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Chapter 6 Climate education for the public

the environment in all directions - beneath their feet lies thick ice layers, some areas already
showing visible cracks with frigid seawater trickling through. On the ice field, occasional
sightings of polar bears reveal emaciated figures painstakingly foraging on diminishing ice
sheets. Their habitats continuously shrink due to glacial melting, as original hunting grounds
become submerged, forcing them to migrate long distances in search of new territories. The
scene vividly portrays polar bears struggling helplessly on drifting ice floes. Through such
realistic simulation, users gain direct and profound understanding of how global warming
accelerates ice melt, causes severe damage to Arctic ecosystems, and precipitates survival
crises for species like polar bears.
In addition to natural ecological scenarios, VR technology can also simulate the impact
of climate change on human life. For example, by constructing a virtual coastal urban scenar-
io, users can witness continuously rising sea levels gradually flooding city streets, buildings,
and infrastructure within the environment. Residents in the city panic amidst the floodwaters
while rescue personnel urgently conduct relief operations. Simultaneously, violent storms
and torrential rain uproot trees across the city, topple billboards, and damage power facilities
and communication lines, plunging the entire metropolis into chaos. Through this immersive
experience, users can gain a profound understanding of the tremendous societal impacts
caused by climate change-induced extreme weather events.
VR technology, with its unique immersive experience, significantly enhances users’ in-
terest in learning climate science knowledge, making the popularization process more vivid
and leaving a profound impression. However, VR technology also faces multiple challenges
in climate science education applications. First, the relatively high cost of VR equipment -
a professional VR setup may cost thousands of yuan or more - creates a significant financial
barrier for average users, severely limiting large-scale adoption in science outreach. Second,
there’s currently a shortage of VR content specifically designed for climate science educa-
tion. Developing high-quality VR educational scenarios requires substantial investment in
funding and professional technical expertise. Every aspect from scene modeling and program
development to sound design demands meticulous work by specialized teams, coupled with
lengthy development cycles, which restricts both the diversity and update frequency of VR
educational content.

II. Customized Climate Education Content for Different Target Groups

In the climate education system, tailoring educational content based on the audience’s
age, profession, and educational level is the core strategy to effectively enhance educational
relevance and effectiveness. Audiences of different age groups exhibit significant differences
in cognitive development stages, interests, and comprehension abilities, necessitating precise
adaptation in educational content design. For children, who are at a stage of intense curiosity
about the world with rapidly developing cognition but limited understanding, climate educa-
tion should prioritize vivid, engaging, and easily comprehensible approaches to spark their

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