New climate education plan ‘major step forward’ say Scottish Greens
The Scottish Greens education spokesperson, Ross Greer MSP, has hailed the launch of the Scottish Government’s Learning for Sustainability action plan.
The plan, announced this morning, will see learning about the climate crisis and social justice issues embedded throughout Scotland’s curriculum and wider school experience.
The programme, which has been shaped through engagement with children, young people, teachers and climate campaigners will be phased in from September with a Call to Action for all national bodies and local authorities.
Ahead of the launch Mr Greer joined Cabinet Secretary for Education Jenny Gilruth on a visit to Grove Academy in Broughty Ferry to see the Learning for Sustainability work pupils there are already doing, including a Model UN project where they debated major global issues, the Junk Kouture fashion initiative and the work of the school’s Eco-Committee.
In all of the recent OECD, Muir, and Hayward reviews, and the National Discussion on education, one of the most prominent and consistent points of feedback from young people was a demand to learn more about the climate crisis, how it affects people and what they could do to tackle it.
Mr Greer, who was heavily involved in developing the action plan said:
“Today’s young people will live their entire adult lives in an era defined by the climate emergency. They are demanding that schools equip them with the knowledge and skills needed to understand the scale of the crisis and how they can tackle it, so that is exactly what we’re now doing.
“This action plan is a major step forward. It was designed with a huge amount of input from young people themselves and they will continue to help us drive forward its delivery. I’m proud that with the plan now in place, another Scottish Greens manifesto commitment has been delivered.
“Of course, young people have been equally clear that they don’t expect us to wait for them to tackle this crisis. With just a few years left before our planet reaches its tipping point, we need to be taking bold steps right now to reduce emissions. That’s why the Scottish Greens have delivered free bus travel for under twenty-twos and why, from October, we’re scrapping peak time rail fares as part of our work to get more people to leave their cars behind and choose public transport. We are building that fairer, greener Scotland today.”