Plenary Keynote 6 – The Challenge of Climate Education in Schools
Richard Gilby Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean for Cambridge University Press and Assessment
Introduction
Warm Welcome: Expresses excitement about his first experience in Kenya.
Talk Structure: The presentation is divided into two halves:
First Half: Discusses the complexity of environmental challenges.
Second Half: Focuses on the educational response to these challenges.
Extra Time: Includes a Q&A session and key takeaways, framed humorously as “penalties.”
Historical Perspective on Environmental Concerns
1850s: Fear of coal running out due to the Industrial Revolution.
1860s: Concern about the depletion of whale oil due to over-hunting.
1970s: Anxiety over petroleum running out during the Arab oil crisis.
1980s: Worries about deforestation, acid rain, and the ozone layer.
Lesson: Predicting the future based on current trends is unreliable.
The Role of Educators
Shaping the Future: Educators’ role is to shape the young people who will shape the future.
Lifelong Learning: Educators must be lifelong learners to role model this behavior for students.
Complexity of Challenges: Environmental problems are multifaceted, requiring a deeper understanding and innovative thinking.
Complexity of Environmental Problems
Concrete: Accounts for 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions; crucial for infrastructure, so eliminating it isn’t feasible.
Steel: Significant contributor to CO2 emissions; essential for development, particularly in countries like China.
Ammonia: Vital for modern fertilizers; stopping production would lead to massive global food shortages.
Plastic: Highlighted the vast scale of plastic production, especially by companies like Coca-Cola, which produces 200,000 plastic bottles per minute.
Alternative Energy Sources
Wind Power: Accounts for 29.4% of the UK’s energy, but even this relies on concrete, steel, and carbon-fiber blades, showing the complexity of transitioning to greener energy.
Electric Cars: Highlighted the environmental impact of mining required for battery production, questioning the overall benefit of electric vehicles.
Artificial Intelligence: Mentioned the significant energy consumption by AI data centers, which now surpasses the entire airline industry.
Systems Thinking Approach
Systems Thinking: Emphasized the importance of understanding complex, non-linear systems in education.
Tipping Points: Discussed the concept of tipping points and cascading effects, both negative (like the 2008 financial crisis) and potentially positive.
Educational Initiatives and Programs
Cambridge Global Perspectives: Introduced Cambridge’s Global Perspectives program, which lacks a traditional content list and encourages students to engage with real-world issues.
Sustainability in Curriculum: Highlighted how Cambridge’s science curriculum is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Early Education: Stressed the importance of engaging young children in environmental education through nature-related activities.
Addressing Student Anxiety
Understanding: Educators need to provide students with the understanding they need to reduce anxiety about environmental challenges.
Agency: Students should feel empowered to contribute to solutions, helping reduce feelings of helplessness.
Voice: Encouraged giving students a voice, as conversation and dialogue are forms of action.
Innovation and Hope
Recycling Innovations: Discussed Dr. Cyril Dunnant’s innovation in recycling both steel and concrete simultaneously, reducing the environmental impact.
Tokyo Olympics Example: Mentioned the recycling of electronic devices to create medals for the Olympics as a positive example of environmental innovation.
Tipping Point Cascade: Expressed hope that positive tipping points, driven by education and innovation, could lead to a cascade of beneficial changes for the planet.
Conclusion
Responsibility of Educators: Reiterated the crucial role of educators in shaping the future through their influence on students.
Call to Action: Urged educators to challenge their students with complex, real-world problems to prepare them for the future.
