Teach the Future: Campaigning for sustainability in the education system

In our latest blog, we look at why the messages from Teach the Future are so important as they campaign for an urgent reform of the education system around the climate emergency and ecological crisis.

“What Teach the Future are campaigning for is an ‘education with hope’, to empower and equip young people with the right tools, giving them hope to face the challenges today and build a sustainable future.”

Martin Baxter, IEMA Chief Policy Advisor

Teach the Future

Teach the Future is a youth-led campaign to urgently repurpose the entire education system around the climate emergency and ecological crisis. There is a growing concern amongst the younger generation that the level of sustainability content taught in core subjects remains low with further concern that teachers and lecturers also lack this knowledge to pass on.

As the professional body for the environment and sustainability sector, we understand the challenges faced by those campaigning for urgent action on climate change. Lack of understanding or education on the subject can lead to barriers in the face of the systemic changes that are needed to make a real difference. We support the work of Teach the Future and believe that educating everyone from an early stage on the issue of climate change will give them the information that they need to prepare them for the future and empower them to use their knowledge to action positive change.

Simone Codrington GradIEMA is an Assistant Sustainability Manager at Willmott Dixon and stated that, “there was very little in the curriculum about climate change, except the odd mention in physics. I think there is room for more of these issues to be included in education from a young age.”

IEMA recognizes the need to support the learning and education of those starting their journey in the environment and sustainability sector and offer support and resources to our student and graduate members

As Teach the Future campaign for the introduction of an English Climate Emergency Education Act and for the climate emergency and ecological crisis to be mandatory in teacher training, we will have the chance to work with a larger group of people who can develop the solutions we need for the future. They will only be able to do this however, if they are given the chance to develop the knowledge and skills in order to meet the biggest challenges they face and create effective change for the future.

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