Climate change awareness and its impacts on biodiversity: undergraduate students’ insights at the University of Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo

Purpose The threat of climate change to biodiversity is well established, yet increased awareness does not always translate into meaningful action. As future leaders and decision-makers, today’s students will play a pivotal role in shaping responses to climate and biodiversity crises. The study aims to evaluate undergraduate students’ awareness of climate change-related biodiversity adaptation and mitigation at the University of Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Design/methodology/approach This study used a cross-sectional design. The study assessed the knowledge, attitudes and practices of 607 students interviewed at the University of Lubumbashi, using descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression. Findings While 57% of students demonstrated positive attitudes and 48% showed good knowledge about climate change, 84% reported low levels of pro-environmental behavior, revealing a significant gap between awareness and action. Students who had taken an environment-related course where climate change impacts were discussed exhibited higher levels of knowledge and more positive attitudes. However, no demographic factor significantly influenced pro-environmental practices. The findings speak directly to broader questions of anticipatory governance and capacity building for sustainable futures in vulnerable regions. Research limitations/implications The use of a cross-sectional survey method inherently limits the study’s ability to assess change over time. This approach provides a snapshot of students’ current awareness regarding the impacts of climate change on biodiversity; however, it does not capture how these variables may evolve with continued education, life experiences or exposure to climate-related events. Originality/value Classroom engagement with climate change issues significantly influences students’ perceptions of ecological risk and their sense of environmental responsibility. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions – such as climate change education, institutional support and policy reforms – to bridge the knowledge-action gap and strengthen efforts toward biodiversity conservation and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 14 and 15).