How you can get involved in bringing climate education to life

We Are Living In A Climate Emergency

Carbon emissions must fall by 50% by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050 to limit global heating to 1.5C (IPCC 2022). But countries’ current pledges put us on track for a temperature rise this century by around 2.1C. There are important changes we all need to start making to help meet the UK’s emissions reduction targets. According to a 2022 House of Lords Report, 32% of the reductions needed by 2035 depend on us making lifestyle changes.  

Children Are Concerned About What The Future Will Be Like

A 2024 UCL report showed 87% of school children expressed concern about climate change, and that climate change evoked many negative emotions, particularly sadness, anxiety, guilt and shame. Only 16% agreed that adults are doing enough to look after the environment. The report also showed that by secondary school, 76% agreed that it is important to learn about climate change and sustainability, yet only 46% agreed that they enjoy learning about it. 

Climate Change Is Not On The National Curriculum

Research from Oxfam and YouGov shows that while 69% of teachers feel it should be taught more, 75% feel they haven’t received adequate training to do so. 

There is a role for trusted adults to play in children’s understanding of, and resilience to, climate change. Climate education needs a credible voice on climate change, to show children that adults are taking the subject seriously. And children need the opportunity for an open and enquiring conversation with adults. With such a rapidly changing topic where misinformation is rife, it is important that children understand about the science of climate change, that they are able to think critically, to debate and to make reasoned arguments. These skills are important throughout school and later in life and feed into the citizenship aspects of the national curriculum.

Climate Ed deliver a carbon literacy programme for Year 5 and 6 children that inspires them to take action in their homes and communities. We are unique in delivering our programme through our trained volunteer network of committed climate advocates who live in the local area and have a connection to the school and the pupils.  The volunteers bring subject expertise and real world experience from their related fields of work or study. They bring a personal commitment and community connection, and they inspire the children on this topical issue and spark their curiosity in finding solutions.

Our education programme consists of five one-hour workshops combining drama, knowledge sharing, conversation and games and is offered free of charge to schools. By the end of the programme, children commit to taking climate action with their family or in their community. 

The programme incorporates techniques that draw on recommendations from the Royal College of Psychiatrists for averting eco anxiety:

• Listen to children and take their feelings seriously. 
• Support them to take action to feel more in control, hopeful and resilient. 
• Work out your family’s carbon footprint and ways to reduce it.
• Remind your child that there are lots of people working on solutions that will make the world happier, healthier and safer.

What’s In It For Volunteers?

How can you get involved?
Volunteers love giving their time to Climate Ed because it’s a special and memorable way of engaging with the next generation on an issue that will affect us all. By signing up as a volunteer you’ll be helping the next generation take action on climate change and we can guarantee that you’ll have a fun, stimulating, unpredictable, laughter-filled experience that will teach you a huge amount both about climate change and about yourself.

Climate Ed is welcoming schools and volunteers who would like to receive or deliver our programme. We currently run our programme in London, Oxford and Birmingham. If you would like to get involved please contact:

For more information, please visit www.climateednet

If you would like to get involved please contact:

• • London, Ben Cuddon – contact@climateed.net
  • Birmingham/West Midlands, Josh Marchant – Birmingham@climateed.net
  • Oxford, Claire Gilbert – clairelouisegilbert@gmail.com