Pre-service teachers perceptions on low carbon literacy in Indonesian University

Low-carbon education, focused on CO<sub>2</sub> emission reduction, is crucial for preservice teachers to prepare future generations to address climate change. Yet, there is a significant gap in research on low-carbon literacy within this group, underscoring the need for further studies. This study investigates the score of low-carbon literacy among prospective teacher students, addressing the critical role of CO<sub>2</sub> emission reduction education in preparing future generations to tackle climate change. Despite the importance of low-carbon education, research on low-carbon literacy in student teachers remains limited. This study employed a survey utilizing a Likert-scale low-carbon literacy instrument. The survey was administered to 113 sixth-semester chemistry education students at Walisongo State Islamic University who had completed the Environmental Chemistry course. Results revealed that literacy of students across the cognitive, affective, and behavioral domains scored 3.367/4, 3.317/4, and 3.288/4, respectively. However, the responses in the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains exhibited inconsistencies, suggesting the presence of misconceptions. Robust positive correlations were observed among the three domains; however, the cognitive and psychomotor domains exhibited relatively low correlations. The study highlighted misconceptions about CO<sub>2</sub> emissions related to power generation, low confidence in implementing low-carbon activities, and a tendency to choose easier emission reduction actions. To enhance low-carbon literacy, future research should prioritize addressing and correcting misconceptions related to low-carbon concepts. Moreover, strengthening the quantitative literacy of pre-service teachers is essential, enabling them to better understand and assess carbon emissions from daily activities.