Abstract:

This systematic literature review (SLR) investigates the state of Climate Change Education (CCE) implementation in South African science classrooms by drawing comparative insights from international studies. Grounded in three conceptual frameworks: the Knowledge-Attitudes-Practices (KAP) model, Competency-Based Education (CBE), and Ecological Systems Theory (EST), the review synthesizes global evidence to identify key barriers and enablers related to curriculum policy, teacher preparedness, and pedagogical practice.

Adhering to PRISMA 2020 guidelines, a comprehensive search was conducted across Scopus, EBSCO ERIC, and Web of Science databases for studies published between 2020 and mid-2025. Following a rigorous screening and quality appraisal process using the CASP checklist, 23 studies from diverse contexts including South Africa, other African nations, Europe, Asia, and North America were included for synthesis. Data were analyzed through an integrative thematic approach aligned with the KAP, CBE, and EST frameworks.

The synthesis revealed several critical findings. Firstly, teachers globally, including in South Africa, exhibit strong positive attitudes toward CCE, but are constrained by significant knowledge gaps and low pedagogical confidence, leading to a predominant reliance on traditional, transmission-based methods. Secondly, curricula such as South Africa’s CAPS are overwhelmingly knowledge-focused, emphasizing scientific facts over the development of action-oriented competencies, thereby limiting opportunities for transformative and participatory learning. Thirdly, systemic barriers including inadequate continuous professional development, resource limitations, policy-practice disconnects, curricular overcrowding, and institutional rigidity critically hinder effective CCE enactment. A central conclusion is that while the will to implement CCE exists among educators, systemic capacity and support structures remain insufficient.

The review underscores the urgent need for targeted, sustained teacher professional development that addresses both content knowledge and affective dimensions of climate teaching. It calls for a strategic revision of curricula to foreground competency-based, action-oriented learning and interdisciplinary integration. Furthermore, it highlights the necessity of developing stronger systemic support, including coherent policy implementation, resource allocation, and leadership engagement, to translate curricular ambition into meaningful, contextualized classroom practice in South Africa and beyond.

Keywords:

Climate Change Education, Teacher Knowledge-Attitudes-Practices (KAP), Systemic Literature Review, Comparative Education, South African Science Classrooms.