Statement on Climate Change and Education

For the remainder of the 21st century and beyond, climate change poses an existential threat to humanity.

Decisions on how to tackle the effects of climate change, however, need to be based on sound science and rational judgement. They will also need to be made through the coming years – so it is the younger generation, currently in schools and learning about science, who will need to make those decisions.

The Paris Climate Agreement (UN, 2015) recognizes this by stating that “Parties should take measures ... to enhance climate change education” (Paris Agreement, Art.12).

Unfortunately, in many countries, science education is often poor and does not develop the rational thinking or provide the inter-disciplinary study required to learn about climate change. IAP and its member academies have a strong track record in trying to improve science education by promoting inquiry-based science education (IBSE) through its Science Education Programme, which has been active since 2003.

Now, the member academies of IAP for Science have come together to endorse a ‘Statement on Climate Change and Education’ that lays out a series of recommendations on how effective climate change education can be promoted in schools around the world, including by using the periodic Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) ‘Assessment Reports’ and accompanying ‘Summaries for Policy Makers’ as the basis for producing ‘Resources & Tools for Teachers’.

The IAP for Science ‘Statement on Climate Change and Education’ will be released on 11 December in Paris, France, at the One Planet Summit, being held under the auspices of the President of France, Emmanuel Macron.

Working group co-chairs
Pierre Léna and Marie-Lise Chanin (Académie des sciences, France)
Working group members
Jorge Osvaldo, Gorodner (Academia Nacional de Medicina,  Argentina) 
Norma Sbarbati Nudelman (National Academy of Exact, Physical  and Natural Sciences, Argentina) 
Denis Goodrum (Australian Academy of Science) 
Zahurul Karim (Bangladesh Academy of Sciences) 
Michael Codjo Boko (Benin National Academy of Sciences, Arts  and Letters) 
Paulo Artaxo (Brazilian Academy of Sciences) 
Hannu Sakari Salmi (Council of Finnish Academies, Finland) 
Friedhelm von Blanckenburg (Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of  Sciences and Humanities, Germany) 
Pradeep Mujumdar (IndianNational Science Academy) 
Yousef Sobouti (Academy of Sciences of I.R. Iran) 
Ray McGrath (Royal Irish Academy, Ireland) 
Katrin Schroeder (Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, Italy) 
Mohamed Ait Kadi (Hassan II Academy of Science and Technology,  Morocco) 
Henry Hooghiemstra (Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and  Sciences, KNAW) 
Carla Gonzales Arimborgo (National Academy of Sciences of  Peru) 
Jose Machare Ordonez (National Academy of Sciences of Peru) 
Rodel D. Lasco (National Academy of Science and Technology, the  Philippines) 
Stuart John Piketh (Academy of Science of South Africa) 
Kyung-Ja Ha (Korean Academy of Science and Technology, South  Korea) 
W.L. Sumathipala (National Academy of Sciences of Sri Lanka) 
Izzet Ozturk (Turkish Academy of Sciences, TUBA) 
Richard B. Alley (National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and  Medicine, USA) 
Roberta M. Johnson (National Academy of Sciences, Engineering  and Medicine, USA) 
Cathryn A. Manduca (National Academy of Sciences, Engineering  and Medicine, USA) 
Pamela A. Matson (National Academy of Sciences, Engineering  and Medicine, USA) 
Alicia Villamizar (Venezuelan Academy for Physical, Mathematical  and Natural Sciences) 
Peter Wilderer (European Academy of Science and Arts) 
Abdul Hamid Zakri (Islamic World Academy of Sciences) 
John Scales Avery (World Academy of Art and Science)