Increase awareness of climate solutions and climate justice through education
Boost climate change education and awareness raising so that everyone can become better informed about how to respond to risks, responsibilities or opportunities. Scotland should become a climate literate nation by investing in and promoting Global Citizenship Education within the curriculum framework of Learning for Sustainability, and broader public awareness raising.
Scotland’s children and young people have an entitlement to Learning for Sustainability (LfS) within the Curriculum for Excellence, and it is also embedded within the GTCS Professional Standards. LfS is a combination unique to Scotland of sustainable development education, global citizenship education and outdoor learning. Global Citizenship Education (GCE) provides a framework for educators to connect the Scottish curriculum to real-world issues that young people care about. Topics like climate justice, gender equality, anti-racist education and rights can be explored through a Global Citizenship lens, allowing young people to understand and care about what happens locally and globally but also recognise their role and responsibility in bringing about lasting change.
The Scottish Government Target 2030 Action Plan for Learning for Sustainability sets targets for schools to become Sustainable Learning Settings by 2030 through action across curriculum, culture, community and campus. Delivering this action plan could help us achieve success in many other areas of climate action.
To support the delivery of this action plan, there needs to be recognition of the important role played by the Development Education Centres as well as a commitment to their continued funding – on a minimum 3-year cycle – to support and deliver crucial Continued Professional Learning for teachers on Global Citizenship Education. High quality professional learning around Global Citizenship Education supporting transformative approaches needs to be accessible and available to all teachers and time needs to be given to teachers to engage with these pedagogical approaches.
As well as formal education, climate change literacy needs to be built into lifelong learning and community learning opportunities. Individuals, communities, businesses and the public sector can achieve carbon solutions literacy through training opportunities such as the RSGS Climate Solutions course, accredited Climate Emergency Training delivered by Keep Scotland Beautiful (the strategic partner in Scotland for the Carbon Literacy Project), with training adaptable to suit the different needs of sectors and audiences, or through introductory training.
Businesses can also put in place organisation-wide environmental management systems and take part in award schemes such as the National Award for Environmental Excellence which recognises environmental and carbon management best practice as well as maintenance, waste management and community engagement. Having an environmentally engaged workforce is vital in helping to meet new regulations or targets, and customer expectations as Scotland strives to become a net-zero nation.
Climate education and climate action have many co-benefits which include: improved understanding of wider climate impact on issues such as justice; improvements to human health and wellbeing; increasing focus and action on nature and biodiversity restoration; and, understanding of sustainability and circular principles.
For further information:
Climate Solutions, Royal Scottish Geographical Society, https://www.rsgs.org/climate-solutions
Local Government Manifesto, Keep Scotland Beautiful, 2022, https://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/media/1568968/keep-scotland-beautiful-manifesto-asks-2022.pdf
KSB Climate Emergency Training,
https://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/climate-change/climate-change/climate-emergency-training/
KSB Environmental Services,
https://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/environmental-services/
Exploring Climate Justice: A human rights-based approach, Ideas for Global Action, 2021, https://www.ideas-forum.org.uk/climate-justice-education
See also the policy “Boosting Business Participation in Climate Action” in the Business and Industry chapter.
