America is in the middle of a massive energy transformation, and the job market is reflecting that shift in real time. U.S. wind capacity more than tripled between 2010 and 2023, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, with thousands of new turbines dotting landscapes from the Texas Panhandle to the Great Lakes.

But turbines don’t run themselves — behind every spinning rotor is a trained technician keeping it operational.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics currently ranks wind turbine technician as the fastest-growing occupation in the country, projecting 50% employment growth between 2024 and 2034, more than ten times the average for all jobs. LinkedIn’s most recent Global Green Jobs Report backs that up, finding that hiring in wind energy is running 42% higher than the broader job market.

Choosing the Wind Energy Path

One of the most appealing things about a career as a wind turbine technician is how many different roads can lead to the same career. 

The U.S. Department of Energy shows how community colleges and technical schools across the country offer two-year programs in wind energy technology that combine classroom instruction with hands-on lab work. Employer-sponsored apprenticeships can let students earn money while they learn, pairing new workers with experienced technicians in the field. A four-year degree isn’t required to start a six-figure career here, which is part of why the field is drawing so many new people.

Becoming a wind turbine technician mostly involves learning to work confidently in conditions most people never encounter, perfect for those who prefer real action over studying textbooks. Training programs put students through rigorous safety coursework, including fall protection, rescue procedures, and emergency protocols specific to Global Wind Organisation safety standards used industry-wide. By the time a graduate climbs up on a real turbine, they’ve already simulated those climbs, repairs, and high-stakes decisions many times over.

Inside the Workday of a Wind Turbine Technician

No two days look exactly the same for a wind turbine technician, but most start the same way: bright and early, going over the overnight report with the crew. Maybe a turbine threw a vibration alert in its gearbox, maybe another’s just due for quarterly service. After checking the daily schedule, the technicians gear up to spend the rest of their day in the sky.

At the flagged turbine, technicians clip into the fall-arrest system and start the 200 feet plus climb. Work inside the turbines might include popping the gearbox housing, checking the oil for metal shavings, or running a borescope over the gear teeth. Often, the wear pattern looks normal, and the alert traces back to something smaller, like a loose sensor mount. They tighten it, log the fix, and radio it into a remote operations center miles away, so the alert clears from the dashboard in real time.

Lunch is usually eaten at the base of a tower, boots still on. After, there are scheduled maintenance routines such as typically greasing the yaw bearing, inspecting the blade pitch system, and torque-checking bolts against a spec sheet.

By late afternoon, the crew is back at the operations building, filing inspection reports and prepping the next day’s parts list. It’s physical, focused work, and the kind that rewards people who like solving problems with their hands — and don’t mind an office with a view!

Could Your Future Be in the Sky?

When students learn about climate change in the classroom, it can feel abstract: statistics about rising temperatures, melting ice caps, and part per million of CO2 are hard to connect to daily life. But climate education is increasingly becoming career education, pointing students toward some of the most in-demand jobs of the 21st century.

The energy transition is already underway, and it needs workers. Whether you’re a student exploring your options, a teacher looking to bring climate careers into your classroom, or someone ready for a career change, the wind industry has a place for you. The question isn’t whether these jobs exist— it’s whether you’ll be the one filling them.

The physics, math, and engineering that explain how a turbine generates electricity are the same principles technicians use every day to build, operate, and maintain one. Linking environmental literacy to real green careers is exactly the kind of classroom-to-career pipeline schools can build to help prepare students to be a part of the solution addressing climate challenges.

Getting more students into that pipeline starts in the classroom, which is exactly what EARTHDAY.ORG’s Climate Education campaign is built to do: helping schools connect climate science to the careers it actually leads to, wind included. If you’re a student or an educator who wants to advocate for more climate career readiness in the classroom, sign the Climate Literacy Petition and add your voice to the push for climate education worldwide.

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BRACE and CSESI– Why Do They Matter?

The Building the Climate Resilience of Children and Communities through the Education Sector (BRACE) project is a breakthrough initiative, placing education as a focus of Green Climate Fund (GCF) funding for the first time. Established at COP28 in Dubai, BRACE is primarily co-funded by a US$32 million grant from the GCF and a US$8 million grant from the Global Partnership for Education (GPE). Save the Children Australia supports the implementation of the project in South Sudan, Tonga, and Cambodia 

The Climate Smart Education Systems Initiative (CSESI) is a technical assistance initiative launched in March 2023, with GPE funding of US$21 million including a US$5mln contribution from Japan. It provides advice, supports collaboration between ministries, and builds capacity, including through safety drills for students before floods. Both initiatives connect climate finance with education and focus on strengthening the resilience of school infrastructure and education systems.

