Across the globe, education systems are beginning to recognize that the climate crisis is not only an environmental challenge but also a societal and economic one. In England, a major review of the national curriculum has put forward ambitious proposals to reshape climate education to equip students with the knowledge and skills they will need in a rapidly evolving world.

The curriculum and assessment review recommends that climate education become a central, cross cutting element of learning. Rather than confining climate topics to isolated science lessons, the recommendations would embed climate and sustainability across core subjects and introduce age appropriate climate content beginning in primary school.

Connecting Classroom to Careers

The backdrop to these proposals is the rapid expansion of the global green economy. As renewable energy deployments, sustainable infrastructure, and climate adaptation sectors scale up, the demand for workers with green skills is rising faster than the supply. Integrating climate education across subjects helps create a pipeline of talent prepared not only for explicitly “green jobs”, but for roles across sectors where sustainability literacy is increasingly essential.

Climate education prepares students for future opportunities in domains projected to grow significantly as nations pursue decarbonization and resilience. Countries that strengthen climate literacy at all levels of education can position their workforce strategically in the emerging global economy, while also enabling young people to navigate climate-related challenges in any career they choose.

Lessons From Argentina and Beyond

Countries around the world are also innovating in how climate and sustainability are integrated into education systems. In Argentina, for example, national policy frameworks like the Comprehensive Environmental Education Law, establish environmental education as a right and require it to be taught across subjects and at all levels, both in schools and through public sector training. Laws like these aim to mainstream environmental literacy and ensure broad understanding of climate change, renewable energy, biodiversity, and sustainability as core civic competencies.

While Argentina’s policies reflect a broader commitment to environmental education across society, other nations, such as Germany and France, are embedding climate learning directly into school curricula, teacher training programs and vocational pathways. Globally, countries are recognising the link between education, climate goals and workforce needs.

Climate Education in National Climate Planning

Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the climate action plans countries submit under the Paris Agreement, are increasingly recognizing the role of education in climate action and workforce development. In the first rounds of NDCs in 2015, only about 40 out of 133 countries referenced climate or environmental education in their climate strategies. Today, that number has grown dramatically, with 152 countries meaningfully including climate education in their updated NDCs as of COP30.

These NDC commitments span curricular inclusion, teacher training, community awareness programs, and connection to workforce development. Some countries explicitly link education to job creation and skills development for just and green transitions, underscoring that climate education is not just a social good but an economic imperative. An example of this is Cambodia’s NDC 3.0 submitted in July 2025, which talks of measuring efforts to “enhance preparedness & capacity building in the energy sector” and specifically “workforce development via climate adaptive design certifications”. This approach equips citizens with the knowledge and skills to thrive in a green economy, benefiting both people and the nation; a true win-win.

Toward a Climate-Ready Generation

As nations revise education policies and climate plans, integrating climate literacy and green  skills training across learning stages is becoming central to preparing young people for the dual challenge of climate impacts and economic transformation. England’s curriculum review highlights that climate education is not peripheral but essential to personal resilience, civic engagement, and economic opportunity in the 21st century.

By aligning climate education with workforce development and national climate commitments, policymakers can help ensure that today’s learners become tomorrow’s innovators, leaders and skilled professionals in a sustainable global economy.

By embedding climate literacy and green skills across all levels of education, countries can prepare a generation ready to meet climate challenges while thriving in a sustainable economy. Aligning curricula with workforce needs and national climate commitments ensures that today’s students become tomorrow’s innovators, leaders, and skilled professionals, ready to build resilient communities and a greener future. Supporting initiatives like EARTHDAY.ORG’s Pledge to Promote Climate and Environmental Literacy helps turn these commitments into real classroom action and meaningful change.

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COP30 has kicked off in Brazil and countries have submitted their newest national climate plans, known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), but one thing is becoming clear: more governments are recognizing the power of teachers in fighting climate change.

These plans, known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), are submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), under the Paris Agreement every five years. Each NDC represents an individual country’s climate commitment outlining how it plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, adapt to climate impacts, and promote sustainable development. While much attention often focuses on energy, technology  and policy targets, a quieter but important shift is underway: education, training, and public awareness are appearing more frequently and with greater detail in these climate pledges.

