Educators' Imperative for Environmental and Climate Action in Schools

While these crises were and continue to be stressful and devastating in so many ways, they have also brought to the forefront a disruptive shift to the status quo that has been building momentum - the shift towards a more environmentally sustainable and socially just paradigm. This shift is happening both in public perception, and in the practices and operations in a majority of sectors; for example: government, business and industry, higher education, faith, and more. It is a shift that the United Nations refers to as the "Decade of Action" - or a reinvention of life as we know it  - with the intended outcome to thrust humanity into a  more sustainable paradigm by 2030.

The K-12 Education System is at the start of taking part in this shift, but needs to act more swiftly to institutionalize policies and practices that model a sustainable and resilient paradigm shift. By making this shift, K-12 schools have the opportunity to serve as a catalyst for accelerating transformative change within communities, minimize ongoing disruptions to learning from climate-related disasters, and provide equitable access to safe and healthy spaces for children, youth, and adults to learn and play. 

For children and youth, opinions around climate change and the need for action run high. In 2019, a Washington Post and Kaiser-Family Foundation poll found in 2019 that most American teenagers feel afraid and angry about climate change, and that at least one in four teens are taking action about it.  According to a survey of 10,000 young people across 10 countries released in September 20201 by academics at Stanford, Oxford, and the University of Bath, and more, almost half of young people (45%) say their feelings about climate change negatively impact their daily lives. More than three in four young people (77%) say the future is frightening with regard to climate change. Youth around the world have rallied together to demand action in powerful demonstrations as part of the Youth Climate Movement. 

Momentum has been building at the local and regional scale for action that is at the intersection of environmental and social justice. This call to action is both global and local, with the United Nations leading the way, urging all of humanity to tackle these issues head-on and engage with the 2020s as the “Decade of Action” to end poverty, rescue the planet, and build a peaceful world. Additionally, the COVID-19 crisis has increased the demand for an immediate recovery process that "Builds Back Better" and includes equity, sustainability and resiliency at the core. 

B) The Green Economy - Business and Industry -  There has been a significant amount of leadership for environmental sustainability and climate action from the business sector. This movement is often referred to as the "Green Economy" - learn more about the green economy, check out this resources created by the San Mateo County Office of Education: Green Economy Overview for K-12 educators. Many leaders in this movement are participating in the following networks and initiatives: We Mean Business Coalition; the California Green Business Network, and the Global Reporting Initiative’s GRI Standards. 

C) Higher Education - Leaders in colleges and universities have embraced comprehensive sustainability initiatives in educational institutions; for example The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), California’s public university systems sustainability offices (i.e University of California (UC) Sustainability, and California State University (CSU) Sustainability), and sustainability within community college districts (ex: San Mateo County Community College District).

D) Faith Based Community - Leaders of faith based communities have increased their emphasis on the importance of “caring for creation” and environmental stewardship. For example, Pope Francis wrote the Environmental Encyclical in 2015, which is a call to action for Catholics (and all people) to shift their minds, hearts, and behavior to better align with sustainable practices and environmental justice principles. Additionally, organizations leading the dialogue around the importance of sustainability and faith, include: The Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development, Green Faith, and the Catholic Climate Covenant.  

While the K-12 education system has not prioritized environmental literacy and sustainability in the same ways as the above sectors, there have been policy shifts and programs that have begun this transition. Highlights at the federal and state level are featured below, and to learn more about the history, associated legislation, and related education movements, see Environmental Literacy Overview and History.

During this “Decade of Action”, it is critical that K-12 schools align with government, business, and higher education sectors for a number of reasons:

1.  Exposed Vulnerabilities: The COVID-19 crisis, as well as ongoing climate disasters, have exposed vulnerabilities within the K-12 public education system related to facilities, curriculum, and community engagement. 

2.  Core Purpose Connections: Sustainability and resiliency are now directly connected to the core purposes and operations of a school community.

3.  A Natural Leverage Point for Change: K-12 schools are a major leverage point for cultural and behavioral change in local communities. 

Each of these reasons are detailed below with a call to action for educators to not just reimagine K-12 schools, but also to take immediate action so that they can survive and continue to serve our communities in the long-term. 

In the past few years, The COVID-19 crisis, as well as ongoing climate disasters, have exposed vulnerabilities within the K-12 public education system, such as:  

• Facilities and Operations: Many K-12 schools are not equipped to handle issues such as poor indoor and outdoor air quality, public power shut-offs, high heat days, storm based flooding, sea level rise, or issues related to disease. Because of this, facilities have had significant disruptions to learning, which has contributed to learning loss.

• Curriculum and Instruction: At most schools, curriculum and instruction does not yet include environmental issues and topics such as climate change, nor does it include hands-on experiential project based learning that would prepare students with 21st century skills. 

• Community and Culture: In many K-12 settings, in particular secondary 6-12 programs, school struggle with student engagement. 

Currently, the general purpose and responsibility of K-12 public and private school communities is to prepare children and youth to become productive and good citizens that can fulfill their diverse potentials in college and career. Below are some examples of how the broader purpose of education has been summed up by top agencies in California: 

• California Department of Education (CDE) Mission: To provide a world-class education for all students, from early childhood to adulthood. The CDE serves our state by innovating and collaborating with educators, schools, parents, and community partners, preparing students to live, work, and thrive in a highly connected world.

• California School Board Association: Schools have an obligation to provide all students with the access and opportunities necessary for college, career, and life success.  

As all major sectors make significant shifts towards a sustainable and climate resilient paradigm, these broader goals of K-12 education - “college and career”, "thriving and succeeding in life,” and other commonly used words like "excellence" or "equity” - are now directly connected to sustainable and climate resilient principles and practices. Therefore, educators need to develop a high-level strategic response that will allow them to reinvent K-12 schools and institutionalize policies and practices that model a sustainable and resilient paradigm shift.

“Paradigms” are widely accepted beliefs or concepts that are reinforced through policy and behavior. Shifting paradigms requires tapping into social institution leverage points such as government, family, religion, and education. Because K-12 schools interact with an average of 35-45% of the population on a regular basis, as well as serve as a trusted messenger, they have the potential to be a critical leverage point for change. 

Despite being further behind than other sectors, K-12 schools have an opportunity to jump start their efforts in the early 2020s and serve as a catalyst for accelerating transformative change within communities. By doing this, K-12 schools will not only be hubs for sustainable and climate-resiliency in each community, but they will also minimize ongoing disruptions to learning from climate-related disasters, and provide equitable access to safe and healthy spaces for children, youth, and adults to learn and play.

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