‘Out into space?’ – Engineering students’ understanding of the carbon cycle and challenges they face while solving atmospheric CO 2 accumulation tasks

This study examines the challenges faced by engineering students in understanding atmospheric CO2 accumulation, a key concept for climate literacy and sustainable engineering. Through qualitative analysis of task-based interviews with third-year engineering-mathematics students from a Swedish university, we identify and categorise cognitive, metacognitive, and affective challenges in conceptualising the carbon cycle and solving CO2 mass balance tasks. Our findings reveal difficulties in integrating formal mathematical training with real-world environmental issues, underscoring the importance of addressing these multidimensional challenges in engineering education. The study highlights the need for pedagogical strategies–for mathematical modelling and climate education–that not only impart cognitive knowledge but also foster metacognitive skills and address affective factors related to climate change and problem-solving. By integrating sustainability-themed real-world problems into curricula, this research advocates for a holistic educational approach, preparing engineers to effectively contribute to climate change mitigation and sustainability efforts.