State of Climate Education in Europe and South Asia by Shreya K.C.

1. 5/31/23
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● UNESCO Global Action Programme (GAP)
launched at the World Conference on
Education for Sustainable Development
beyond 2019
● Developed draft framework entitled
“Education for Sustainable Development:
Towards Achieving the SDGs (ESD for
2030)”
● All countries in the Europe have
designated a national Action for Climate
Empowerment (ACE) Focal Point
Context
Source: Global Environmental
Education Partnership Asia-
Pacific Regional Center
Source: UNESCO and UNFCCC
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Climate
education
in Portugal
Portugal's Political Constitution assigns
responsibilities to State for environmental
education and the promotion of environmental
values.
Portugal has implemented different education
initiatives aimed at addressing climate change and its
associated challenges:
1. The Roadmap for Carbon Neutrality 2050
2) The National Strategy for Citizenship Education
(2017)
3) The curricular document Framework of
Environmental Education for Sustainability (2018)
4) The National Environmental Education Strategy
(2020)
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1. Climate change worries
students and they want to
know more about it. But it is
lagging.
2. Many face confusions and
misconceptions, evidencing
low levels of climate literacy.
3. Abundance of complex and
inaccurate information.
Children’s Perception of
climate change in North-
Eastern Portugal
Source: Ramos R, Rodrigues
MJ, Rodrigues I. 2023; 13(1):6.
https://doi.org/10.3390/soc130
10006
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2. 5/31/23
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1. The Ministry for Ecological Transistion
(MITECO) implements a national
climate change curriculum in public
primary and secondary schools.
2. Curriculum includes climate change
education within the subjects of
Geology, Geography and Ethics etc.
3. Spain’s role as host of COP25
prompted to the creation of Action
Plan for Environmental Education for
Sustainability (PAEAS).
Climate education
in Spain
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Climate
education
in Finland
● Included in both basic education and upper
secondary education.
● The most recent curriculum expands the
multidisciplinary approach of climate change
education to include subjects like language
studies, natural sciences, philosophy, and ethics.
● Two models, the "bicycle model" and the
"problem-centered process model," assist
teachers in planning climate change-related
teaching.
● Teachers are supported by models that facilitate
planning and integration of climate change
education into their teaching practices.
Source: Finnish National Agency for Education
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Climate
education
across
Europe
1. The teaching of climate change should extend beyond
science classes, as it is a multifaceted subject lending
itself to critical thinking.
2. Rather than evoking disengagement or negative
responses, education can foster and create involvement
by emphasizing hope and utilizing narrative and
storytelling techniques.
3. The school curriculum is inadequate in addressing
climate change and expresses a need for additional
training and support to effectively teach the topic.
Source: School Education Gateway, a part of Erasmus
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The current education system is giving a
dangerous message to young people that climate
change is something that only students of
environmental science should be concerned about.
The current education system is giving a
dangerous message to young people that climate
change is something that only students of
environmental science should be concerned about.
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3. 5/31/23
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agriculture
science
forestry
natural
resource
management
EnvironmenT
scienceand
environment
management
46.37% of the student
studies Management
17.19% of the students
studies Education
Credit: University Grants Commision, 2018/19
Distribution of Students
8.38% of the students
studies Science and
Technology
6.57% of the students
studies Engineering
Rural
Development
engineering
Higher Education course that includes climate
change, sustainability and environment in some way
Development
studies
Context of Nepal
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Credit: Rising to the Challenge; Youth Perspectives on
Climate Change and Education in Nepal
Survey response for Nepal
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Credit: Rising to the Challenge; Youth Perspectives on
Climate Change and Education in Nepal
Survey response for South Asia
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recommendations fromtheSouth Asian COntext
● Climate change and sustainability should be embedded
like a golden thread across all the curriculum.
● Coordination between the Ministry of Education,
Science and Technology and Ministry of Forest and
Climate Change
● Co-creation with young people and capacity building of
teachers
● Connect with the culture and beliefs of local and
Indigenous Peoples
● Local translations and accessible for all, not just formal but
also informal education system
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4. 5/31/23
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There is no climate justice
without climate education.
#ClimateEducationNOW!!
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