In the last round of NDCs, submitted around 2020, roughly 40 countries mentioned climate education. But in the new NDC 3.0 updates, that number is already rising. Now 152 nations mention climate change in some form or another. Many countries are not only talking about climate education but they are treating it as a national priority. Here’s why.

By integrating the teaching of climate change into many subjects, from maths to science, to arts to language classes, it makes our changing climate easier to comprehend. 

Plus, it builds green skills, the practical abilities that increasingly everyone needs to take part in the growing green economy, from the obvious careers such as  installing solar panels to protecting water resources to designing more energy-efficient technologies. 

To the less obvious ones, like working in an insurance office assessing climate-related risks to practicing medicine treating illnesses that our changing climate allows to spread, from malaria to heat-related illnesses, respiratory diseases, and the resurgence of vector-borne infections like dengue and Lyme disease. These skills translate directly into green jobs, a sector that is growing faster than the workforce needed to fill it. 

Chile is Turning Classrooms into Climate Action Hubs

Chile is turning classrooms into climate action hubs. In its updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), the government explicitly links education to its long-term climate goals, recognizing that empowering citizens through learning is essential to reducing emissions and building resilience. 

Chile has already launched a National Climate Education Plan, which promotes environmental awareness, green skills, and teacher training. By connecting education directly to its climate targets, the country shows how learning and policy can work hand-in-hand to create a more informed and resilient society. On the ground, Chile’s Experimento in Araucanía initiative has already reached 421 teachers across 194 schools in 24 counties, embedding climate science in classroom teaching.

Meanwhile, the Green Talent program is preparing 300 students, 30 team coaches, and 30 innovation leaders with green, digital, and entrepreneurial skills to drive the low-carbon transition. By aligning curricula, teacher training, and national policy, Chile is showing how education can power climate ambition, not just follow it.

Bangladesh: Empowering Communities Through Learning

As one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations, Bangladesh has long understood that education saves lives. In its new NDC, the government highlights the role of climate education and awareness campaigns in helping communities prepare for floods, heatwaves, and cyclones. Bangladesh’s approach is people-centered; teaching not just students, but farmers, workers, and local leaders how to adapt and protect livelihoods. According to UNICEF, 33 million children in Bangladesh had schooling disrupted by Climate Crises in 2024.  The NDC connects education with community resilience, making it a model for how learning can drive real world impact.

Bangladesh is aiming high: by 2030, half of all teachers and students will be equipped with digital tools. But this isn’t just about gadgets — it’s about giving educators the power to transform classrooms and spark learning that truly matters.

While many teachers around the world still lack the training and resources to teach climate change accurately, Bangladesh is preparing its educators for the future and strengthening the foundation of its entire education system.

The Republic of the Marshall Islands: Leading by Example

Small island nations lead the call for climate justice as they feel the brunt of the climate crisis; the Marshall Islands, in the Pacific Ocean,  are no exception. The country includes education and youth engagement as a key part of its national strategy, emphasizing that an informed and empowered younger generation is essential to building a sustainable future. 

The Marshall Islands has tied its education efforts to broader global advocacy, for women’s rights for example, showing that small nations can lead big conversations about equity. Proving that the more heads we put together the more likely we are to find climate mitigation strategies  that work. No one should be excluded from the climate conversation.

Kyrgyzstan Gets That The Key is Youth

The Kyrgyz Republic adds yet another dimension: linking climate education to green jobs, social protection and youth participation. Earlier this year, the Youth Climate Caravan 2025 initiative was held in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. 

At the summit, Kyrgyz youth amplified the lack of climate education in their school system and advocated for its inclusion in their NDC 3.0. They changed that by successfully lobbying for its adoption. While the burden of the climate crisis is not exclusive to youth, it is inspiring to see young people stepping up to innovate ways to learn about reducing emissions, adapting to a changing planet, and pushing communities and leaders toward urgent action.

With this in mind, they have already begun pilot programs, integrating climate change into a number of professional programs. 

Schooling the Climate Crisis 

These examples make one thing clear: climate education is climate action. Teaching people how the climate works, how it’s changing, and how we can respond doesn’t just inform — it empowers citizens to act and builds the public momentum that policies need to succeed.

At COP30 in Belém, Brazil, the message is undeniable: education is no longer an afterthought. It’s the foundation for meaningful climate action worldwide.

