• Natural Sciences -> Ecology and environment

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Are current environmental education programs addressing the urgency of climate change?

Dariana Shiel

Well, from my perspective, current environmental education programs are attempting to address the urgency of climate change, but there is still a long way to go. In recent years, more and more schools and organizations have added climate change as part of their curriculum, but the question remains: are they doing enough?

One of the biggest challenges we face is that there are still many people who deny the existence of climate change. Unfortunately, this group of people tend to be the most powerful and have the ability to influence policy decisions that impact the environment. It is difficult to address the urgency of climate change when we can't even agree that it exists.

For those who do acknowledge the existence of climate change, there is still confusion about what actions need to be taken. Many environmental education programs provide basic information about climate change, but do not necessarily touch on the details of what it takes to make an impact. Personally, I would like to see more programs that offer specific ideas for how individuals and communities can reduce their carbon footprint and make a difference.

Another challenge that environmental education programs face is that they are often viewed as an added expense rather than a necessity. In times of budget cuts, environmental programs are often the first to be eliminated. This is a shame because we need more education, not less, as we navigate through the challenges of climate change.

Despite these challenges, there are some fantastic organizations out there that are working hard to provide meaningful environmental education. One of my favorites is the Climate Reality Project founded by former Vice President, Al Gore. They offer training programs to become a Climate Reality Leader which provides the background and tools necessary to be an activist working on climate change awareness.

In summary, there are certainly environmental education programs out there working to address the urgency of climate change. However, there is a lot of work yet to be done. It is up to us as individuals to take what we learn and turn it into action and up to organizations to make these programs available to everyone, regardless of their political affiliation and economic situation. Climate change is real, but fortunately we have the capability to combat it, we just need to start.