COP26 Summit: Fight against climate change put at the 'heart of education'

Making the announcement at the COP26 Summit today, the education secretary Nadhim Zahawi will set out plans to empower children and young people to take action on the environment, ensuring a ‘better, safer, greener world for future generations’.

COP26 is the 2021 United Nations Climate Change conference, which is being held in Glasgow between 31 October and 12 November.

As part of the education secretary’s plans, children will be encouraged to get involved in the natural world by increasing biodiversity in the grounds of their nursery, school or college by taking steps such as installing bird feeders.

Other measures include:

• A pilot of ‘Energy Pods in schools which provide net-zero heating and hot water, replacing gas and coal boilers.
• The launch of a new virtual National Education Nature Park, where children can track their progress in increasing biodiversity in their school against others in the country, increasing their knowledge of different species and develop skills in biodiversity mapping.
• A range of support to help teachers deliver ‘world-leading’ climate education.
• A model science curriculum – being put in place by 2023, to teach children about nature and their impact on the world around them.
• The introduction of a new Climate Award in recognition of children’s work to improve their environment, with a national award ceremony held every year. Similar to the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme, there will be different levels for pupils to progress through, bronze silver and gold.

The measures, brought together in a draft sustainability and climate change strategy, will be built on over the next six months in collaboration with young people, educators, sustainability experts and environmentalists before the final publication of the strategy in April 2022.   

Today’s announcement comes as part of the Department for Education’s commitment to help meet the Government’s target of reducing emissions by 78 per cent by 2035 and reaching net zero by 2050. 

Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi said, ‘We want to deliver a better, safer, greener world for future generations of young people and education is one of our key weapons in the fight against climate change. Empowering teachers in every school to deliver world-leading climate change education will not only raise awareness and understanding of the problem, but also equips young people with the skills and knowledge to build a sustainable future.’

The Early Years Alliance welcomed the announcement.

Chief executive Neil Leitch said, ‘We firmly believe that children and young people should be at the heart of tackling climate change and improving the sustainability of our planet.

"There is no doubt that the early years has a crucial role to play in ensuring that the next generation has a strong sense of social and environmental responsibility, and we know that many nurseries, pre-schools and childminders are already leading the way when it comes to climate and sustainability education.’

The National Education Union (NEU) however said it wanted to work with the DfE on the plans to ensure they are ‘supportive of schools and not something that is an extra burden on overworked headteachers or their school budgets.’

Joint general secretary Kevin Courtney commented, ‘We want to work with DfE on plans for a well-funded and resourced programme of works which is supportive of schools.

'One area not so far mentioned in the DfE’s plans - travel to school by students - is currently very carbon intensive and this has to be addressed by joint working between the education and transport departments.’

Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA), said, 'We welcome the Secretary of State’s announcement today putting climate change at the heart of education.

'Nurseries across the UK and their practitioners already do an awful lot of work with children encouraging them to respect and care for nature, understanding the importance of recycling and learning about the environment they live in.

'It’s so important for our youngest members of society to learn how to care for our planet and grow into responsible adults.'