Environmental Literacy and Pro-Environmental Behavior of Pre-Service Science Educators: The Mediating Effect of Their Climate Change Awareness

The study investigated at how climate change awareness mediates the relationship between environmental literacy and pro-environmental behavior among pre-service science educators in the Davao region, involving a total of 305 respondents. A descriptive-correlational approach was used in a non-experimental quantitative research design. The findings revealed that pre-service science educators exhibit high levels of pro-environmental behavior, environmental literacy, and climate change awareness. This finding highlights the important role of future science educators in disseminating knowledge about climate change, as persons with higher levels of environmental literacy are more likely to engage in pro-environmental actions. Climate change awareness functioned as a partial mediator, indicating that although environmental literacy is essential, climate knowledge enhances educators' involvement in sustainable practices. The findings underscore the essential function of prospective science educators in climate advocacy, indicating that educational programs may improve environmental literacy curricula and incorporate discussions on climate change, thus preparing future teachers to motivate responsible environmental actions in their communities.