Improving global warming awareness among adolescents in Karachi, Pakistan: a quasi-experimental school-based intervention

Pakistan is the eighth most vulnerable country affected by global warming because of its far-reaching impact on the environment and society. Given the climate challenges, education plays an essential role in preparing the younger generation to address the consequences of Global Warming. The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of school-based intervention in improving knowledge and attitude towards global warming among school going adolescents. A school-based pre-test post-test quasi-experimental study was carried out in one private and public school located in Karachi, Pakistan. A total of 170 adolescents were enrolled through stratified random sampling, with grades 6th to 10th serving as strata. All the participants had to undergo pre-tests followed by a one-hour session on global warming as an intervention in schools, later the post-test was conducted after four weeks of intervention. The mean age of participants was 13.48 ± 1.37. Of the enrolled 57% belonged to Private school and 42.9% belonged to public school. Around 44.1% were boys and 55.8% were girls. The McNemar paired analysis suggested that primary outcome knowledge increased from 8.8% pre-intervention to 72.3% post intervention (χ2 = 108, p-value < 0.001) while secondary outcome attitude was improved from 24.1% pre-intervention to 91.7% post-intervention (χ2 = 115, p-value < 0.001). The Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) was used to identify factors affecting the variability in the results before and after the intervention. The implementation of a school-based intervention yielded positive results, enhancing both knowledge and attitudes towards global warming among school-going adolescents. Incorporating similar educational activities in schools or integrating them within the formal curriculum holds the potential to enhance adaptive capacities and preparedness strategies amidst the ongoing climate crisis.