Schoolchildren demand ‘compulsory’ climate education

Harry Cockburn reports on a new campaign designed to help young people get to grips with the extent of the climate crisis

Schools across nine regions in the UK will take part in a scheme to bring in greater focus on climate science (Getty)

Secondary school children in the UK are among those demanding new mandatory teaching – complete with exams – on climate science.

Ahead of the UN’s Cop26 climate summit in Glasgow in November, a student-led movement running across 20 countries is calling for lessons including up-to-date climate science which reflects the urgency of the crisis.

The campaign, called “Teach the Teacher”, will also see students around the world swap places with their teachers in October in which they will centre “lessons” on climate science.

The campaign group, created by Students Organising for Sustainability UK (SOS-UK) and Mock Cop, said: “Despite the UK government committing to make climate action and adaptation a national priority, climate education is still barely covered in the UK school curriculum.

“The lack of information and solution-based learning is causing escalating levels of anxiety for young people.”

They cited a study published in The Lancet last week, showing nearly half (45 per cent) of young people globally feel climate anxiety negatively affects their daily life. It also found that almost two-thirds (64 per cent) of young people around the world believe governments are not doing enough to protect them from the impacts of the climate crisis.

The study was the largest ever conducted into the effects of the climate crisis on the mental health of young people.

The campaigners said as well as learning about climate science, schools should also help students look at solutions to the problems to help address the rise of “eco-anxiety” among young people.

Aishwarya Puttur from Teach the Teacher said: “Education for all is a human right, and education about a crisis that is currently upon us and will affect each and every one of us is also a right.

“Climate change education should no longer be a privilege but rather something that is available to all.”

She said the teaching should also ensure that marginalised people’s voices are heard and explain how societies can make sustainable changes and take positive action.

Schools across nine regions of the UK are set to take part, working alongside schools in 20 countries, including those particularly at risk from the damaging effects of climate change such as Bangladesh, India and Ecuador.