A new peer-reviewed article co-authored by SPIBES students has been published in the International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education (Emerald Insight), examining how undergraduate students at the University of Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo, understand and respond to the impacts of climate change on biodiversity.
The study was authored by Salifu Adam, Roxanne Asongnia, Chanis Clèche Enyanga Moungonda, Mukabila Danial, Kazaba Paul, and Arsene Mushagalusa Balasha.
The study surveyed 607 students, assessing their knowledge, attitudes, and pro-environmental practices. While over half of respondents demonstrated positive attitudes toward climate change and nearly half showed good knowledge of its effects, a striking 84% reported low levels of pro-environmental behaviour — pointing to a persistent gap between awareness and meaningful action.
One of the study’s key findings is the role of formal education: students who had taken environment-related courses that explicitly addressed climate change showed higher knowledge levels and more positive attitudes. This underscores the value of integrating climate and biodiversity topics into university curricula, particularly in regions on the front lines of ecological change.
The authors argue that targeted interventions — including climate change education, institutional support, and policy reform — are essential to closing the knowledge-action gap and advancing biodiversity conservation in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 14 and 15).
The article is published in the International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education by Emerald Insight and is available via DOI: 10.1108/IJSHE-10-2025-1309.
