The Role of Climate Change Education in Shaping Risk Perception, Communication, and Behavior Change: A Study of Saudi Youth

Abstract

This study explores how climate change is perceived, communicated, and addressed across three interconnected domains in Saudi Arabia: media discourse, youth engagement, and postgraduate environmental education. Using a mixed-methods approach, it combines thematic content analysis of Saudi Gazette articles (2021–2025), a structured survey of Saudi youth aged 18–35 (with comparative data from older adults), and document analysis of postgraduate environmental program brochures from leading Saudi universities. The research examines how climate narratives are framed in the media, how environmental education is integrated at the postgraduate level, and how young Saudis perceive, engage with, and respond to climate change. By analyzing these strands together, the study provides critical insight into how national climate ambitions align with youth awareness, generational engagement, and institutional readiness for sustainability transitions.