Another nationwide climate change strike is planned for tomorrow (15 March) with thousands of pupils expected to leave their classrooms to raise awareness about climate change inaction. One of the demands of the strike is for reform of the education system so that pupils learn more about the ecological crisis in school.
However, as Steve Brace, our Head of Education and Outdoor Learning has highlighted in a piece written for the TES and in an open letter to the Guardian, the statutory geography national curriculum requires pupils to study how the climate has changed from the ice age to the present. In addition, pupils should also understand how both human and physical processes interact to influence and change landscapes, environments and the climate.
By exploring the natural and social sciences, geography provides a unique context for understanding the science behind a changing climate and how societies can both mitigate and adapt to its impacts. Therefore, studying geography already provides the knowledge that is essential for young people to be better informed and understand the complexities of climate change.
You can read the full article and letter on the TES and Guardian websites.
For educational resources that explore climate change within geography, including podcasts and online lectures from leading researchers, take a look at our resources.
Find out more about studying geography.