You can be part of this change. Pledge to Support Climate and Environmental Literacy, calling on governments to commit to urgent climate and environmental literacy. Every signature helps turn ambitious pledges into real classroom action and a more climate-literate world.

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Every year on October 15th, the world celebrates World Students’ Day, a day dedicated to honoring the birth and enduring legacy of Dr. Abdul Kalam, the 11th President of India. Dr. Kalam was a scientist and statesman. Above all else he was a passionate teacher who believed that students are the architects of a better tomorrow. His life’s work championed education, innovation, and compassion as the foundations for peace and progress.

Dr. Kalam’s vision was that education should empower young people to solve the world’s greatest challenges. This aligns deeply with EARTHDAY.ORG’s mission; as pioneers in climate education, our goal is to equip children with the tools they need to enter the workforce and make the world a better place. Just as Kalam inspired generations of students to dream big and pursue knowledge in the service of humanity, EARTHDAY.ORG believes that education is a  powerful and necessary tool for building a more just, sustainable, and climate-resilient world.

Students as Architects of Environmental Justice

Around the globe, young people are transforming their dreams of a cleaner, healthier planet into powerful movements for change. Just take Grace Gibson-Snyder, a member of the Montana 16 who won a class action lawsuit against the state. 

Grace and fifteen other people (ages 5 to 22) argued that Montana’s energy and environmental policies, particularly those promoting fossil fuels and prohibiting climate impacts from being considered in state permitting. violated their constitutional rights to a “clean and healthful environment,” dignity, liberty, and equal protection.

They asked the court to declare that the state must stop authorizing fossil fuel projects without considering greenhouse gas emissions, and to require the state to take steps toward a safe climate trajectory (e.g. limiting emissions, enforcing legal climate obligations). In August 2023, a Montana district court ruled in favor of the youth, holding that laws banning consideration of climate change in permitting decisions were unconstitutional under Montana’s constitution. 

Later, in December 2024, the Montana Supreme Court affirmed that ruling. The high court found that the state law limiting analysis of greenhouse gas emissions in environmental reviews violated the constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment and permanently enjoined the state from acting on that law.

In honor of their efforts, the Montana 16 were honored at the EARTHDAY.ORG 2024 EDO Gala, where Grace accepted the award on their behalf. 

From fighting in court to  leading community clean-ups to climate strikes to developing renewable energy innovations, students are proving that they are not just future leaders, they are the leaders the world needs now.

Climate Educated Students Are a Necessity Not a Luxury

Their momentum mirrors a profound shift in the global economy. The demand for green jobs is accelerating faster than almost any other sector. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, clean energy jobs grew by 4.2% in 2023, more than double the rate of overall employment nationwide. 

Similarly, LinkedIn’s 2024 Global Green Jobs Report found that Americans with sustainability-related skills had a hiring rate more than 80% higher than the average worker. Hiring in solar energy is nearly double that of the fossil fuel industry, while wind energy hiring surged by 42%.Globally, the trend is even more striking. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) recorded a record 16.2 million green jobs in 2023, up from 13.7 million the previous year which is an 18% annual increase. China leads with nearly 7.4 million jobs, representing 46% of the world’s total, while the European Union, Brazil, and India are also seeing rapid growth, particularly in solar, wind, and hydropower employment.

Yet millions of students still lack access to quality climate education that equips them with the knowledge and skills to understand, adapt to, and solve the challenges of a changing planet. 

Students need to know what is happening to their planet as they are living through these changes and being impacted by them. The World Bank estimates that 75 million students have their education interrupted by climate change annually, affecting their housing, access to energy and food, their mental and physical health, and economic status. They do not just need to learn for their future, but to understand their current reality. 

That’s why EARTHDAY.ORG advocates for compulsory, interdisciplinary climate education in every school, in every country. Through our Climate Education Campaign, we are working with governments, educators, and youth leaders around the world to ensure that climate literacy becomes a cornerstone of education systems worldwide.

Carrying Forward Dr. Kalam’s Legacy

Dr. Kalam envisioned an education system that sparked curiosity and responsibility. He believed that real progress is not just technological, it must be purposeful, ethical, and serve humanity. He viewed education as a tool to create responsible citizens, not just skilled workers.

