Twelfth International Conference on Climate Change: Impacts & Responses

Abstract

Many diseases and health problems that may be exacerbated by climate change can be effectively prevented with adequate human response, prevention, and control. Every individual has the ability to ensure that the environment is sustained but awareness and education is the first step to achieving this. Several studies conducted among undergraduates in Nigeria, a group expected to champion the course of environmentalism, have constantly indicated a low knowledge level on climate change issues. For this study, a pretest-posttest, control group quasi-experimental design was adopted. Using a multistage sampling technique, 261 participants were selected from three federal universities in South-western Nigeria. Both WHO and UNESCO developed climate change training manuals were adapted and used for the intervention program. Experimental group one was treated with the Climate Change Education package while the control group was exposed to a different training program for 10 weeks. The instrument used was Knowledge on Global Warming Health Consequences Scale (r=0.86). Data were analyzed using ANCOVA and Scheffe posthoc analysis. Results revealed that the treatment had a significant main effect on participants’ knowledge of health consequences (F(2,260)=40.622; p<.05). Based on the findings of the study, a relationship between education and actions was established; indicating that education is most likely to result in behavior change. The study established that climate change education is necessary to promote positive environmental health behaviors. The study recommended the inclusion of a carefully planned environmental health/climate change education in the Nigerian university curriculum for all undergraduates.