UNESCO Report On Climate Education In School Curriculum

UNESCO Report: The report highlights nations that have made significant progress in climate change education. Climate change is part of the Italian curriculum, and students are taught to adopt environmentally friendly behaviours and make personal choices.

According to the UNESCO Global Education Monitoring (GEM) study, climate change is not yet fully incorporated into the educational system, with just 50% of nations emphasising the issue in their national-level legislation, policies, or teaching plans.

GEM's mission

The GEM team produced Profiles Enhancing Education Reviews (PEER) on the eve of the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow. PEER aims to describe laws and policies of nations on major education issues to increase the evidence base on the execution of national education initiatives.

According to the GEM study, countries include climate change in their curriculum.

"Only 75 per cent of countries cover climate change subjects in their national curriculum framework, while only 40 per cent of them have education laws that cover climate change. At least 45 per cent of countries include the subject in their education sector plans and strategies," according to the report.

"References are mainly found at primary and secondary education levels (90 per cent). Fewer countries have frameworks to support climate change education in technical and vocational education and training systems (TVET), higher education (70 per cent) and teacher training education (55 per cent)," it added.

The study highlights nations that have made significant progress in climate change education."In Italy, climate change is included in the curriculum, and students are encouraged to assume ecologically sustainable behaviours and personal choices."

Climate change education will be required in all Italian schools starting in 2020 as part of civics education. "Indonesia updated its National Curriculum Framework in 2013 which includes climate as a core competence as part of the attitudes, skills, and knowledge that students should achieve."

In schools, there will be events to raise awareness about climate change.

"The Ministry of Education and Culture also organises climate change events, such as the regular Climate Change Education Forum and Expo, which focuses on climate change education topics and provides networking spaces for schools and educators," the report said.

Colombia's Ministry of Education has been given a crucial role in Climate Change Education (CCE) and has created a solid legislative and regulatory framework on the subject, according to the report.

"It adopted a National Climate Change Policy in 2017, which sets out five strategies addressing information dissemination on science and technology, education, training, and public awareness and climate change management planning and financing. The policy includes objectives to mainstream climate change into the formal education system," it said.

The importance of education in raising climate change awareness.

"Education is a critical tool to help populations understand and address the impacts of climate change and to encourage changes in attitudes and behaviour to support more sustainable lifestyles and develop new skills and knowledge. Climate change education can enhance the resilience of vulnerable groups and communities with mitigation and adaptation strategies, especially in low-income countries, that risk being disproportionately affected by these changing conditions," the report added.