The best way to help do this is through a type of teaching called the interdisciplinary method. This is an educational approach that combines ideas, methods, and perspectives from multiple academic disciplines to help students explore complex topics more fully. So instead of teaching subjects in isolation (like only math, or only history), this method connects them to explore real-world problems. For example: A project on climate change for example might involve: science to understand carbon cycles, geography  to look at climate zones, math to analyze data analysis of temperature changes, civics to unpack environmental policy and language  to work at writing persuasive essays. 

These five subjects studying climate change together will give students a much deeper understanding of what it is, how it works and how it impacts the environment and people. It is effective because it widens the perspectives students can use to approach complex issues. 

By allowing students to problem-solve from the angle that resonates most with them, it fosters deeper engagement and mirrors the kind of integrated thinking required in the real world – where fields of study often blend and challenges rarely exist in isolation. This is what Dr.Kalam deeply understood – that progress must be guided by purpose and that scientific advancement should serve humanity and the planet alike. He wanted to empower students to become active stewards of the Earth..

By embedding climate education into national curricula, we can help fulfill Dr. Kalam’s dream of harnessing young minds for global good. When students understand the science of climate change, the importance of biodiversity, and the promise of renewable energy, they are better prepared to lead their communities toward sustainable solutions.

A Call to Celebrate and Act

This World Students’ Day, we celebrate not only Dr. Kalam’s legacy, but also the millions of students worldwide who embody his spirit of learning, innovation, and hope. Let us honor their potential by ensuring that every young person has the opportunity to learn about and protect our planet.With COP30 on the horizon, nations will soon gather to update their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) – their commitments and plants to mitigate climate change. You can show your support for integrating climate education into these plans by pledging here so that we can continue on our mission to promote and amplify the importance of climate education in every school.

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The 2024–2025 school year was one of the most impactful yet for EARTHDAY.ORG’s Education Team. From expanding global engagement to advancing policy victories, we worked tirelessly to ensure that climate education reaches every classroom. Here are five of our biggest achievements this year:

1. Launching the First Ever Earth Day Showcase

For the first time, EARTHDAY.ORG invited schools worldwide to participate in our global Earth Day Showcase, encouraging students to take action on pressing environmental issues such as plastic pollution, renewable energy, fast fashion, and sustainable food systems.

Over 600 educators from 112 countries engaged in Earth Day in Schools activities, guiding students as they created community based projects. Student-led actions spanned the globe from a renewable fashion show in Namibia reimagining waste materials into clothing, to Plastic Free Lunch Day campaigns in Virginia, to waterway advocacy projects in Pune, India. Schools in Guam, Shanghai, and beyond brought Earth Day to life with creative student projects that amplified environmental awareness within their communities.

This Showcase gave young people the platform to lead, innovate, and inspire, carrying on the legacy of the first Earth Day in 1970 when students demanded action for the planet. You can read all about it here.

2. Expanding the Earth Month Calendar

For the second year running, EARTHDAY.ORG partnered with organizations including the
Council on Foreign Relations and SubjectToClimate to launch our interactive Earth Month Calendar.

This digital resource provided educators, students, and community groups around the world with daily activities, events, and resources throughout April. Widely used across classrooms and nonprofits, the calendar has become a global hub for Earth Month engagement and climate learning.

3. Creating the Schools Guide to Climate Education

To support teachers with accessible, professional development resources, we launched the Schools Guide to Climate Education. This guide equips educators with practical strategies to integrate climate education across all subject areas and grade levels. The best part is that it allows educators to take an existing lesson and integrate core concepts of climate education into the lesson. 

The guide was featured and demonstrated at major national conferences, including the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA Conference), where it reached hundreds of educators seeking innovative approaches to teaching climate change.

4. Strengthening Partnerships with Schools, Nonprofits, and Organizations

Collaboration was at the heart of this school year. We strengthened partnerships with schools and nonprofits, both locally and globally. In Prince George’s County, Maryland, we tabled and presented at the Student Environmental Alliance Summit at Bowie State University, engaging directly with students and teachers. 

We also collaborated with the Organization of American States (OAS) to share climate education resources in Latin America and the Caribbean, amplifying the importance of integrating climate literacy into regional education systems.

Globally, our team contributed to webinars and virtual events cohosted by partners such as Take Action Global, McGill University, and the Canadian Wildlife Federation, reaching tens of thousands of students and teachers.

