Getting every school climate-ready: how countries are integrating climate change issuesin education

 Key findings

• Nearly half (47 per cent) of national curriculum frameworks of 100 countries reviewed had no reference to climate change. The rest mentioned climate change in their documents but the depth of inclusion was usually very minimal.

• Currently, the countries most likely to include climate change content are those in regions most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, as opposed to those largely responsible for the emissions causing climate change.

• In a review of the profiles of 20 countries on climate change communication and education, it was found that efforts are mainly focused at the primary and secondary education levels (90 per cent). Fewer countries have frameworks to support climate change education in technical and vocational education and training (70 per cent), higher education (70 per cent), and teacher training education (55 per cent).

• In a recent survey of teachers, nearly 95 per cent of teachers believed that it is important or very important to teach about the severity of climate change and its effects, but fewer than 40 per cent were confident in teaching it and only about one-third felt able to explain well the effects of climate change on their region or locality.

• About 40 per cent of teachers are confident in teaching the cognitive dimensions of climate change but only about one-fifth can explain well how to take action.

• Only 55 per cent of teachers reported that they had received training – either pre-service or in-service – on climate change and sustainable lifestyles, and fewer than 50 per cent reported that their school had an action plan on climate.

• There are some good country examples on climate change education, including good practices of inter-ministerial collaboration among ministries responsible for education and environment and other sustainable development issues, which may inspire others in their future efforts to place climate change at the core of educational content and practice.