Striking the Balance – An 11-16 Curriculum and Assessment review has been published by OCR. Here’s a digital version of the report; a PDF version is available here. The authors would appreciate feedback c/o #StrikingTheBalance.
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The Francis Review – There are now two articles posted in NAEE’s series of commentary on the review of the national curriculum – the Francis Review. They can be found here and here. A new article will be posted this week.
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Learning Outdoors – The Learning Outdoors Toolkit: Online training for busy educators includes six modules covering the benefits of outdoor learning to subject-based lesson ideas and ideas on how to use your outside space.
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Climate Justice – A new Young Friends of the Earth Scotland booklet introduces the core principles of climate justice, exploring the causes of the climate crisis, how it intersects with other injustices, and how tackling the issues from the root is the best way to make change for a better world.
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Essential Primary Experiences – Eating ice lollies, making noise and planting vegetables are amongst many essential primary science lessons identified in recommendations stemming from a report from the Primary Curriculum Advisory Group (PCAG). You can read more about it here in a The Conversation article by Catherine Heinemeyer, Natalie Quatermass, and Olalekan Adekola from York St John University.
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eePRO Network News – Click below to catch up on the latest stories from NAEE’s eePRO network. In particular watch for Navigating the Intersection of Mining and Freshwater: Insights from a Freshwater Conservation Externship by 2020 EE 30 Under 30 member Musa Kondeh, and Engaging the Bocas del Toro Community in Climate Change Action Through Aquatic Sports by 2023 CEE-Change Fellow Holly Hummel.
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Case Studies – UNESCO has a new survey, with the aim of creating case studies and insights on innovative practices in Greening within Higher Education Institutions and beyond. Details here.
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Amazon Deforestation – The rate of deforestation in the Amazon is at its lowest level since 2016, with satellite data showing close to a 50% drop compared to previous years. While much remains to be done to end the destruction, this represents remarkable progress, driven mostly by new policies under President Lula, who aims to end deforestation entirely by 2030. The Associated Press has details.
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Free the Beavers – In a major policy shift, the Wildlife Trusts are advocating for unrestricted releases of beavers into English and Welsh ecosystems, citing significant environmental benefits that free-living populations bring, including flood mitigation and habitat enhancement. Despite beavers being legally recognized as a native species in 2022, the Trusts argue that bureaucratic delays have hindered their full reintroduction, with existing controlled, enclosed releases limiting their broader ecological impact.
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Tree of the Year 2024 – The Woodland Trust would like help in determining the 2024 tree of the year. There are 12 oaks on the shortlist.
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Earth Overshoot Day – After increasing almost every year for decades, the global annual overshoot date has stabilised, suggesting that we may well have reached a turning point in overconsumption. Overshoot days occur when demand for ecological resources and services in a year exceeds what the planet can regenerate that year. Details here.
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The Jazamiti App – This app is enabling Kenyans to plant trees based on their ecological zones. It’s part of the country’s mission to restore over 30% of its tree cover by 2032 to fight the impact of climate change. As of July 2024, more than 241 million trees had already been planted. There are more details here.
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Inclusive Wealth – Writing in The Conservation, Eoin McLaughlin, University College Cork, Cristián Ducoing, Lund University, and Nicholas Hanley, University of Glasgow, explore the idea of the ‘inclusive wealth’ metric as a replacement for GDP. They report that the two leading institutional supporters of inclusive wealth – UNEP and World Bank – can’t agree on how it should be measured.
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Ghost in the Wood – Britain’s rarest orchid has been spotted for first time in 15 years.
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Baku Calling – ECIU has a focus on COP29 and what to expect at the next UN climate summit in November, in Azerbaijan.