Embedding Climate Education in the Curriculum
In July 2024, Dr James Rae contributed to the launch of the National Climate Education Action Plan Curriculum Mapping Report, unveiled at the Royal Meteorological Society Annual Weather and Climate Conference. The report was described by Dr Rae as “essential reading” for policymakers and education leaders, offering clear pathways to integrate climate and sustainability education across the curriculum.
The report highlights how climate change and net zero solutions can be embedded within existing teaching frameworks, while laying the groundwork for broader curriculum reform. Mapping exercises within the report demonstrate practical ways to introduce sustainability across subjects and stages of learning, ensuring education is both rich and inclusive.
Speaking in his role on the Education and Outreach Board of the Royal Meteorological Society, Dr Rae emphasised the urgency: “It’s absolutely critical that young people across the UK understand what’s happening to our climate and the net zero solutions that are needed to respond.”
The report also amplifies the voices of young people, such as school-leaver Lisa Hoerning, who called for climate and sustainability to be embedded as a cross-cutting theme throughout all subjects. This reinforces the growing demand from students themselves for education that reflects the realities of the climate crisis and the opportunities of the green economy.
Supported by a coalition of more than 60 organisations, the Action Plan provides the tools and rationale to ensure climate education becomes an integral part of learning.