Programme for International Student Assessment 2025: national report for Scotland
This report presents Scotland’s results from the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), examining the performance and experiences of 15 year old pupils and how these compare internationally and over time.
8 Environmental science, attitudes and action
PISA 2025 explored pupils’ environmental knowledge and skills alongside their attitudes towards environmental issues and the actions they take in response to them. As part of the science assessment, pupils completed tasks measuring their ability to apply scientific knowledge and reasoning to environmental issues and challenges. The pupil questionnaire also collected information on their awareness of environmental issues, their belief in their ability to contribute to environmental change, their environmental actions and future aspirations, and the opportunities they have at school to learn about environmental issues.
Together, these measures provide a broader picture of environmental learning and engagement among 15 year olds in Scotland, covering both their demonstrated skills in environmental science and their self-reported attitudes and experiences.
8.1 Performance in environmental science
Scotland achieved a mean score of 493 points in environmental science in PISA 2025. This was significantly higher than the OECD average of 480 points.
Environmental science was introduced as a new component of the PISA science assessment in 2025. It assesses pupils’ ability to apply scientific knowledge and reasoning to environmental issues and challenges. As this is the first PISA cycle in which environmental science has been assessed in this way, comparisons with previous cycles are not available.
8.2 Environmental science performance across the United Kingdom
There was variation in environmental science performance across the four UK nations.
Scotland achieved a mean environmental science score of 493 points, compared with 513 points for the United Kingdom as a whole. Scotland’s performance was significantly lower than England (517 points) and the UK overall, significantly higher than Wales (475 points), and not significantly different from Northern Ireland (489 points).
The pattern was the same for boys and girls.
Among girls, Scotland achieved a mean environmental science score of 494 points. This was significantly lower than England (511 points) and the UK overall (508 points), significantly higher than Wales (478 points), and not significantly different from Northern Ireland (491 points).
Among boys, Scotland achieved a mean environmental science score of 491 points. This was significantly lower than England (522 points) and the UK overall (517 points), significantly higher than Wales (473 points), and not significantly different from Northern Ireland (487 points).
Overall, Scotland’s environmental science performance was significantly lower than England and the UK average, significantly higher than Wales, and not significantly different from Northern Ireland. The same pattern was evident for both boys and girls.
8.3 How Scotland’s environmental science performance compares internationally
Scotland achieved a mean environmental science score of 493 points. This was significantly higher than the OECD average of 480 points.
Scotland’s environmental science performance was significantly lower than nine countries and UK administrations, including Australia, Finland and Ireland; statistically similar to 11 countries and UK administrations, including Austria, Czechia and Poland; and significantly higher than 20 countries and UK administrations, including Denmark, Germany and Israel.
Overall, Scotland performed significantly above the OECD average and significantly higher than around half of the countries and UK administrations shown. However, Scotland remained below a number of the highest-performing education systems.
8.4 International comparisons by sex
The pattern of international comparisons differed somewhat between girls and boys.
Among girls, Scotland achieved a mean environmental science score of 494 points, which was significantly higher than the OECD average for girls (482 points). Scotland’s performance among girls was significantly lower than eight countries and UK administrations, including Japan, Korea and Finland; statistically similar to 15 countries and UK administrations, including Austria, Ireland and France; and significantly higher than 17 countries and UK administrations, including Denmark, Germany and Spain.
Among boys, Scotland achieved a mean environmental science score of 491 points, which was significantly higher than the OECD average for boys (478 points). Scotland’s performance among boys was significantly lower than eight countries and UK administrations, including Japan, Australia and Korea; statistically similar to 11 countries and UK administrations, including Austria, Finland and Germany; and significantly higher than 21 countries and UK administrations, including Spain, Denmark and Lithuania.
Overall, both girls and boys in Scotland performed significantly above the OECD average for their respective groups. For both sexes, Scotland performed below a number of the highest performing education systems, while outperforming a substantial number of participating OECD countries and economies.
8.5 Environmental awareness
PISA 2025 asked pupils how familiar they were with six environmental issues. Pupils rated their familiarity on a four point scale, ranging from having never heard of the issue to being familiar with it and able to explain it well. These measures are based on pupils’ self-reported familiarity and should not be interpreted as an objective assessment of their knowledge.
