Cambridge Calls For Global Collaboration On Climate Education

Educators, policymakers and thought leaders are invited to collaborate in developing and delivering climate change education to make learners ready for the world.

CAMBRIDGE, UK, 6 February 2024 – The International Education group of Cambridge University Press & Assessment (Cambridge) today announced that it is advancing its work on climate change education by inviting leaders and educators worldwide to collaborate in developing its programmes. It is working with Cambridge Zero to combine expertise from across the University of Cambridge with the experience of its community of educators, policymakers and thought leaders in 160 countries and 10,000 schools around the world. The aim is now to grow this community to provide young people with the skills and knowledge to thrive in a world impacted by climate change.

Education is recognised as a major strategy to mitigate climate change because it plays a crucial role in equipping current and future generations with the holistic knowledge and skills to address climate-related challenges at local, national, and global levels.

In the first instance, education leaders with an active interest in shaping the direction of teaching, learning and assessment of international climate change education are invited to share their views in several ways:

• by commenting on a new introduction paper to the topic: Ready for the world: empowering learners through climate change education
• by completing a questionnaire about their experience of climate change education in their schools
• by joining free online sessions, hosted by Cambridge, to discuss the topic with other leaders.In Ready for the world: empowering learners through climate change education, Cambridge explains how it is increasingly working to embed climate change education across all ages and across the curriculum – not just in subjects commonly associated with climate change such as geography or science. This multi-disciplinary approach equips learners both with knowledge about climate change, and with the values, attitudes and skills to understand and address climate change.Seeking the views of a broad communityGroup Managing Director for International Education at Cambridge, Rod Smith, said: “Education is an essential tool for combating climate change but its potential is still far from being realised. We want to build a community of educators and leaders to influence the direction of climate change education that will empower current and future generations to respond and be ready for the world.”

  Cambridge’s Global Director for Climate Education, Christine Özden, said: “To achieve its aims, climate change education needs to be high quality, holistic across the curriculum and school ages, and set global issues in a local context. In my role, I’ve spoken to hundreds of students worldwide who are passionate about making a difference, and we want to give them the knowledge and skills to be ready for a world impacted by climate change.”