Exploring the link between generations and environmental literacy among Peruvian individuals aged 11 years and older, currently enrolled in school or having graduated

Environmental education (EE), as per SDG 4.7, is “a process that allows individuals to explore environmental issues, engage in problem-solving, and take action to improve the environment.” By instilling vital knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes, it empowers individuals to be “change agents for sustainable development.”

Unfortunately, EE — crucial to reducing human-driven environmental impacts—is lacking in society. As UNESCO (2023) warned, “only half of the national curricula in the world have a reference to climate change,” something concerning considering that environmental issues, such as this one, are affecting everyone worldwide. Therefore, if no awareness is created about these escalating problems, there might not be a future ahead.

Part of the problem also lies in the lack of class time, support, and teachers with adequate backgrounds on the subject (Ham & Sewing, 1988). Thus, as Nijhuis (2011) states, it cannot keep up with the rate of environmental deterioration and the effects of human activity on the environment. Moreover, even where EE is taught, it often fails to impact students' attitudes, as they are not living its impacts just yet.

Specifically in Peru, a large portion of its environmental issues are consequences of the population's lack of awareness in this matter. However, insufficient studies exist to determine the national EE level. Conducting such research could guide the development of a more effective EE system, which, in turn, would play a crucial role in increasing the level of EE in the most polluted country in the American continent and the 12th most polluted country globally, as reported by Numbeo (2023). This would not only foster awareness among citizens about their environmental impact but also enhance their eco-friendly practices. Additionally, it could help preserve the 5th most biodiverse country in the world (Butler, 2016), where studies show that because of global warming, it is already too warm for some species to survive.

Hence, it is of utmost importance to analyze the relationship between EE levels and generations to assess the effectiveness of its implementation in Peru over time. This will be valuable as all the analyzed generation groups have experienced the evolving EE standards in Peru, leading to variations in how it has been taught and its impact on each generation. Thus, this investigation will allow an identification of the generations in most need of EE.

To what extent is there a correlation between generations and the environmental literacy (in terms of knowledge, attitudes, and practices) of a group of Peruvian individuals aged 11 years and above, currently in school or having already graduated?

It is hypothesized that the younger the generation, the higher the level of environmental education. This is due to the rising global environmental concerns which have driven the implementation of new EE programs.

• Google Forms
• Google Sheets
• Computer

• A computer was used to create a Google Form, a platform compatible with various devices and capable of handling unlimited responses.
• A question regarding age and 14 multiple-answer questions based on previous EE questionnaires were created in Spanish, the primary language of Peruvians, to ensure all respondents could understand.
• These questions were divided into four sections, each to collect information about the level of EE in different aspects -
  • Age
  • Knowledge

• Questions were teacher-validated and pilot-tested.
• The survey was sent via WhatsApp and email, as this was a quick and effective method to gather a minimum of 30 respondents per generation group while sending it only to individuals who adhered to the control variables.
• Google Sheets was used to process the data.
• To facilitate data interpretation and mitigate sample size disparities, percentages were utilized for clearer visualization of responses.

The survey included confidential disclosure and informed consent in the introduction to comply with Peru’s Data Protection Law. Participation was voluntary, and participants were informed that their responses would be used purely for an investigation and would not be published publicly. The survey also maintained anonymity by not requesting names or emails.