Climate change education in national curricula: why is it so difficult?

Agnieszka Kozlowska @Agnieszka-Kozlowska-10

08 September 2023 2 3K Report

Climate change is one of the most serious challenges humanity has ever faced. To address the problem UN Framework Climate Change Convention was established Climate change education has been a legal obligation of 197 UN climate change convention’s parties for more than 30 years, but in the 2021 UNESCO revision of national curricula from 100 UN countries, nearly 47% of them had no reference to climate change or treated the topic marginally (Getting Every School Climate-Ready: How Countries Are Integrating Climate Change Issues in Education - UNESCO Digital Library, n.d.). Moreover, the UNFCCC reports to IPCC on the countries' progress in the Convention's commitments, usually lacked data appropriate for monitoring climate change education (McKenzie 2021).

The question is why formal education is not used (or: is used rarely) as a tool in efforts to mitigate CC effects?

Bibliography

Getting every school climate-ready: How countries are integrating climate change issues in education—UNESCO Digital Library. (n.d.). Retrieved 9 March 2022, from https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000379591
McKenzie, M. (2021). Climate change education and communication in global review: Tracking progress through national submissions to the UNFCCC Secretariat. Environmental Education Research, 27, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2021.1903838

Gaurav H Tandon

Incorporating climate change education into national curricula can be challenging for a variety of reasons, many of which are rooted in political, social, and logistical factors. Here are some key reasons why it can be difficult:

Political Controversy: Climate change is a highly politicized issue in many countries. Some policymakers may resist including it in curricula due to ideological beliefs or pressure from interest groups that deny or downplay climate change. This can make it difficult to achieve consensus on the importance of climate education.

Vested Interests: Powerful industries, such as fossil fuels and agriculture, may oppose climate education because they fear it could lead to changes in public opinion and policy that could impact their profits or practices.

Curricular Overcrowding: National curricula are already crowded with various subjects and topics. Adding climate change education can be seen as competing with other subjects for limited classroom time.

Teacher Training: To effectively teach climate change, teachers need proper training and resources. Many education systems may not have the capacity or resources to provide this training to educators.

Lack of Standardization: The content and approach to teaching climate change can vary widely. There is often a lack of standardized guidelines or curriculum frameworks, making it difficult for educators to know what and how to teach.

Age-Appropriate Content: Tailoring climate change education to different age groups can be challenging. Younger students may require simplified explanations, while older students may need more in-depth scientific and policy-related content.

Public Opinion: In some regions, there may be resistance from parents and community members who disagree with the inclusion of climate change in education, believing it to be too controversial or not appropriate for their children.

Budget Constraints: Developing and implementing new educational materials and programs can be costly. Budget constraints within education systems can hinder efforts to incorporate climate change education.

Global vs. Local Relevance: Climate change is a global issue, but its impacts and solutions can vary significantly by region. Developing curricula that are both globally relevant and locally specific can be a complex task.

Changing Science: Climate science is continually evolving, and new findings may require updates to educational materials. Keeping curricula up to date can be challenging for educational systems with limited resources.

Despite these challenges, many countries and regions are making efforts to integrate climate change education into their curricula. It often requires a combination of political will, public support, teacher training, curriculum development, and community engagement to successfully address these challenges and promote climate literacy among future generations. Additionally, international organizations and initiatives, such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, can play a role in encouraging and supporting climate education efforts on a global scale.

Ilan Kelman

Some suggestions for overcoming the problems mentioned

1. "Using a Spare-Time University for Disaster Risk Reduction Education", chapter 8 in https://www.routledge.com/Learning-and-Calamities-Practices-Interpretations-Patterns/Egner-Schorch-Voss/p/book/9780415334907

2. Disaster education https://doi.org/10.1080/10382046.2011.619810

3. "Using a Spare Time University for Climate Change Education" https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-10751-1_16

4. Climate change education, chapter 7 in https://www.routledge.com/Disaster-Management-International-Lessons-in-Risk-Reduction-Response/Lopez-Carresi-Fordham-Wisner-Kelman-Gaillard/p/book/9780415717441

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