The climate literacy revolution

Marek Oziewicz

The Ecological Citizen Vol 7 No 1 2024: 16–23 [epub-103]

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First published: 19 December 2023 | PERMANENT URL | DOWNLOAD CITATION IN RIS FORMAT

Abstract

In this article the author shares a vision of transforming education into a force that will accelerate a transition to an ecological civilization. This vision informs the work of the Center for Climate Literacy at the University of Minnesota, which seeks to build a global community of teachers dedicated to implementing universal climate literacy education in their classroom practice. Drawing from scholarship in the environmental humanities, they champion the notion of climate literacy as a broad narrative competence (rather than a narrow science competence) that is available to all from a very early age. They believe that climate literacy can be integrated across all subject areas, at all grade levels, in all schools everywhere. Their pilot programs with math, English, biology, Chinese and social sciences teachers confirm that climate literacy education can be organically seeded, and then scaled up, even within the current education systems – as long as teachers are given the resources, training and support they need.

Keywords

Climate change, Education, Storytelling