The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and targets, adopted globally at the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit in 2015 is a commitment by countries towards sustainability action. The SDGs target all three dimensions of sustainability and sustainable development, namely, the environmental, economic and social dimension. The SDG 4 focuses ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning for all. SDG 13 focuses on the importance of taking urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. This includes efforts to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, adapt to the effects of climate change, enhance resilience to climate-related hazards. SDG 13.3 specifically focuses on education, awareness and capacity building on climate change to achieve the targets.
India’s National Education Policy 2020 has emphasized that environmental sustainability and climate change be integrated into school and higher education curricula. Understanding the science of climate change, impacts, and learning ways to adapt and mitigate these can be enabling from the young age. This knowledge is essential for making informed decisions and learning skills for critical thinking, systems thinking, problem solving and innovation for climate action. By encouraging student action at individual and collective levels, young people see themselves as a part of the problem-solving process and not passive observers. Schools and higher education institutions can inculcate values and attitudes encouraging sustainable lifestyles among the students. Climate literacy is at the base of climate action as any action will require understanding and knowledge of climate and its social and economic impacts, and how these impacts will be different for different geographies and socio-economic entities. Solutions therefore, will require to be tailored to the context of the problems. Climate literacy prepares the learners to be able to make these distinctions and seek answers to the issues at hand.
Communities in general also require to be climate literate to build resilience and adaptive capacities, and make informed choices, and follow sustainable practices. Increasing instances of disasters such as floods and droughts have increased vulnerability of communities that be affected by such instances. The communities require to have the knowledge and skills to build resilient systems to support their health, education, livelihoods and homes. Not just to deal with the disasters, but to make choices in terms of crops, conserving water, use of energy, managing waste, conserving biodiversity, health, and having governance and policies to support all of this, especially those vulnerable, such as women, the elderly and children. Climate literacy is also important for farmers to adopt sustainable technologies, including innovating on traditional, cost-saving measures, slum-dwellers to adopt cool-roofs using reflective paint to deal with excessive heat and such local action taken using an informed approach. Climate literacy promotes sustainable practices and behaviours, leading to more environmentally responsible living.
Climate literacy is also important to dispel myths and incorrect information about climate change. There are questions about is climate change really happening? Global warming causes the Ozone hole, and so on. A climate literate person will recognize credible information about climate change and know where to find it.
Learning by Doing – Youth Can Take Action!
Youth can take leadership roles in fostering climate literacy and influencing change in society. There are several examples of what climate literate youth are able to do. Some of these include:
* Influencing policy at local and global levels through action research, participating in local governance, and developing policy briefs to share the youth perspective globally.
* Participation in and formation of climate awareness and action cohorts and groups
* Leading innovative campaigns to raise awareness, share good practices, and involve communities in climate action. Conducting scientific research, innovating in technology, and pursuing entrepreneurial endeavours.
* Communicating and sharing information on climate science, action, good practices etc. using digital media, and other methods that work in particular contexts.
The SDGs have been thoughtfully crafted with a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of the environmental, social and economic aspects of the triple planetary crises of pollution, biodiversity loss and climate change. That education would need to play a critical role in achieving the Agenda 2030 is acknowledged not just by having a dedicated SDG 4 focusing on education, but also including education into the targets to be achieved as a part of various SDGs. These look at holistic, inclusive and rights-based approach to sustainable development. Climate literacy, therefore, would help individuals develop knowledge, skills and values enabling them to recognize these nuances and make just choices for sustainable lifestyles.
Take the Next Step: Learn Climate Science, Lead Climate Action
To complement this vision of empowering individuals through climate literacy, the Centre for Environment Education (CEE) has launched an innovative self-paced e-course: “Learn Climate Science, Lead Climate Action.”
This course is designed for students, educators, professionals, and environmentally conscious citizens. It builds a foundational understanding of climate science, explores societal impacts, and provides real-world strategies for mitigation, adaptation, and resilience. Through engaging modules, it also connects learners to global climate policies and emphasizes the role of individuals and communities in addressing climate change.
Key Features:
* Understand climate change causes, effects, and regional variations
* Activity-based, real-world learning approach
* Explore international and national climate policy frameworks (UNFCCC, IPCC, Paris Agreement)
* Emphasis on practical action, innovation, and community engagement
* Suitable for all learners—no prior background needed
With modules covering climate science, societal impacts, ecosystem vulnerabilities, individual action, and policy frameworks, the course enables learners to become climate-literate and climate-active.
Let us not just learn about climate change; let us learn to act.
References:
* UNESCO, 2023. Seeds of Change, Education to Address Climate Change, State of the Education Report for India, New Delhi
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