It also emphasizes the need for increased funding, policy development, and international collaboration to strengthen climate change education in Nigeria. Ultimately, this study calls for comprehensive educational reforms to ensure that future leaders are equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to address the climate crisis effectively. © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2026.
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; Department of Computer Science, Nasarawa State, Keffi, Nigeria; Department of Computer Science Education, Lagos State University of Education (LASUED), Oto-Ijanikin, Nigeria; Department of Fisheries, Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, Lagos, Nigeria; Department of Computer Science, Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, Nigeria
