Here is NAEE’s latest round-up of news;
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2024 AGM The Association’s AGM will be taking place online this Thursday November 28th, 1800 to 1930. Members must register attendanceby Tuesday 26th November to receive the zoom link. Please email info@naee.org.uk.
Please also note the new membership form is live at https://naee.org.uk/join-naee/
We’re delighted to have Katharine Burke as guest speaker at the AGM. Katherine is the author of Earthwards: Transformative Ecological Educationpublished by the Hawthorn Press.
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News and in the papers
Cop29
As of Saturday 23rd, the draft for the deal for COP29 remains under threat although the richer countries have just increased their annual financing offer to $300 billion to poorer nations by 2035. The draft agreement ‘calls on’ all countries to work together to scale up funding for developing countries to $1.3 trillion by 2035, however, it is more of a broader aim. Further mitigation targets have not been promising, with counties not having to commit to transitioning away from fossil fuels. However, at this stage, nothing is certain.
NAEE Trustee, Quinn Runkle, who attended COP29 on behalf of SOS-UK, has shared the good news that the UK has committed to include education in its NDC (Nationally Determined Contribution). With less than a third of countries currently having done so, this is a significant and meaningful step by the UK.
Meanwhile, Energy Minister Ed Milliband announced the UK’s commitment to the Universal Youth Clause in the NDC. Notes that UK is the first country to sign up and sees this as an important invitation from government for young people to be involved in shaping policy and strategy for climate action.
The OECD also formally announced the introduction of the new PISA Climate Literacy ranking, which will commence in 2029, alongside Numeracy and Literacy.
How is the world doing in tackling climate change? As COP29 wraps up, the BBC looks at the progress the world has made since COP28. Whilst positive changes have been made, CO2 emissions from fossil fuels are projected to reach a new high in 2024 at 37.4bn tonnes, up 0.8% from 2023. We remain far off our target of 1.5˚C.
At the same time conservation expert warns the ‘The sixth great extinction is happening’ Jane Goodall says that the ‘Window for time to save the climate is closing’ urging that effective action in COP29 is more important now than ever. 
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Published this month, from the author of Braiding Sweetgrass Robin Wall-Kimmerer, the Serviceberry is described by Penguin Books as: ‘an inspiring vision of how to reorient our lives around gratitude, reciprocity and community
As indigenous scientist and author, Robin Wall-Kimmerer harvests serviceberries alongside the birds, she considers the ethic of reciprocity that lies at the heart of the gift economy. How, she asks, can we learn from indigenous wisdom and the plant world to reimagine what we value most?
Our economy is rooted in scarcity, competition, and the hoarding of resources, and we have surrendered our values to a system that actively harms what we love. Meanwhile, the serviceberry’s relationship with the natural world is an embodiment of reciprocity, interconnectedness, and gratitude. The tree distributes its wealth—its abundance of sweet, juicy berries—to meet the needs of its natural community. And this distribution ensures its own survival. The Serviceberry is an antidote to the broken relationships and misguided goals of our times, and a reminder that “hoarding won’t save us, all flourishing is mutual.”
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News about schools, FE, HE and I/TE
UCET Sustainability and Climate Change Education Forum
A final reminder about UCET (Universities’ Council for Teacher Education) who are offering this free event with the aim of supporting teacher educators in implementing sustainability and environmental education in their courses. Hosted at Liverpool Hope University, it takes place on Monday 2nd December 2024, 1:00-4:00pm. Contributions and case studies will be from the Universities of York, Reading, Worcester, UCL, Liverpool Hope, Gloucestershire and Sheffield Hallam. You can reserve your place: here.
The event has been organised to coincide with the Teacher Education for Equity and Sustainability Network (TEESNet) 14th Annual Conference being held at Liverpool Hope University the next day Tuesday 3rd December. All are welcome and tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite here.
And across the pond, for info, Donald Trump’s pick to lead Education is Linda McMahon ‘best known for building the professional wrestling company WWE into a powerhouse alongside her husband.’ Her ambition is to abolish the Department of Education returning that responsibility back to individual states. Trump claims she will increase parental choice. This has implications for environmental learning, particularly in states where creationism is replacing evolution.
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Opportunities and Events
23 Nov – 1 December is National Tree Week – run by the Tree Council to celebrate the start of the annual tree-planting season. Events are being held across the country and are shown on their interactive map.
Communicate 2024: New Connections for Nature, 26, 27 and 28 November
This week: Communicate is the UK’s leading annual conference for environmental communicators running since 2004, bringing together a diverse group of delegates to explore the latest issues in science communication, nature conservation and engaging people with the natural world.
Registration is now open, and you can book your ticket here, but will be closing soon.
On BBC i-player – Can Scientists save the world? A Panorama special on the problems of climate change and whether scientists are able to solve some of them.
FACE – NDC (Facility for Action for Climate Empowerment to Achieve Nationally Determined Contributions) is a UN supported project in Zambia. It aims to provide teachers and students of all ages with the skills and understanding to support a green transition in various sectors of the economy as well as working towards achieving climate change mitigation targets. They are now looking for international Mentors from various countries to support the 50 NGOs and Civil Society Organisations delivering this in Zambia. Mentors will receive training that will help them to expand their own knowledge. This will also expose them to international experiences and the possibility of international partnerships or collaborations. Involvement is free of charge and could just be a one-off session or multiple sessions on different topics.
Anyone interested should contact lorenzo.cintori@fao.org or facendc@fao.org. Lorenzo is based in Italy, but mentors can be in any country.
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Some exciting job opportunities available:
Education Support Assistant – Field Studies Council (Pembrokeshire) (deadline 24th November) – a great opportunity for our readers who are just starting out on their journey into environmental education
Digital Arts Net Zero Manager – University of the Arts London (deadline 28th November)
Head of Higher Education and Field Conservation – Bristol Zoological Society (deadline 29th November)
Course managers – Forestry and Arboriculture; Arboriculture and Ecology – Askham Bryan College (York) (deadline 6th December)
Head of School of Earth and Environment – University of Leeds (deadline 15th December)
For a wide range of further opportunities, do look at:
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And to wrap it up…
Boki the bear recovering well after brain surgery, the two-year old cub is the first brown bear to have brain surgery and is reportedly back to his normal self.
Police track down unlikely shoe thief from Japanese kindergarten – a weasel was caught on security cameras stealing shoes, likely to line its nest for winter.
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Please do share our news round-up with colleagues who might be interested. If someone has shared it with you and you would like to join NAEE to support our work, you can do so here.
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National Association for Environmental Education (UK)
Email: info@naee.org.uk Web: http://naee.org.uk