Climate change literacy encompasses being aware of both climate change and its anthropogenic cause, and thus underpins informed mitigation and adaptation responses. However, climate change literacy rates and their predictors remain poorly understood across the Global South. Here analysis of Africa’s largest representative public opinion survey shows climate change literacy ranges from 23 to 66% of the population across 33 countries, with larger variation at subnational scales (for example, 5–71% among states in Nigeria). Strong positive predictors of climate change literacy are education and mobility, but poverty decreases climate change literacy, and country-level climate change literacy rates are, on average, 12.8% lower for women than men. Perceived drought experiences and historical trends in precipitation are also important predictors. These results highlight where interventions can target specific regions and demographics to increase climate change literacy and help ensure that responses are informed by better understanding of current and future climate change.

气候变化素养包括了解气候变化及其人为原因，从而支持知情的缓解和适应反应。然而，全球南方对气候变化的识字率及其预测因素仍然知之甚少。此处对非洲最大的代表性民意调查的分析显示，气候变化知识覆盖 33 个国家的人口的 23% 至 66%，在次国家级范围内差异较大（例如，尼日利亚各州之间为 5% 至 71%）。气候变化素养的强有力的积极预测因素是教育和流动性，但贫困会降低气候变化素养，国家一级的气候变化素养平均比男性低 12.8%。感知的干旱经历和降水的历史趋势也是重要的预测因素。