5 reasons why climate change education should be part of the new curriculum

1. Wales has legally committed to acting in the benefit of future generations with the Wellbeing and Future Generations Act,. Therefore by making climate change education a mandatory element, the New Curriculum Bill would act in line with this prerequisite for new laws.

2. Teaching pupils in school about climate change will naturally help in informing the wider public through their families. A significant proportion of the public are unaware of the severity of climate change, and so any means of informing them is beneficial in gathering support for green policies and tackling climate change.

3. The New Curriculum Bill states that one of its aims is for Welsh pupils to become ‘informed citizens of the world’. This will not be the case if they aren’t taught about climate change and the vast context surrounding it.

4. Speaking of context – there are many aspects other than climate change education that campaigners have called for the government to make mandatory in the new curriculum. Climate education can be incorporated in many of these, making it possible to include all these crucial elements into the curriculum. For example, the disproportionate effects of climate change on minority groups can be incorporated in the mandatory teaching of the History of Black people and People of Colour.

5. As work towards global carbon neutrality targets is geared up, there will be fundamental changes to the way we live and to the world of work. It’s highly likely skills linked to carbon neutrality and green energy will be highly sought after, if not necessary, in the years to come, and so climate education really will be an essential requirement for everyone – today’s children shouldn’t have to play catch up.

With thanks to Teach the Future Campaign for the words.