Share of funding between BRACE and CSESI based on UNFCCC summary of Building Climate Smart Education Systems (Global Partnership for Education (2026). Climate-smart education systems initiative, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Available here)

How Is Education Connected to Climate Finance?

The connection between natural hazards, school infrastructure, and education performance is critical to both initiatives.

BRACE combines financing from the climate change and education sectors to strengthen education systems against climate change and protect learning for millions of children. It is the first GCF-funded initiative focused on the education sector. Outcome 1 aims to ensure that “the education sector at national and sub-national levels in targeted countries is more resilient to the impacts of climate change.”

In Malawi, the impact of floods on school infrastructure provided the basis for GPE to support the country through technical assistance. Malawi is among the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries, ranked 26th by the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative Index (2023). Since 2010, Malawi has experienced 16 major floods, affecting around 100,000 people annually, including students.

The experiences of Cambodia and Malawi demonstrate how countries affected by climate change can access finance and technical assistance to strengthen school infrastructure, education systems, and climate awareness among students.

Scaling Up Funding for Education

Both projects introduce innovative approaches to helping countries access international funding for education. The GCF, GPE, Save the Children, and OECD are developing mechanisms that can help address the current gap between climate finance and education.

Mapping Climate Finance

A key BRACE activity is mapping and tracking global climate finance opportunities for education. This includes the GCF, Adaptation Fund (AF), and Global Environment Facility (GEF), as well as bilateral donors, the private sector, and philanthropies. Results will be presented through the BRACE coordination platform knowledge management site for policymakers in Tonga, Cambodia, and South Sudan.

According to GCF, the roadmap guides ministries in identifying and prioritising climate-smart education investments, aligning them with national education priorities, and matching them with appropriate financing mechanisms and actors. It also identifies gaps in climate finance for education and provides recommendations for financial instruments to support investment needs.

Education in the OECD Climate Finance Tracking System

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Development Assistance Committee (DAC) climate finance tracking system will better reflect the role of education in addressing climate change. BRACE will support adjustments to international climate finance reporting to capture dual-benefit investments in climate and education, particularly for adaptation.

This is an important step towards increasing international investment in both education and climate action. According to the World Bank, only 1.5% of climate finance goes to education. Better tracking of education’s contribution to climate adaptation could therefore support increased investment in initiatives such as BRACE and CSESI.

Collaboration Between Ministries

In Malawi, GPE and Save the Children fostered collaboration between the Ministry of Education and ministries responsible for climate and land. Coordination between ministries is often an obstacle to scaling up climate finance for education. However, CSESI contributed to the inclusion of education in Malawi’s National Adaptation Plan (NAP).

“No single ministry can address the education challenges posed by climate change alone. Our collaboration with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Climate Change and the Department of Disaster Management Affairs demonstrates the power of shared commitment and coordination.“

– Rachel Chimbwete Phiri of Malawi’s Ministry of Education

Similarly, BRACE supports Ministries of Education in coordinating with climate change ministries and engaging in NAP processes, while also facilitating knowledge sharing between the participating countries.

How Did NDCs and NAPs Support Climate Finance for Education?

Component 2 of BRACE supports countries in integrating education into NAP and NDC processes. The inclusion of climate education in NDCs or NAPs was therefore not a requirement, but a result of the initiatives. Similarly, the inclusion of education in Malawi’s NAP resulted from CSESI.

Both initiatives demonstrate the potential to integrate education into national climate planning. In Cambodia, NDC 3.0 mentions education 70 times.

Cambodia’s Price Tag for Climate Education

To effectively bring climate finance to education, countries and multilateral institutions need to establish clear financial requirements. Cambodia has estimated the cost of education and awareness in its NDC at US$96 million (NDC 3.0, p. 65).

This makes the US$40 million in BRACE funding for all three countries appear relatively small. However, the price tag represents a long-term strategy, while BRACE contributes to building the capacities described in the Cambodian NDC. Its broader aim of scaling up finance for participating countries could help Cambodia move towards its longer-term financial needs for education.

Progress on climate education NDCs commitments in each country can be accessed through the Climate Education NDCs Tracker managed by EARTHDAY.ORG.

