NAEE has a new Facebook page. Please check it out and contribute to it. We’d obviously like you to Like and Follow it. ∫∫∫
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Teach the Future has a post with an update on what its proposed English Climate Emergency Education Bill, and Scottish Climate and Biodiversity Emergency Bill are setting out to do. Their rationale for why a climate education bill is needed is that current and future generations of students are growing up in a world shaped by the climate crisis and ecological emergency. As a consequence, young people need to be taught about this so that they are prepared to mitigate, abate, and end the climate emergency and ecological crisis. Thus, students must be equipped with the skills to live and lead sustainably so they can limit the climate and ecological breakdown as much as possible and create a more just and sustainable future.
The English Bill calls for:
- All education providers to teach the truth about the climate and ecological emergency;
- Teachers and lecturers to be retrained to do so;
- Help for educators in supporting pupils suffering from eco-anxiety;
- Increased outdoor education for students;
- Funding for youth-led climate and environmental social action and youth voice;
- Creation of more green vocational training;
- Retrofitting of all educational buildings to net-zero emissions by 2030. ∫∫∫
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OCR says that more than two thousand people and organisations took part in its consultation on creating a GCSE in Natural History. The background is that OCR was approached by naturalist Mary Colwell, who has been spearheading a campaign to address the gap in natural history content in education for a number of years. OCR worked with Colwell, The Natural History Museum, the Eden Project and others, to develop a proposal for the qualification. The launch of the consultation was on June 4th. See also #GCSENaturalHistory. Jill Duffy, OCR’s Chief Executive said: “We think there’s a gap in the curriculum that isn’t encouraging a connection with the natural world. At the same time, we know that young people are very much engaged in the debate on the environment and they understand what their role should be and could be in protecting it for the future.” ∫∫∫
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GEO is a new standalone website created by the GA specifically for GCSE and A level geography students. GEO’s purpose is to provide engaging and high-quality geography support for students, many of whom face ongoing disruption to their learning as a result of COVID-19. Through the GEO website, students will be able to access live online sessions with fieldwork tutors, live academic lectures and interactive subject content, free of charge. A sample of the content is available here . ∫∫∫
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The GA International Special Interest Group has put together a new secondary teaching resource to coincide with the recent Refugee Week focus on refugees in Uganda and the Bidibidi refugee camp. You can think more about the topic of migration using this teaching resource on migration and refugees ∫∫∫
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This year’s Sea Watch National Whale and Dolphin Watch takes place from Saturday 25th July to Sunday 2nd August, and members of the public are asked to help. Sea Watch says that collecting data about our resident cetaceans has never been more important as rising sea surface temperatures and anthropogenic activities have been impacting marine species in the British waters for many years now. The most recent human lockdowns most certainly have had an effect on marine species, which is also worth investigating. The team at Sea Watch will offer online training and advice on how to take part. Sponsors have also donated prizes for people who participate in the NWDW watches. You can go to seawatchfoundation.org.uk/nwdw for details, or contact nwdw@seawatchfoundation.org.uk . ∫∫∫
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Chemists! Did you know that there is blue hydrogen and green hydrogen? The blue version is generated from fossil fuels, and the green version comes entirely from renewable sources. Both sources have a future in our energy mix according to an article in Climate Action which describes a proposed chemical plant on the Humber. ∫∫∫
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Click here to see how the Lock Arkaig osprey are getting on. All three of young osprey have fledged but they still use the nest as their base to prepare for their migration at the end of August. You can see
The names come from the public who could choose from four options: Dame Vera Lynn, Captain Tom Moore and Doddie Weir; Ally, Bally and Bee; Thor, Freya and Loki; or Hagrid, Boudica and Merlin. The choice was not without controversy. ∫∫∫
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A University of California survey of around 1,000 environmental education and outdoor science organisations that work with school-age students shows that 63% are uncertain whether they will ever open again, if pandemic restrictions continue to the end of 2020. These organizations are nature centers and preschools, parks, zoos, aquariums, museums and residential outdoor science schools. This spring, had it not been for COVID-19, they would have worked with four million students across the United States. The report estimates that, by December 2020, an estimated 11 million students will have missed out on these experiences. It’s not clear whether the UK is in a better or worse position. ∫∫∫
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Spring into Action contains lots of resources including these:
- Amnesty International highlights five inspirational young women of colour fighting climate change around the world.
- Soil 101 (2.5 min) by the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation introduces its importance.
- The Nasa Climate Kids resource explores Why carbon is important? ∫∫∫
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Global Action Plan’s Transform our World initiative – working with the London Schools Eco-Network and other educators – is organising a virtual Youth Climate Summit to take place in November to show that climate change has not been forgotten. Full dates, timings and details will be announced soon. Just click the link above to see how you can participate. More details at #YouthClimateSummit2020 and #YCS2020. See also: twitter.com/tiptonje/status/1276153398459596800 and twitter.com/TransformSDG/status/1276162318804680717 ∫∫∫
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Communicate 2020, the UK’s annual environmental communication conference will be on line. It brings together a diverse group of professionals to develop skills, share best practice and debate latest issues in science communication, nature conservation and engaging people with the natural world. You can follow preparations for the November event here. An individual conference pass will cost £25. ∫∫∫