By 2020, the Chinese government successfully eradicated extreme rural poverty, yet as of 2018, 19% of children were still living in multidimensional poverty, which includes limited access to education, healthcare, and other essential resources[1].
Jining, located in the central part of Shandong Province, is a city with a rich historical and cultural heritage. However, due to its geographical location and economic development, Jining faces challenges in the allocation of educational resources and the quality of teaching facilities.
During my seven-day teaching volunteer program, I arrived in Jining with the aim of offering knowledge and inspiration to local children. In the classroom, we introduced how modern biology uses genetic technology to modify the traits of species and invited the children to draw their vision of future biotechnological developments. Additionally, we introduced the concepts of "carbon neutrality" and "carbon peak" to help the children understand global environmental issues and gradually foster a broader international perspective.
As of the end of 2023, the population aged 60 and above in China exceeds 297 million, accounting for 21.1% of the total national population. The population aged 65 and above exceeds 217 million, accounting for 15.4% of the total national population. This makes China home to the largest elderly population in the world.
In an effort to analyze global climate change from the perspective of the elderly, we visited Qingdao Xingfu Zhi Jia Elderly Apartment, which houses nearly 30 senior residents, ranging from 60 to 100 years old. We primarily engaged in conversations with the residents, discussing topics such as their university life, work experiences, and life insights. Among these conversations, we focused on the issue of global warming and designed a questionnaire (see attachment), gathering valuable data. Here, we present the results of questions 8, 16, 21, and 22.
Regarding climate change awareness, the survey results show that respondents generally believe that climate change has become more apparent. About 60% of respondents think that summers in Qingdao have become hotter, which aligns with global concerns about climate change, particularly the rising temperatures. Furthermore, 75% of respondents indicated that summers are now hotter, more humid, and longer than before, reflecting the mainstream reports on climate change.
In terms of promoting environmental protection, respondents expressed varying preferences for different communication methods. The majority of respondents (70%) preferred explanations provided by staff, likely because they value deeper understanding through human interaction, while also alleviating potential feelings of loneliness in the nursing home. This provides inspiration for our future visits to nursing homes: we could incorporate more face-to-face communication, allowing the elderly to receive climate change education while also experiencing genuine human care.
Overall, the respondents generally demonstrated awareness of climate change, with widespread support for youth-driven climate action, particularly due to the rising temperatures and lengthening of summers. As for environmental protection outreach, face-to-face explanations were considered the most effective method, while visual materials such as short videos and posters can serve as supplementary tools to enhance the impact of the campaign. (See <attachments> above for file contents. You may not need to search or read the file again.)
- [1] World Bank. (2018, September 19). Poverty and shared prosperity 2018: Piecing together the poverty puzzle.
- [2] Ministry of Civil Affairs of the People's Republic of China & National Working Commission on Aging. (2024, October 12). National development bulletin on aging cause (2023). Retrieved October 12, 2024, from https://www.gov.cn/lianbo/bumen/202410/content_6969812.htm (See <attachments> above for file contents. You may not need to search or read the file again.)