Focusing on Water-Related Ecosystem Services in a Glocalization Perspective: A Potential Pathway to Promoting Chemistry Education, Water Literacy, and Sustainability

Abstract Despite growing attention to sustainability in science education, the integration of ecosystem services into chemistry teaching and the use of glocalization as a pedagogical lens remain underexplored. This paper proposes connecting chemical concepts with the ecological and social importance of water-related ecosystem services (WESs) through a glocalization perspective. WESs serve as a foundation for exploring various chemistry-related driving questions. These questions include providing clean water for domestic use and irrigation, flood control via wetlands, climate regulation by aquatic systems, nutrient cycling, habitats for aquatic life, and cultural benefits. With a glocalization perspective, chemistry learning possibly facilitates various activities that emphasize the principles of “Think Globally, Act Locally” or “Think Locally, Act Globally.” The paper proposes a place- and community-based teaching model, illustrated by Lake Rawa Pening in Indonesia, where local practices and ecosystem challenges offer a concrete context. This model is not intended as a fixed pedagogy but as a framework for fostering both disciplinary understanding and participatory water literacy. By combining a conceptual approach with an illustrative case study, the paper highlights how WESs and a glocal perspective can support chemistry education in addressing complex socio-ecological realities while promoting sustainable action.