Giving Compass' Take:
- As the realities of climate change become more severe, educators have the opportunity to teach young people about climate change and environmental literacy.
- How might education help teachers and students cope with eco-anxiety?
- Read more about supporting educators who are teaching climate change.
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“A ‘Code Red’ for Humanity.”
That’s how the New York Times chose to title its podcast summary of the recent United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report. Other outlets were similarly grim. “Climate Change is Real, and it’s Permanent,” blared the Washington Post, while the Guardian focused on the “Possible Loss of Several Countries Within the Century.”
My professional focus is on environmental sustainability and climate resiliency in K-12 schools, but, to be honest, those headlines made me want to run the other direction. So it took me a few days to sit down and get into the weeds. When I did, my emotions began to spiral. I felt overwhelmed from fear, guilt, and anxiety as I thought about my kids and their future. I felt waves of outrage at decision makers who for decades have ignored indigenous knowledge, and have prioritized short-term gains over long-term sustainability. And then every so often, little pangs of grit, determination, and stubborn optimism shone through.
The thing that has kept my optimism alive is knowing that there is a growing movement in education to prioritize environmental and climate literacy, as well as sustainability and climate resiliency. Across the country (and world) more and more educators are engaging with this movement and helping students navigate the complex realities of the environmental and climate crisis.
Yet the vast majority of educators feel overwhelmed or even confused about the realities of climate change, and how to fit this into an already long list of priorities and activities. Other educators express guilt that they are not doing enough, and many are concerned about the increase in “eco-anxiety” (or climate despair) in children and youth. And it’s clear that most educational leaders are not yet part of the climate leadership landscape—not to mention that the environment and climate change are left almost entirely out of all teacher and administrative credential preparation programs.
Read the full article about teaching climate change by Andra Yeghoian at EdSurge.