Enhancing climate change education through links to agriculture

Abstract:

Anthropogenic climate change is an urgent and pervasive challenge, yet it remains a polarizing subject. In the United States, studies have shown that rural communities tend to view climate change with less urgency than urban communities, which could delay action in response to the crisis. In rural areas that are highly dependent on agricultural production for their economies, linking climate change to agriculture could be key for improving climate change education. Here we propose a three-part framework that engages student and community knowledge of a locally relevant crop system to make local-global connections, connect the system to climate change, and analyze, critique, and design actionable solutions. The inclusion of lessons that link climate change effects to agriculture could play an important role in more effectively building understanding across cultural and regional divides.