Teachers as agents of environmental literacy and the facilitating role of environmental psychologists

Educating the youth about the environment has been posed as a viable solution in addressing climate change—and teachers play a crucial role in this endeavor. In this correspondence, we contemplate on the role of teachers as agents of environmental literacy and how environmental psychologists (EP) can facilitate teachers in realizing this role. Environmental literacy refers to the ability to make informed environmental decisions; the motivation to implement these decisions in order to improve the well-being of individuals, society, and the global environment; and participation in civic life. It comprises knowledge and understanding of environmental concepts, problems, and issues; cognitive skills and abilities related to such; and appropriate behavioral strategies for its application in various environmental settings (North American Association for Environmental Education; NAAEE, 2011). Different nations may vary in the extent they embed environmental education (EE) in their curricula (e.g., Seikkula-Leino et al., 2021; Wakhidah & Erman, 2022). Regardless, EP can help facilitate teachers in realizing their roles as agents of environmental literacy.