5. Driving Policy Change Domestically and Internationally

Policy advocacy remained a cornerstone of our work. Domestically, we supported House Bill 3365 in Oregon, submitting testimony to both House and Senate Education Committees and mobilizing our educator network in support of the bill. The legislation passed both the Oregon House and the State Senate and was signed into law in July 2025 marking a major milestone for U.S. climate education. We continue to make in roads by working tracking and advocating for climate education bills currently being considered such as those in Massachusetts and Maryland as well as being founding members of the Coalition for Climate Education Policy (CCEP).

Internationally, we created our Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) Tracker, highlighting the critical role of climate education in meeting global climate commitments. By engaging with international partners, we worked to keep education central to the climate policy conversation. As NDCs continue to come in this year, we will continue to update the tracker and make sure that education is at the center of many of these commitments. 

Looking Ahead

From empowering students through the Earth Day Showcase to shaping climate education policy, the 2024–2025 school year proved that collaboration and innovation are the keys to building a more sustainable future.

At EARTHDAY.ORG, we remain committed to ensuring every student, in every classroom, has access to high-quality, comprehensive, and interdisciplinary climate education. Together, we are helping to raise a generation ready to tackle climate change and protect our planet.

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Climate change isn’t just reshaping ecosystems; it’s reshaping the workforce. Rising temperatures, extreme weather, and shifting natural systems are forcing workers in diverse industries to adapt, sometimes drastically. While green jobs like solar panel installers and wind turbine technicians are growing, climate change is also directly impacting fields that few people associate with environmental shifts.

In fact, this shift is already influencing hiring trends. In a 2024 report, Linkedin noted that workers with at least one green skill are hired 29% more often than the average job seeker. It is now a necessity to have knowledge of the climate.

Here are five professions already feeling the heat (literally and figuratively) of climate change:

1. Professional Athletes

Extreme weather is no longer just a “game day” inconvenience. It’s becoming a defining challenge for athletes at all levels. Heat waves are forcing professional leagues to reschedule matches, shorten training sessions, and expand hydration breaks. In soccer, an NWSL game had to be postponed due to extreme heat. Similarly, the Australian Open has seen play halted due to dangerous heat indexes. 

Teams worldwide are increasingly being forced to reschedule games to cooler hours, while wildfires and poor air quality in places like California have canceled practices entirely. As climate impacts accelerate, athletes’ safety and performance will increasingly be tied to how the industry adapts to extreme weather events. 

2. Construction Workers

The construction industry is among the most vulnerable to weather extremes. Rising temperatures create unsafe working conditions on rooftops, highways, and other exposed job sites. 

In the US, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA),  a United States federal agency under the Department of Labor, has reported spikes in heat related illnesses among builders, leading to stricter regulations on rest breaks but equally leading to productivity losses exceeding 30%. 

Beyond heat, floods and storms damage infrastructure projects mid-build, costing both time and money. In fact, increased floods from climate change cost the U.S. alone between $179.8 and $496 billion a year. The climate crisis is taking our time, health, and our money. 

3. Farmers and Agricultural Workers

Farmers are already contending with unpredictable growing seasons, prolonged droughts, and more frequent floods. 

In fact, global crop yields are projected to decline significantly in the next decade. A major 2025 study analyzing 12,000 regions worldwide found staple crops like wheat, corn, rice, soybeans, barley, and cassava will suffer yield losses averaging 8% by 2050 and possibly up to 24% by 2100 under high greenhouse gas emissions scenarios, despite farmer’s best adaptation efforts. Also, due to rising temperatures, crops like coffee and cacao are becoming harder to cultivate in traditional regions. How will we survive without chocolate!  

Climbing temperatures also affects livestock. Heat stress occurs when high temperatures and humidity combine to prevent animals from effectively dissipating their body heat, leading to elevated core temperatures that can impair how their body functions.

For dairy cows, extreme heat reduces milk production by up to 10% , with effects lingering for over 10 days afterward. Cooling technologies (e.g., fans, misters) can only mitigate about half of this loss, meaning climate change is likely to cause  long-term declines in dairy productivity. Beef cattle also suffer from heat stress, which lowers how much they eat, resulting in reduced growth of the cattle and diminishes meat quality. 

Farm workers themselves face heat related mortality rates that are 20x higher than those working other occupations. Climate volatility threatens food security and the livelihoods of those who produce it.

