Climate change education

Benjamin Franklin once wrote: "An investment in knowledge pays the best interest". In environmental matters, and more particularly, in anything related to climate change, UNESCO endorses this view. For UNESCO, education, especially when focused on children and young people, is a key factor in helping to curb climate change. Specifically, it says that "education... encourages changes in young people's attitudes and behaviour and helps them to adapt to climate change-related trends".

The importance of environmental literacy

In the past few years, various initiatives have been launched to try to curb climate change. Prominent among them are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) promoted by the United Nations (UN) since 2012. One of them, number 13, is entitled Climate Action.

The success of these kinds of initiatives is largely dependent on environmental literacy drives among populations that are often strangers to these major political agreements, and on the development of a culture of care for the climate. But what exactly do we mean by environmental literacy? Educating citizens, especially children, and raising their awareness regarding the causes and consequences of climate change.

In fact the UN, as part of its commitment to education on climate change, says that “it is just as important to make progress in areas such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions and formulating effective government policies as it is to provide education and training to raise awareness in as wide an audience as possible”.

Environmental literacy not only helps people understand the challenges associated with climate change, but also enables them to interpret sustainability-related information critically. In a context characterised by an abundance of data and the rapid advancement of technology, having a basic understanding of energy, natural resources and emissions helps people make more informed decisions, both in their daily lives and in their role as consumers. 

Understanding these concepts is becoming increasingly important in a world undergoing a profound energy transition. The expansion of renewable energy, the electrification of the economy, the development of sustainable mobility solutions and improvements in energy efficiency all require citizens who can understand these changes and play an active role in them. In this sense, environmental literacy is an essential tool for supporting a sustainable and inclusive transition. 

What do students learn through climate education?

Green skills for the jobs of the future

Climate education not only helps young people understand today's environmental challenges, but it also prepares them for the career opportunities emerging in an increasingly sustainable economy. The energy transition, the transformation of production models and the need to adapt to climate change are driving demand for new professional profiles linked to sustainability and innovation. 

In this context, developing green skills is essential. These skills combine environmental knowledge with technical, social and digital capabilities that enable people to respond to the challenges of a rapidly changing world. They include:

• STEM skills (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). These disciplines provide the foundations for developing solutions related to renewable energy, energy efficiency, resource management and emissions reduction.  

• Knowledge of green jobs. Climate education helps students identify career opportunities in sectors such as clean energy, the circular economy, sustainable mobility, energy-efficient construction and biodiversity conservation.  

• Digital skills. The use of technologies such as data analytics, artificial intelligence and environmental monitoring tools will become increasingly important in designing sustainable solutions and managing resources efficiently.  

• Systems thinking. Understanding the relationship between natural, economic and social systems enables people to analyse environmental challenges from a broader perspective and identify more effective solutions.  

• Innovation and environmental problem-solving. The ability to generate new ideas, work collaboratively and develop creative solutions will be essential in addressing challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss and resource scarcity. 

Promoting these skills from an early age helps prepare citizens to take part in the transition to a low-carbon economy while equipping future professionals with the capabilities needed to meet the demands of tomorrow's labour market.

Developing a culture of caring for the environment

As well as familiarisation with and use of the vocabulary. Experts are increasingly stressing the importance of educating children on environmental matters and developing a culture of caring for the climate. For example, a review of studies carried out by researchers at Stanford University analysed more than one hundred studies on environmental education involving students at different stages of education. It concluded that these programmes can improve environmental knowledge, strengthen attitudes towards sustainability and increase students' ability to contribute to solutions for environmental challenges. 

Beyond acquiring knowledge, environmental education also helps develop critical thinking, analytical skills and responsible decision-making. By understanding how their everyday actions affect the environment, students can adopt more sustainable habits relating to energy consumption, mobility, food and waste management. In this way, schools become a key setting for developing citizens who are committed to sustainability and prepared to play an active role in addressing the environmental challenges of their time. 

How do we bring environmental education into schools? As well as making environmental education a compulsory subject, as some countries such as Italy have done, there are many practical activities that help students understand climate challenges and take part in developing solutions. 

These include projects such as measuring a school's energy consumption to identify opportunities for improving efficiency, calculating the carbon footprint of a class or the school itself, workshops on renewable energy, activities promoting water and resource conservation, and designing initiatives to reduce the emissions associated with students' everyday activities.

Other initiatives include creating local climate risk maps to help students understand the impacts of climate change in their own communities, sustainable mobility challenges that encourage more efficient travel and activities that analyse news and digital content to help students identify environmental misinformation and distinguish reliable sources. 

In addition, there are many digital resources available, such as the EducaClima platform, which provides teachers with free educational materials on environmental topics — including climate change, responsible consumption, energy and sustainable mobility — that they can use in the classroom with their students.

 SEE INFOGRAPHIC: Educational keys to tackling climate change [PDF]