November 2021 was the month of the UN Climate Change Conference in Glascow (COP26). We share below some sessions, resources and reviews that are relevant to ESD and Climate Educators even after the end of the Conference (article updated, 17/11/2021):

  • The Joint Event of Education and Environment Ministers – Together for Tomorrow: Education and Climate Action: The event brought together Ministers and young people to discuss the importance of education in creating climate positive futures. It was organised by the UK Department for Education, in partnership with Italy, UNESCO, Youth4Climate and Mock COP. Watch the 1.5 hr video. 
  • The Youth4Climate Manifesto was presented at COP26, following the unprecedented Youth4Climate event that saw almost 400 young climate champions present their asks and ambitions to global leaders. Read more.
  • WWF UK together with a consortium of expert organisations have prepared an education pack on climate and citizenship, called  “Our Climate Our Future“.  Included within this pack are all the resources you will need to introduce and reinforce the significance of climate change, COP26 and the role of schools in shaping the future, with customised age-appropriate resources provided for different age groups from 7-16. Read more and download the resources.

  • An open call for teacher insights on climate action: This website contains mini videos with teachers’ insights from classrooms all around the world, empowering their students for Climate Action. It’s a joint initiative from OECD, Education International and UNESCO. Read more. 

  • The interactive Great Big Lesson for Climate and Nature turned COP26 into a classroom for everyone – converting learning into action by equipping audiences not only with knowledge but the ability to communicate about and act upon the climate and nature crisis. The organisers (AimHi Earth) have developed an accompanying resource pack to back up their presentation. Watch the 45 min long video or download the resource pack. 
  • What are countries doing about Climate Change Education?
    • A recent research from Education International shows that despite the urgency of the climate crisis, countries around the world are not prioritising climate education. The research examined the level of ambition on climate education and the extent to which countries prioritise education as a tool for climate action. Results are dismal, with countries failing across the board. Read more on the Research findings.
    • A similar finding was pointed also within a condense report published by UNESCO earlier in 2021. The survey conducted in 100 countries revealed that only half the education sector plans or national curriculum documents make any reference to climate change. And when climate change was mentioned, the focus on it was almost always very low. Find the UNESCO report here.
  • A guide on Climate Jargon: You’ve probably been seeing a lot of jargon used around climate change e.g. “mitigation”, “carbon neutral”, “net zero” etc. that might be be overwhelming and confusing. Given that climate reports are often written at a scientific level it is helpful to clarify some of the terms and vocabulary used.  Access the Guide prepared by TED.Ed.