4. Pilots and Airline Workers

Even 10,000 feet in the air, you can feel the heat. Rising global temperatures reduce air density, which can make it harder for planes to take off on short runways, particularly in high-altitude airports. 

More frequent extreme storms create safety concerns for both passengers and crew causing flights to increasingly be canceled or rerouted. Now, about 30% of delays are due to the weather. Wildfire smoke also serves as its own hazard, which often blankets major cities. 

Climate change is affecting the winds high up in the sky, which is causing more sudden and bumpy air during flights, – especially over regions like North Atlantic, North America, and East Asia. These bumps, called clear-air turbulence, (CAT) are invisible and pose significant risks to passenger safety and comfort. Scientists warn turbulence duration and intensity could double or triple due to this warming. In response, airlines are exploring technologies like on-board LIDAR to detect turbulence early and improve safety.

5. Healthcare Professionals

Doctors, nurses, and first responders are seeing firsthand how climate change is a public health crisis. Heat waves lead to spikes in emergency room visits for heat stroke, dehydration, and respiratory illnesses. Wildfire smoke exacerbates asthma and heart disease. Diseases like Lyme are spreading into new regions, requiring healthcare workers to prepare for illnesses that were once considered rare in their area. 

The profession is adapting not just to treat climate related illnesses, but also to advocate for preventative public health policies.

A Changing World of Work

From the playing field to the farm, climate change is shaping careers in ways many never anticipated. Jobs once seen as stable are now in flux, and workers must adapt to survive in a warming world by learning and applying green skills to their careers. Supporting these existing professions as they navigate climate disruption is of the utmost importance.

The best way to help all of these professions and our own well being is to tackle climate change. The present Administration at the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA,  is not making that easy! But you can make your voice heard by adding your name to our public comments urging the EPA not to revoke the Endangerment Finding, which gives the agency the authority to regulate pollution.

This article is available for republishing on your website, newsletter, magazine, newspaper, or blog. The accompanying imagery is also cleared for use with attribution. Please ensure that the author’s name and their affiliation with EARTHDAY.ORG are credited. Kindly inform us if you republish so we can acknowledge, tag, or repost your content. You may notify us via email at davies@earthday.org or fielder@earthday.org. Want more articles? Follow us on substack.

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Dennis Nolasco, Education Coordinator

Schools Tree Day: The Time I Planted the Seeds at School

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76% of Oregonians believe climate change should be taught in schools. New legislation is responding to that demand.

Oregon has long been a leader in climate policy, setting ambitious clean energy goals and creating thousands of jobs in the green economy such as requiring utility companies to eliminate their greenhouse gas emissions associated with electricity they provide by 100% by 2040.But while Oregon’s investment in renewable energy and sustainability initiatives is impressive, investing in the next generation is key. That’s where House Bill 3365 comes in.

This bill, currently under consideration in the the Oregon Senate, would ensure that climate education is integrated across many subjects in Oregon’s K-12 schools including health and history. This would mean that educators weave climate change education into their subject areas. An example of this is students reading The Grapes of Wrath in English class and comparing the migration caused by the Dust Bowl with modern day climate refugees.

If passed, Oregon would be one of the few states (after New Jersey in 2023 became the first)to mandate comprehensive, interdisciplinary climate education. This is not just an environmental imperative; it is an economic, social, and educational necessity.

Equipping Students for the Future

Oregon’s young people will graduate into a world defined by climate change. Many students feel unprepared for this reality. Research has shown that climate anxiety is on the rise among young people, with up to 85% of Gen Zers saying that they are worried about climate change. HB 3365 directly addresses this issue by equipping students with the knowledge and skills to navigate the challenges ahead.

A well-rounded, interdisciplinary approach to climate education would mean climate education in math, language class, art and science and more.  This doesn’t just benefit students who want to pursue careers in environmental science. It is essential for all fields. 

Here’s why – future engineers must understand sustainable design. Future business leaders must incorporate climate resilience into their strategies. Future policymakers must be grounded in climate science to make informed decisions. 

By embedding climate education across all subjects—from science to social studies to economics—this bill ensures that every Oregon student is prepared to thrive in a changing world.