Schools as Indicators of NAP Processes

The NAP process is also considered a co-benefit indicator of BRACE. Increased locally led adaptation is measured through the percentage of target schools contributing to the NAP process through civil society and public dialogues, with a target of 70% of schools across the three countries. This provides direct evidence that the education sector is expected to actively participate in national adaptation planning.

Future of Finance for Education

The experiences of Malawi and Cambodia demonstrate that education can access funding and technical assistance from institutions such as the GCF. BRACE goes further by supporting curriculum development, teacher training, climate finance tracking, and school infrastructure.

The next step is for more countries to follow the examples of Malawi and Cambodia and unlock greater finance for education to strengthen resilience. This call should also be answered by major climate funds, including the GEF and Clean Technology Fund, by expanding their support for education, teacher training, and empowering the students who will lead the future of the green transition.

The post Climate Finance for Education – Analysing BRACE and CSESI Initiatives appeared first on Earth Day.

Johnny Dabrowski, EARTHDAY.ORG Youth Lead

Hi, this is Johnny Dabrowski and I’m the Youth Lead at Earth Day Network. Skills and education matter more than ever! Join me at the World Bank Headquarters in Washington, DC, where on June 11–12 2026  more than 300 youth delegates shared their advocacy for innovation, sustainability and finance.

Are you passionate about international development, sustainability, and digital innovation? Then this diary is for you!

If you’re interested in the upcoming Earth Day opportunities and the new Youth Climate Skills Accelerator, stay tuned and keep an eye on our socials! At the same time you can join the Climate Education Coalition today;)

Whether your goal is to lead a global institution, launch an AI startup, or become a climate leader, your journey should start with a sense of purpose that will drive your work forward.

For many young people, it’s not always easy to know exactly what the next step should be. We may lack experience, but we can trust our instincts and make new connections and meet people that move us closer to our goals.

To improve your networking abilities, you can now apply to become an Ambassador for the My Future My Voice campaign led by EARTHDAY.ORG.

Remember: Everyone can make a difference. Every small step moves you closer to success.

As President Banga concluded, 50% is about luck, and the other 50% is about how we respond to it. Not everything is in our control, but we must recognize and seize opportunities when they come. Otherwise, the train moves on.

And remember – you are not alone

The Power of Teamwork

Youth Summit included an Innovation Lab, a group pitch competition focused on designing a development project. I was randomly assigned to a team – however it proved to be great luck!

The group was truly diverse, bringing together people from Egypt, the United States, Ghana, and beyond. Manufacturing wasn’t my strongest area, but this team made me feel that every contribution mattered and together we each used our unique skills to create a complete project.

Important: As each of us brought different perspectives, strengths and ability to listen to one another we were able to succeed.

We challenged each other’s ideas respectfully and built stronger solutions through thoughtful debate, not simple compromise.

This is how the Climate Education Coalition works. A network of 150+ Youth Organizations working on green skills, advocacy training – join the world’s largest youth coalition for climate education today!

At the World Bank, we didn’t win the competition, BUT we created a strong project framework connecting young Cambodians with experienced leaders in the textile industry.

And most importantly, we strengthened our communication, time management, critical thinking, and public speaking skills!

If you are interested in further improving your skills, the Youth Climate Skills Accelerator will feature inspiring climate leaders sharing their personal insights, career journeys, and practical advice on building a successful career in climate action. Follow along and join us!

Communications and Networking

These are fundamental skills for any career.

Yes, it can be challenging, but you need to stay focused on your mission instead of worrying about what others might think. Often, the loudest critics are the ones who never take action themselves.

The best way to introduce yourself to the group is to show up, stand up and ask the question.
It’s simple but I always do that at youth conferences and always end up having more connections and being recognized in the room.

Then, try to be interviewed, or as I did at the World Bank, interview someone else for social media;)

Thanks to The World Bank Group’s Connect4Climate I was invited to a conversation with Sarah Nedolast, Water Security and Sanitation Partnership Manager at the World Bank.

We discussed the future of skills and the water sector. Today, 4 billion people experience water scarcity, while more than 2 billion still lack access to safe drinking water. These are realities we cannot ignore.

Meeting these challenges requires new partnerships for skills, and a new generation of people passionate about humanitarian action, climate solutions, and technological innovation in water and sanitation.

We need science and innovation, but we also need people who can communicate these solutions effectively, inspire others, and drive meaningful change.

