Education for Environmental Literacy: Insights into Adolescent Behaviour in Urban Ethiopia and the Developing World

Abstract This study investigates the environmental literacy (EL) and pro-environmental behaviours of urban adolescents in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with a focus on the role of education in shaping their environmental awareness, attitudes, and actions. The research aims to assess students’ knowledge of global and local environmental issues, their attitudinal orientations (biocentric vs. anthropocentric), and their self-reported pro-environmental behaviours. A cross-sectional survey of 403 secondary school students was conducted using structured questionnaires. The findings reveal moderate awareness of global environmental issues like climate change, but a limited understanding of local ecological solutions. While many students expressed positive attitudes toward nature, a significant value-action gap was identified, with environmental awareness and concern not consistently translating into sustainable practices. The study highlights the need for more context-specific, experiential, and community-based educational interventions to bridge this gap. By integrating emotional, cognitive, and ethical dimensions of EL into curricula, the study suggests that educators and policymakers can better equip youth to address environmental challenges. The findings emphasise the urgency of reforming environmental education to foster a generation of environmentally responsible citizens in developing urban contexts.