Surveys of teachers by climate education campaign group Teach the Future showed that 9 out of 10 teachers agree that climate change should be compulsory in schools, yet only 3 out of 10 feel equipped to teach it. Through their Mock COP Declaration, young people around the world are demanding up-to-date teaching on environmental impacts being seen globally and ways to build resilience.
The Summit is being held in partnership with the Office for Climate Education, Royal Meteorological Society, Met Office, EAUC and Ashden . COP26 President Alok Sharma will also attend the event.
Professor Robert Van de Noort, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Reading, said: “Climate education has been identified as crucial to helping everyone in society believe in and make necessary changes and face the future with confidence.
“Many groups and individuals already do good work in this area, but we must bring together experts across all areas of climate education if we are to genuinely address the issue. We hope the Summit can help deliver much-needed action and resources that make an immediate difference.”
Recent reports by Climate Assembly UK and the UK Climate Change Committee state that climate education for all will be a crucial part of plans to adapt to and mitigate its impacts.
The University is therefore working with partners to pinpoint actions that can be taken to improve climate education, to equip young people with the knowledge they need to face a challenging future with confidence. The Climate Education Summit will focus on ways to reach school pupils and children aged 8 to 18.
The Summit will include keynote plenary sessions open to all, and roundtable discussions with invited guests, with the aim of identifying how change can be made, and challenges that can be overcome together.
The intention is that the lessons learnt from the Summit reach COP26, and that any partnerships and initiatives are rolled out and replicated widely to support as many schools as possible.
The Summit organisers are keen to hear from anyone with a view on what is needed from climate education, or questions for those involved. These can be submitted at www.reading.ac.uk/planet/climate-education/summit
“Given that knowledge is power, education is clearly the key to global climate change. Through education, this summit will be empowering future generations to make an informed and meaningful difference to the world in which we live. The teachers we train and work with are key to this work.”
Professor Carol Fuller, Head of the Institute of Education at the University of Reading
The intention is that the lessons learnt from the Summit reach COP26, and that any partnerships and initiatives are rolled out and replicated widely to support as many schools as possible.
The Summit organisers are keen to hear from anyone with a view on what is needed from climate education, or questions for those involved. These can be submitted at www.reading.ac.uk/planet/climate-education/summit
