Green Steel Plus – NAEE’s curriculum resources are now available together on STEM Learning. You’ll find them here.
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Climate Ed in Parliament – Teach the Future’s Climate Education Bill had its first (formal) reading in the House of Commons at the end of January. You can read the Bill’s summary here. Its long title is: ‘A Bill to require matters relating to climate change and sustainability to be integrated throughout the curriculum in primary and secondary schools and included in vocational training courses; and for connected purposes’.
The Second Reading is on March 24th, and you can see who signed the Early Day Motion in support of the Bill here. This reads:
“That this House notes the IPPC’s report released in February 2022 into the now irreversible impacts of climate change, the Government’s aim to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, and the necessity of teaching children about the climate and the world we will inhabit as we move through the 21st century; further notes that one survey found that 42% of pupils felt they had learned little or nothing about the environment at school; acknowledges that teaching about the climate, biodiversity, conservation, and our responsibilities to our environment requires improvement in our education system; understands the vital importance of climate education for our economy, our civil society, and people’s wellbeing in the coming years; and as such calls on the Government to support the Climate Education Bill, which will integrate teaching about climate change and sustainability throughout the curriculum in primary schools and secondary schools, and on vocational courses.”
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DfE Efficiency – The DfE has an energy efficiency guide for schools and colleges. This sets out to support building users, premises managers and senior leadership teams to reduce energy, costs and carbon use. And here are details of their school funding for efficiency.
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Helping Governors help Schools – Waltham Forest Governor Services have a sustainability link lead role description based on the NGA guidance that NAEE collaborated in producing.
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Cwricwlwm Newydd I Gymru – The Welsh government says there are 6 things you might not know about the new Welsh curriculum.
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CORE Econ – A group of economists are promoting the teaching of ‘new economics’. CORE (Curriculum Open-access Resources in Economics) Econ’s vision is that a radically transformed economics education can contribute to a more just, sustainable, and democratic world in which future citizens are empowered by a new economics to understand.
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Climate Awareness – Leicester City Council has set out the carbon awareness resources for carbon training in schools. While there is no formal accreditation, there is up to date information regarding carbon emissions for pupils to expand their knowledge.
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Climate Literacy – The Hive is setting up a Climate Literacy course for educators with an outdoor learning element in it. It will be piloted in the Summer term.
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No Fee – FEE Academy is an online learning platform that offers courses for teachers and students. Courses cover a wide variety of topics, from environmental journalism to pollution, and are offered in several languages.
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39 Steps – Radio 4’s 39 Ways to Save the Planet is still available on BBC Sounds. In partnership with the Royal Geographical Society, the BBC presents ideas to relieve the stress that climate change is exerting on the planet.
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Biodiversity Loss – Butterfly Conservation says that 80% of UK butterflies have declined since the 1970s. A report shows that butterfly species that rely on particular habitats are the worst affected and have seen the most dramatic declines. However, despite the gloomy long-term trends, the report also shows that targeted conservation action does make a significant difference and can save species.
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NAAEE Webinar – In a GEEP webinar you can watch Bill Wescott (BrainOxygen LLC) and Czarina Constantino-Panopio (WWF) discuss the circular economy, sustainable systems, and WWF’s No Plastics in Nature Initiative. The webinar was recorded in December by our friends at NAAEE.
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I-SEE – Forthcoming Institute for Sustainable Energy and the Environment (I-SEE) weebinars at Bath include:
- 21 February: Professor Rob Gross, Director of the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) – ‘Why UK electricity market design is a big deal for hitting net-zero’
- 7 March: Kingsmill Bond, Energy Strategist RMI, Strategic Analysis and Engagement – ‘Peak fossil fuels are behind us and this is the decade of exponential change’
- 18 April: Simon Retallack, Director, Carbon Trust – ‘Where does COP27 leave prospects for Net Zero?’
- 2 May: Professor Deborah Greaves, Director of the Supergen ORE Hub, University of Plymouth – ‘Harnessing the Oceans’ Energy’
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Nature Reverse – The UK Government has unveiled its five year delivery plan to ‘halt and reverse’ the decline in nature. Climate Action has the details.