LAUSR

Abstract The future life-styles and pro-environmental behaviour of today’s younger students will be a cardinal factor in mitigating the severity of projected climate change. In this study, Czech students at upper-primary and secondary-school levels responded to a set of covertly paired statements designed to assess their beliefs concerning the usefulness of actions that might ameliorate global warming and the degree to which they are willing to act. Relations between their beliefs and willingness to act were assessed by means of an index of Potential Effectiveness of Education (PEE). The results show that Czech students are generally sceptical about the usefulness of the actions suggested and are among the less willing, in a wider international context, to participate in actual processes that might ameliorate global warming. However, Czech secondary-school students, particularly females, are significantly more willing to act than upper-primary students. Although relatively high PEE values were observed, Czech students tend to underestimate the role of personal consumption and male students in particular are not willing to take actions that involve no immediate personal benefit. Our results thus emphasize the importance of adjusting school curricula by promoting insight into the topic of global warming, and extending that understanding into practical measures.