NEU conference passes motion on Combating Climate Breakdown in School and Beyond

Commenting on the passing of motion 25 at the National Education Union’s Annual Conference, which is being held virtually, Dr Mary Bousted, Joint General Secretary of the National Education Union, said:

“The impact of climate change is already upon us. Across the globe we see the devastation taking hold of people's lives and the environment: from melting ice caps to droughts and increased risk of fires, hurricanes and flooding.

“The Government should recognise the power of education in the fight against climate change and ensure that the school curriculum addresses the climate emergency, the effects of climate change and what we can do to mitigate it. For many educators, this will be a challenge, and they will need training in how to teach about these topics.

“The Government must also be pressed to take its climate commitments and targets seriously. The run up to November's UN Conference in Glasgow provides an opportunity to build pressure on the Government, and the NEU intends to do this in partnership with others.

“The UK needs a workforce able to help achieve these targets and make us a world leader in sustainable technologies. Vocational courses should include the green skills needed to achieve this. Responding to the climate crisis by ‘greening the economy’ can open the gateway for hundreds of thousands of green jobs.”