How has
Lesley Backhouse
scored on climate education?
We want to make sure that the next Parliament’s MPs will take action to improve climate education in schools. Join us as we turn the tables on parliamentary candidates by grading them using our climate education report card.
If yours isn't on the list, we’ll support you to meet with your candidates for the next general election.
Climate Education Report Card
Candidate Name:
Lesley Backhouse
Constituency:
Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy
Party:
Scottish National Party
Date:
26.6.24
Notes:
No notes given.
Question
Score (/5)
Do they support the integration of climate change throughout every subject?
5
Do they support the teaching on solutions for climate change, as well as the causes and impacts?
5
Do they support more training for all teachers around the climate crisis?
5
Do they support more money being spent to upgrade schools so they are carbon neutral?
5
Do they support more green skills being taught in job-related education?
5
Total Score (/25)
25
Candidate's Responses
Do you support the integration of climate change throughout every subject?
Ensuring that the climate crisis is a cross cutting issue across all subjects not only enables more opportunities for these vital issues to be discussed, it also enables teachers to talk about the intersectionality of the climate crisis. Whether that is the disproportionate impact that it has on indigenous and BIPOC communities, or the importance of recognising the role that women play in addressing it and why their voices are crucial to the solutions developed.
Do you support the teaching on solutions for climate change, as well as the causes and impacts?
Part of why I have been involved in local and national politics for so many decades, chose to work for my local community as an Elected Member for Fife Council and hope to be elected as my local MP is because solutions are so important. Young voices can teach us so much and so engaging them and being humble enough to listen and be educated by them in return is a vital part of ensuring that all voices are included in the debate and are part of the decision making process around the steps we should be taking to fight the climate crisis. If we want to teach our young people to be agent of chance and effective leaders, they need to be equipped with the skills to not only analyse problems but to critically consider impacts and to develop outcomes which are evidence based.
Do they support more training for all teachers around the climate crisis?
Absolutely. There is so much misinformation and pseudo science which is bandied about on social media and deliberate fed into the global debate by fossil fuel companies and their apologists. It is vital if teachers are going to be effective in their delivery that they are provided with the best knowledge and science available at the time and that there is regular opportunities for that knowledge to be updated.
Do they support more money being spent to upgrade schools so they are carbon neutral?
Yes and not just in schools but in all public buildings.
Do they support more green skills being taught in job-related education?
Without a doubt. Upskilled and providing development opportunities is a hugely important way of investing in people. Ensuring that people are empowered both in the green knowledge and their green skills helps society become more resilient to the impacts of climate change and supports us in moving progressively towards a future which recognises the value of those skills and knowledge.