Overall, pupils in Scotland reported familiarity with several environmental issues. Around a third said they were familiar with and could explain well the effects of plastic pollution (32.3%), the extinction of plants and animals (31.7%) and the consequences of clearing forests for other land use (31.1%). A further 44.7%, 44.8% and 39.5%, respectively, said they knew something about these issues and could explain them.
For nuclear waste, 13.7% of pupils in Scotland said they were familiar with the issue and could explain it well, while 34.6% said they could explain the general issue. For water shortages, 17.7% said they could explain the issue well, compared with 24.9% across the OECD. A further 37.5% of pupils in Scotland said they could explain the general issue, compared with 43.1% across the OECD.
Across most topics, the percentages reported for Scotland and the OECD average were relatively close. The largest differences were for water shortages. In Scotland, 36.4% of pupils had heard of the issue but felt unable to explain what it was really about, compared with 24.3% across the OECD.
| Environmental issue | Country | Never heard of this | Heard about this but could not explain it | Know something and could explain the general issue | Familiar with this and could explain it well |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Increases in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere | Scotland | 10.5% | 28.2% | 37.7% | 23.6% |
| OECD average | 14.8% | 28.1% | 36.0% | 21.2% | |
| Nuclear waste | Scotland | 8.3% | 43.4% | 34.6% | 13.7% |
| OECD average | 13.9% | 40.6% | 33.2% | 12.2% | |
| Consequences of clearing forests for other land use | Scotland | 7.6% | 21.8% | 39.5% | 31.1% |
| OECD average | 9.9% | 22.9% | 41.3% | 25.9% | |
| Extinction of plants and animals | Scotland | 4.6% | 19.0% | 44.8% | 31.7% |
| OECD average | 6.0% | 19.0% | 45.1% | 29.9% | |
| Water shortages | Scotland | 8.4% | 36.4% | 37.5% | 17.7% |
| OECD average | 7.7% | 24.3% | 43.1% | 24.9% | |
| Effects of plastic pollution | Scotland | 4.6% | 18.3% | 44.7% | 32.3% |
| OECD average | 5.8% | 18.1% | 43.5% | 32.6% |
Note: These measures are based on pupils’ self-reported familiarity with each environmental issue and do not represent an objective assessment of their knowledge.
8.6 Belief in capacity to generate environmental change
PISA 2025 asked pupils about the extent to which they believed that they could contribute to positive environmental change, both through their own actions and by working collectively with others.
Overall, most pupils in Scotland expressed confidence that environmental action can make a difference. More than eight in ten (83.1%) agreed or strongly agreed that there were things they could personally do to positively impact the environment, while 84.1% believed that environmental issues could be resolved if people worked together. These proportions were broadly similar to the OECD averages of 81.4% and 82.3%, respectively.
Around two-thirds of pupils (64.6%) agreed or strongly agreed that they knew how to work with others to make a positive impact, compared with 67.6% across the OECD.
Around seven in ten pupils in Scotland (72.6%) agreed or strongly agreed that looking after the global environment was important to them, compared with 75.1% across the OECD. Taken together, the findings suggest that most pupils in Scotland believe that individual and collective action can contribute to environmental change, although fewer feel confident that they know how to work with others to achieve this.
| Statement | Scotland | OECD average |
|---|---|---|
| I know how to work with others to positively impact the environment | 64.6% | 67.6% |
| I know that there are things that I can do to positively impact the environment | 83.1% | 81.4% |
| If people work together, we can resolve environmental issues | 84.1% | 82.3% |
| Looking after the global environment is important to me | 72.6% | 75.1% |
8.7 Belief in collective environmental efficacy
PISA 2025 asked pupils about their belief in the ability of schools and local communities to work together to bring about positive environmental change.
Overall, around three-quarters of pupils in Scotland (76.1%) agreed or strongly agreed that their school and local community could contribute to addressing global environmental issues, such as climate change and habitat restoration. This compares with the OECD average of 69.2%.
For the more specific forms of collective action, 66.5% of pupils believed that working with their local community could play an important role in positively impacting the environment, compared with 72.9% across the OECD. Just over half (54.9%) believed that working with their local community could reduce the use of fossil fuels, compared with 62.6% across the OECD.
