The climate-related decisions confronting the world community over the coming decades will require an informed and engaged citizenry as well as an education system that provides the new generation with the knowledge needed to make informed choices about responses to climate change.

The reality is that millions of people have many more immediate concerns such as poverty, and lack of access to even the most basic medical support facilities.

Looking specifically at member states in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), World Bank statistics show the percentage of persons in Brunei and Singapore who live below the poverty line is negligible. The percentage living below that line in Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia is relatively small: 3.8%, 7.8%, 11.3%, and 11.7% respectively.

However, the percentages for the remaining four are markedly higher: Cambodia (20%), Philippines (26.5%), Laos (26%), and Myanmar (32.7%). These four countries represent almost 30% of the people in ASEAN.

Infant mortality, another variable, is used as an indicator of the health and well-being of a nation. The range is large. According to the World Bank for the period 2009-13, the range is from 2 (Singapore) and 7 (Brunei and Malaysia) deaths per 1000 live births, to Philippines (24), Indonesia (26), Cambodia (34), Myanmar (41) and Laos (54).

These are but two of the realities millions of families in ASEAN face on a daily basis. Until there is progress toward solving these immediate life-threatening issues, there is little chance such families will be receptive towards considering and acting on ‘smart energy sources at the household level’, for example.

This paper concludes by comparing academic attainment levels of ASEAN youth in reading (their own language), mathematics, and science. These data suggest the difficulty in making climate change education and communication more effective. 

Keywords: socio-economic indicators, poverty, climate change education, ASEAN