DfE Snapshot – The DfE’s latest Climate in Education Snapshot is now available. It says that the DfE’s Climate Change and Sustainability Unit has been very busy, and that the Chief Sustainability Officer, Jonathan Dewsbury has taken up a new role as Director of Capital Operations and Net Zero. Features in this edition include:
- National Education Nature Park and Climate
- The National Education Nature Park and Climate Action awards
- The Hidden Nature Challenge
- Youth Focal Points
- The University of Reading’s ITE Framework
- The International Green Skills Conference
- The Bristol Education Partnership
- Useful Information
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Investing in Children’ Futures – The Liberal Democrats have revealed their plans for education with 23 education policies approved at the annual party conference. These policies set out the party’s core education offer to the electorate. There is no mention of environmental education, climate education or the sustainable development goals.
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Sustainable Learning Settings – Scotland has refreshed its Learning for Sustainability Action Plan (2023-2030). This aims to “build an inspiring movement for change so every 3 to 18 place of education becomes a sustainable learning setting by 2030.” In two recent events, teachers and youth workers discussed what this means for them, their settings and the learners they work with. Click on the links to hear keynote inputs from Education Scotland outlining what this means for these key groups involved in making the ambitions of the Plan a reality.
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Robotics, Law and Pottery – Schooling at 11-16 needs an overhaul for the real world says the midwife of the National Curriculum. In an article for The Times, Kenneth Baker said “Eight recent reports by leading educational experts and politicians have all condemned the 11-16 curriculum and GCSEs as not fit for purpose. Each report has been rejected by the Department for Education.” Baker said that reducing the number of GCSEs studied would “allow schools to introduce courses on climate change, computing, economics, psychology, the world perspective of history and geography, robotics, anthropology, the history of money and of southeast Asia, an introduction to law and to art history, and in art, pottery and printmaking.”
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Children’s Rights – During its 93rd session in May 2023, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child adopted its general comment No. 26 on children’s rights and the environment, with a special focus on climate change.
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New Guidance – NAAEE is developing a new set of guidelines focused on climate change education and climate justice. These are being designed to serve a broad range of individuals and organizations interested in using education, in its different forms and in varying settings—classroom teachers, museum educators, community educators, university instructors, career and technical education teachers, etc.—as a tool for working with communities to find just climate solutions. When fully developed, they will become part of NAAEE’s Guidelines for Excellence series. Although North American in focus, they still might be of interest. If you would like to provide input, please complete the following Reviewer Sign-Up form by October 27th.
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Half Time – 2023 represents halfway to the achievement of the Global Goals. The World’s Largest Lesson has a Halftime Talk to reflect on the first half of the Global Goals (2015 – 2023), and help students to strategies and take action for the second half (to 2030).
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Don’t be Doomy – Professor Jim Skea, the recently elected chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, has said using doom-laden language could lead people to believe that the prospects for cutting emissions were hopeless. The Better Society Network quotes him saying that obsessing over the Paris Agreement target of 1.5*C could result in the opposite result to that intended: “If you constantly communicate the message that we are all doomed to extinction, then that paralyses people and prevents them from taking the necessary steps to get a grip on climate change.”
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Green Declaration – The G20 met in New Delhi in September. The Leaders’ Declaration outlines a Green Development Pact for a Sustainable Future, including efforts to mainstream Lifestyles for Sustainable Development, design a circular economy world, and implement clean, sustainable, just, affordable, and inclusive energy transitions.
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NàdarAlba – Stoats were first seen in Orkney in 2010 and since then the population has become established. They are now widely distributed throughout Mainland Orkney, Burray and South Ronaldsay, and pose a very serious threat to Orkney’s unique wildlife. As a result, stoats are being exterminated on Orkney to protect other wildlife. Details here.
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The 10% Solution – The Government has confirmed that there has been a two-month delay in implementing the introduction of the mandate to deliver 10% biodiversity net gain on all sites, contained in the 2021 Environment Act. Originally planned for November, they will now come into force in January 2024. 10% seems a small increase.
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Bee Kits – Friends of the Earth says that of the UK’s 26 bumblebee species, 2 are extinct and 6-8 more species have seen major declines. Bee Saver Kits, including wildflower seeds and a bee identifier, are available from it for a donation of your choosing.
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Heading South – The Woodland Trust says did you know that ospreys can fly over 400 kilometres in one day when they migrate? Or that chicks don’t learn to fish until they leave the nest and migrate. The Trust has a blog exploring where ospreys go for Winter sun.