Similarly, 62.4% of pupils in Scotland believed that by working with their school they could reduce the school’s energy consumption, compared with 67.9% across the OECD.
Overall, the findings suggest that pupils in Scotland generally believe that schools and communities can contribute to positive environmental change, but are less confident about their capacity to achieve some specific changes, particularly reducing fossil fuel use.
| Statement | Scotland | OECD average |
|---|---|---|
| My school and local community can contribute to positively impacting global environmental issues | 76.1% | 69.2% |
| By working with my local community, we can play an important role in positively impacting the environment | 66.5% | 72.9% |
| By working with my local community, we can reduce the use of fossil fuels | 54.9% | 62.6% |
| By working with my school, we can reduce its energy consumption | 62.4% | 67.9% |
8.8 Environmental action
PISA 2025 asked pupils whether they had taken part in a range of activities intended to have a positive impact on the environment during the previous 12 months. These included participating in environmental marches or rallies, posting about environmental issues on social media, making dietary or purchasing choices based on environmental considerations, and discussing environmental action with friends and family.
Across each of the five measures, the percentage of pupils reporting that they had never participated in these activities was higher in Scotland than the OECD average. Participation in peaceful marches or rallies was particularly uncommon: 89.3% of pupils in Scotland reported never having participated, compared with 77.9% across the OECD. Similarly, 83.8% had never posted concerns about an environmental issue on social media, compared with 77.0% across the OECD.
More than half of pupils in Scotland (57.6%) said they had never made purchases based on the sustainability of products, compared with 45.7% across the OECD. Almost three quarters (73.5%) had never stopped eating certain foods to reduce their environmental impact, compared with 60.3% across the OECD.
Discussing environmental action with friends and family was more common than most of the other activities, although participation remained lower than the OECD average. Just over half of pupils in Scotland (55.2%) reported never having discussed with friends or family how to have a positive impact on the environment, compared with 44.4% across the OECD.
Overall, pupils in Scotland reported participating less often in the specific forms of environmental action measured by PISA 2025 than pupils across the OECD. However, these measures cover only selected environmental activities and do not capture all the ways in which pupils may contribute to environmental protection.
| Environmental activity | Country | Never | Once | A few times | Many times |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Participated in a peaceful march or rally related to an environmental issue | Scotland | 89.3% | 6.6% | 3.4% | 0.7% |
| OECD average | 77.9% | 12.2% | 7.8% | 2.1% | |
| Posted concerns about an environmental issue on social media | Scotland | 83.8% | 7.8% | 6.4% | 1.9% |
| OECD average | 77.0% | 11.7% | 9.1% | 2.2% | |
| Made purchases based on how sustainable products are | Scotland | 57.6% | 13.2% | 23.0% | 6.2% |
| OECD average | 45.7% | 16.9% | 27.7% | 9.7% | |
| Stopped eating certain foods to minimise environmental impacts | Scotland | 73.5% | 9.4% | 12.7% | 4.4% |
| OECD average | 60.3% | 15.1% | 18.2% | 6.4% | |
| Discussed with friends and family how to have a positive impact on the environment | Scotland | 55.2% | 17.0% | 21.0% | 6.8% |
| OECD average | 44.4% | 20.7% | 25.2% | 9.7% |
Note: These measures are based on pupils’ self-reported participation in selected environmental activities and do not provide a comprehensive measure of environmental action.
8.9 Barriers to participation in environmental activities
PISA 2025 asked pupils who reported that they had not participated in any of these five environmental activities during the previous 12 months about some of the reasons that might explain their lack of participation.
Among this group, around four in ten pupils in Scotland (42.8%) agreed or strongly agreed that they did not know how to participate in environmental activities, compared with 40.0% across the OECD. Just over half (52.2%) agreed or strongly agreed that they did not believe their actions would make a difference, compared with 46.5% across the OECD.
Around half of pupils in Scotland (48.6%) agreed or strongly agreed that no one they knew was participating in activities to benefit the environment, compared with the OECD average of 56.1%. A further 44.9% agreed or strongly agreed that someone else would take care of the problem, compared with 49.2% across the OECD.
