Climate Justice in Education

Since late 2019, Teach The Future UK has been fighting and advocating for comprehensive education on the climate crisis and sustainability for all students but when we say this, we want it to go beyond simply the sciences and geography. For a successful education on the climate crisis we need to dig deeper into the social and political implications of climate change - Climate Justice.

But what really is climate justice anyway? Briefly, climate justice is the moral, social and political side of the climate crisis, understanding that certain communities and minorities will face different and more damaging consequences of climate change sooner and harsher than others. Marginalized groups such as people of colour, disabled people, people from lower socio-economic backgrounds and many others will and are facing the harsh consequences of climate change at a much higher level than others. For more information on climate justice please see this blog here.

So what does this look like in Climate education? When we ask for climate education we want the whole reality, and this involves highlighting how we as a country uphold and fuel these inequalities. If we are to tackle the climate crisis we must do so in a way which benefits everyone equally and highlights the experiences of those marginalized groups already facing the harsh consequences of climate change. It is so important for young people to be aware and involved when we address climate change so it is even more important that everyone is aware of the full picture and the inequalities climate change presents and how we perpetuate them. 

This is why we, Teach the Future, demand a comprehensive climate education highlighting climate justice and lifting the voices of those most affected by the climate crisis.