Strong Support from Educators and Students

The call for climate education is coming directly from those who know education best: teachers and students. HB 3365 was drafted by Oregon Educators for Climate Education (OECE), a dedicated group of Oregon educators, who spent two years refining the bill with input from stakeholders statewide. Among the groups that support the bill are the Oregon Educators Association, the Oregon Pediatric Society, and the hundreds of students who have spoken out in favor of the bill. 

Their work reflects a broad consensus among educators that climate education is not an optional add-on but an essential part of preparing students for the future. 

“When students are exposed to locally relevant and right now topics, it engages them to read, write, and have discussions about it. Through a standards approach, teachers can effectively integrate the topic of climate change in age appropriate ways into the content they are already required to teach. Given standards alignment and resources to weave the topic of climate change into the regular curriculum, teachers can help formalize and normalize the topic across subject areas.” says Tana Shepard in her testimony submitted on  March 12, 2025 on behalf of the OECE. 

A Smart Investment in Oregon’s Future

Climate education is not just about understanding environmental issues; it is about preparing students for the workforce of tomorrow. 

As Oregon moves towards a net-zero economy, demand for workers in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and green infrastructure will continue to grow. HB 3365 ensures that Oregon youth are equipped with the interdisciplinary skills necessary to seize these opportunities and drive innovation in the green sector.

The future belongs to those who are prepared for it. Oregon has a choice: to continue to treat climate education as an afterthought, or to lead the nation in ensuring that our students are ready for the world they will inherit. The support for this bill is broad, the need is urgent, and the time to act is now. As the bill progresses and has already cleared the first hurdle of passing in the house of representatives, please consider emailing your state senator to vote YES on HB 3365 to ensure its passage in the state senate. 

This year is the 55th anniversary of the very first Earth Day. What a better way to honor this anniversary than to pass HB 3365 and give Oregon’s youth the education they deserve—and the future they need.

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Each April, we celebrate National Teach Children to Save Day, helping students learn the importance of financial literacy—budgeting, goal-setting, and planning for the future. It’s a reminder that schools have long embraced the idea that real-world skills, like saving money, belong in every child’s education.

But as we prepare students for the workforce, we must also recognize the environmental forces shaping their future lives and careers. Climate education is no longer optional. It is as essential as learning how to create a budget or how to do your taxes—because in the decades ahead, students will not just inherit the climate crisis, they will work within it.

The parallels are clear. Financial education gives students the fiscal tools to plan wisely. Climate education gives them the tools to act responsibly. Both require early exposure, hands-on learning, and integration across all subject areas. Both prepare young people for the workforce and a changing world.

Unfortunately, climate education still lags behind. It’s often left to science teachers alone to teach about climate change, despite the fact that climate change touches every aspect of society. That’s why interdisciplinary climate education—taught in English, Civics, History, Math, and more—is so powerful. When students read climate refugee narratives in English class, analyze clean energy policies in civics, or explore climate data in math, they begin to see the full picture. They connect systems, see real-world impacts, and imagine solutions.

This kind of teaching isn’t just good for learning—it’s good for preparing students for green jobs, civic engagement, and informed decision-making. Oxford Economics projects that the transition to a net zero emissions environment by 2050 will create new industries worth $10.3 trillion to the global economy. This will create a waterfall effect as renewable energies and green technologies, create more markets for more types of green goods, and green services. In other words, we need to prepare our students for the workforce of tomorrow and that starts with robust climate education.

So how do we help teachers—already stretched thin—integrate this kind of learning into their classrooms?

That’s where EARTHDAY.ORG’s “Schools’ Guide to Climate Education” comes in. This free professional development resource gives educators the tools they need to bring climate education into any subject. It includes subject-specific strategies, sample lessons, and ideas for hands-on projects that are meaningful and manageable. Whether you’re a math teacher exploring exponential growth through carbon emissions or a civics teacher unpacking climate justice, the guide helps bridge the gap between the standards you’re already teaching and the future your students are facing.

This National Teach Children to Save Day, let’s expand the conversation. Let’s not just teach kids how to save money—let’s teach them how to save the planet. Climate education, when done well, isn’t one more thing to add. It’s the lens that brings the whole curriculum into focus.

This article is available for republishing on your website, newsletter, magazine, newspaper, or blog. The accompanying imagery is also cleared for use. Please ensure that the author’s name and their affiliation with EARTHDAY.ORG are credited. Kindly inform us if you republish so we can acknowledge, tag, or repost your content. You may notify us via email at davies@earthday.org or fielder@earthday.org. Want more articles? Follow us on substack.