These findings suggest that, among pupils in Scotland who did not report participating in any of the environmental activities measured, not knowing how to get involved and doubts about whether individual action can make a difference were relatively common barriers. This may indicate that supporting environmental engagement involves not only developing positive attitudes towards the environment, but also ensuring that pupils understand how they can participate and feel that their actions can have an impact.
However, these results should be interpreted with particular caution. The questions were only asked of pupils who reported never participating in any of the five environmental activities measured, meaning the results relate only to this specific group of respondents.
| Reason for not participating | Scotland | OECD average |
|---|---|---|
| I didn’t know how to participate in environment-related activities | 42.8% ‡ | 40.0% |
| No one I knew was participating in activities to benefit the environment | 48.6% ‡ | 56.1% |
| I did not believe my actions would make a difference | 52.2% ‡ | 46.5% |
| Someone else will take care of the problem | 44.9% ‡ | 49.2% |
¹ Results include only pupils who reported ‘Never’ participating in any of the five pro-environmental activities included in the index of pupils’ participation in environment-related activities over the previous 12 months.
‡ No symbol means at least 75% of the target populationwas covered; † means at least 50% but less than 75% was covered; and ‡ means less than 50% was covered.
8.10 Interest in contributing to environmental protection through future jobs
PISA 2025 asked pupils about the extent to which they were interested in contributing to protecting the environment through their future jobs.
Around a third of pupils in Scotland (36.0%) said they were interested to some or a large extent in contributing to environmental protection through their future jobs, compared with 61.6% across the OECD. In particular, 4.1% of pupils in Scotland reported being interested to a large extent, compared with 14.3% across the OECD.
Almost two thirds of pupils in Scotland (64.0%) reported having very little or no interest in contributing to environmental protection through their future jobs, compared with 38.4% across the OECD. Around one in four pupils in Scotland (26.1%) reported no interest at all, compared with an OECD average of 12.6%.
Overall, the percentage of pupils expressing an interest in contributing to environmental protection through their future careers was 36.0% in Scotland, compared with 61.6% across the OECD
| Extent of interest | Scotland | OECD average |
|---|---|---|
| Not at all | 26.1% | 12.6% |
| Very little | 37.9% | 25.8% |
| To some extent | 31.9% | 47.3% |
| To a large extent | 4.1% | 14.3% |
8.11 Opportunities for environmental learning at school
PISA 2025 asked pupils about the opportunities they had at school to learn about environmental issues. These included discussing possible solutions, researching environmental topics, taking part in relevant field trips and being assessed on their environmental knowledge.
Opportunities varied by activity. Around half of pupils in Scotland (49.4%) agreed or strongly agreed that their teacher provided opportunities to research environmental issues, compared with the OECD average of 49.6%. A similar proportion (45.5%) reported being assessed on their environmental knowledge, compared with 46.3% across the OECD.
Around four in ten pupils in Scotland (40.1%) agreed or strongly agreed that their class discussed solutions to environmental issues, compared with 44.2% across the OECD.
Field trips were the least commonly reported opportunity. Fewer than one in five pupils in Scotland (18.6%) agreed or strongly agreed that their teacher took them on field trips to investigate environmental issues, substantially below the OECD average of 31.0%. More than eight in ten pupils in Scotland disagreed or strongly disagreed that these field trips took place.
Overall, the percentages reported for Scotland and the OECD average were very similar for opportunities to research environmental issues and being assessed on environmental knowledge. The percentage reporting opportunities to discuss solutions was 40.1% in Scotland and 44.2% across the OECD, while 18.6% of pupils in Scotland reported being taken on field trips to investigate environmental issues, compared with 31.0% across the OECD.
| Environmental learning opportunity | Scotland | OECD average |
|---|---|---|
| Teacher takes pupils on field trips to investigate environmental issues | 18.6% | 31.0% |
| Class discusses solutions to environmental issues | 40.1% | 44.2% |
| Teacher provides opportunities to research environmental issues | 49.4% | 49.6% |
| Pupils are assessed on their environmental knowledge | 45.5% | 46.3% |
Contact
Email: socialresearch@gov.scot