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In honor of National Education and Sharing Day, observed every April 9th since 1978, we reflect on the profound impact that education has on the future — especially in the fight against the climate crisis. 

At EARTHDAY.ORG, we know that climate education is essential to ensuring there is a livable future for generations to come. In recognition of this important day, here are 3 Key Takeaways from our report, “Climate Education vs the Climate Crisis”.   

1. Climate Education = A Powerful But Yet To Be Fully Tapped Tool

Climate education should be treated as a core climate solution. It not only eases student anxiety about climate change and builds reflexive sustainability skills (green muscle memory), but  also prepares students for the green job market they will one day enter. 

There is no career untouched by climate change. Whether you’re a meteorologist predicting and reporting weather patterns, or an architect designing structures that must adapt to changing environmental conditions, or a nurse or doctor treating new diseases triggered by changing weather and the spread of insect borne infectious diseases, or an insurance broker deciding whose homes and businesses to insure – understanding the changing climate is an essential skill in today’s workforce.. 

Students must be equipped with this climate based knowledge, or risk being left behind.

Despite being a high impact and low-cost, climate education receives a fraction of global climate financing. About 1% of international climate aid is spent on education, even though research shows that a well-informed public can significantly shift societal behaviors and political will toward sustainability. We need our leaders and our educators to speak up and get climate education into every classroom!

2. Hands-On Climate Education

In order for climate education to be successful, it must be a compulsory and core subject. As climate change affects us all, it would be a disservice if students could opt-out. We all must build green muscle memory in order to build a trul sustainable future.  

The only way to achieve this is to make it cross-curricular. What does that mean exactly? Well  currently, the approach to teaching about climate change happens mostly in science and geography classrooms. 

However, it’s essential to integrate climate education across all disciplines – from economics and history to art and literature. This holistic approach allows us to tackle climate change solutions from all perspectives and makes it unavoidable!

We often learn best by doing. Climate literacy should go beyond facts and figures and also foster skills for problem-solving, community engagement, and resilience. Which means it should be grounded in civic engagement through hands-on projects in every student’s own community, this way students can learn while making a real impact.  For example many schools have found success in working with students to build solar on their own schools and campuses, whereby students can learn through action. 

3. We Have a Plan: Policy, Funding & Teacher Training

To scale climate education globally, we need support from three key angles.

Firstly we need National Mandates for Climate Education. Why? Because integrating climate education into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) ensures that climate education is taken seriously in schools. At EARTHDAY.ORG, we work hard to advocate for the inclusion of climate education in these international commitments, lobbying governments and policy makers around the planet!. To track our progress, check out our one of a kind NDC tracker to see the status of climate education in different nations. Saint Lucia, the Maldives and Antigua and Barbuda have all just adopted EARTHDAY.ORG’s climate education language. 

We need dedicated funding streams because climate education taught at scale requires consistent and reliable financial support. 

Finally we need teacher training programs to empower educators. Training equips educators with the confidence, content knowledge, and pedagogical strategies needed to incorporate climate education into their classrooms effectively. At EARTHDAY.ORG, we provide free resources like The Schools Guide to Climate Education, our very own professional development tool designed to support teachers who are aiming to integrate climate topics into their own classes. 

Why All of This Matters

If we want to mobilize the next generation of scientists, engineers, bankers, business people, voters, and community leaders, climate education needs to be treated with the urgency, investment, and strategic thinking it deserves. Learn more about climate education by visiting our Climate Education webpage – to find our reports, free resources for educators, information about policy, and much more!

This article is available for republishing on your website, newsletter, magazine, newspaper, or blog. The accompanying imagery is also cleared for use. Please ensure that the author’s name and their affiliation with EARTHDAY.ORG are credited. Kindly inform us if you republish so we can acknowledge, tag, or repost your content. You may notify us via email at davies@earthday.org or fielder@earthday.org.

The post Three Big Takeaways from EARTHDAY.ORG’s Climate Education vs. the Climate Crisis appeared first on Earth Day.

Dennis Nolasco, Education Coordinator

Climate Education Takes Center Stage at NSTA 2025!

Bryce Coon and Emily Walker promoting the power of climate education

The post Climate Education Takes Center Stage at NSTA 2025 appeared first on Earth Day.