Every day you have the power to make a difference for our planet. Every day is Earth Day. Join our movement, build your skills, and become part of the next generation of climate leaders.

A huge thank you to the World Bank Youth Steering Committee for the invitation. Especially to Marco Fayet, Jose Malbec Leighton and Hannah Rosenthal. See you next year!

LINKS:
MFMV https://www.facebook.com/share/1D7R6mWUkV/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Climate Education Coalition: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSehupPUpzQKW_HxO05CMQMjMbvFMbHCB8mO0u9k__wjH86U9g/viewform

World Bank Post on LinkedIn

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The green economy is generating millions of new jobs — but the workers trained to fill them aren’t keeping pace. According to LinkedIn data, job postings requiring at least one green skill are growing twice as fast as the number of workers who have those skills. That gap has real consequences, not just for the planet, but for workers, businesses, and economies navigating one of the biggest transitions in the history of work.

Efrem Bycer leads workforce and climate policy partnerships at LinkedIn, where he helps policymakers, employers, and workers understand and navigate the major shifts reshaping the world of work. EARTHDAY.ORG Director of Education Bryce Coon — who first connected with Bycer at COP climate conferences — sat down with him to talk about what the green skills gap means for everyday workers, which industries are changing fastest, and why the transition is proving more durable than the politics around it.

Efrem Bycer leads workforce and climate policy partnerships at LinkedIn, where he researches and advises on the intersection of labor markets, climate change, and economic transition. LinkedIn’s annual Green Skills Report tracks how sustainability-related skills are evolving across industries worldwide.

Earth Day 2026 and its theme, Our Power, Our Planet, highlights how people everywhere — from classrooms and local neighborhoods to national institutions — can help drive environmental progress through education, advocacy, and community engagement.

Q: Tell us about your role at LinkedIn and how your work connects to the transition to a greener economy.

My job at LinkedIn is to lead our workforce and climate policy partnerships, and that covers a lot of ground. The way I break it down: I work to help policymakers, employers, and workers understand and navigate the biggest transitions in the world of work — things like AI and climate change. You really can’t talk about one without the other right now. And if you’re working, both of those are showing up in your work in all sorts of interesting ways, especially in the skills you need to do your job.

Q: LinkedIn’s data shows job postings requiring at least one green skill are growing about twice as fast as the number of workers with those skills. What does that “green skills gap” mean for workers and economies around the world?

The world has made a couple of significant commitments — tripling renewable energy production, doubling energy efficiency — and increasingly there’s also a commitment around making sure we have companies and economies that are resilient enough to deal with the impacts of climate change. All of those things require a workforce to get them done.

What we’re seeing is that employers, governments, and companies are investing, and the demand for workers with the skills to do that work is growing rapidly — twice as fast as the supply of workers with those skills. So that puts us, first and foremost, at a question of: can we actually do the things we’ve committed to doing when it comes to climate change?

But there’s also a real economic dimension here. When we look at the LinkedIn hiring rate — basically a measure of how fast people change jobs — workers with green skills or green titles have a hiring rate that is 46.6% higher than the workforce overall. That’s huge. That’s a real, significant difference. So from my perspective, what that says is not only are we at risk of not achieving what we say we need to do for the planet, but we’re leaving serious economic opportunity on the table if we’re not helping workers get those skills.

Q: You’ve said green skills are no longer limited to environmental jobs. What are some of the most surprising industries where they’re already showing up?

One of the things we saw in our research this past year was that for the first time, the majority of green hires had green skills but not necessarily green titles. What that tells us clearly is that green skills are increasingly mainstream — and they’re going mainstream because they help workers do things that companies care about every day.

What do companies care about? Being flexible, being adaptable, especially in a rapidly changing world. Workers with green skills know how to deal with change. Companies also care deeply about resilience, especially in supply chains. And energy costs are going up.

Here are a few examples of jobs where we’ve seen rapid growth in green skills — jobs that maybe don’t immediately strike you as climate-focused. First: supply chain manager. When you think about where most companies have their emissions — their scope three — they’re in the supply chain. So it’s really no surprise that sustainable procurement skills are among the fastest-growing green skills on earth. It comes down to two things: how do you decarbonize the supply chain, and how do you make sure it’s resilient? Think about a company that sources spice crops from thousands of small farmers in parts of the world increasingly at risk of drought and flooding. If you don’t have a resilient supply chain, you have a real business problem. That supply chain manager now has to think about how to build the capacity of those small farmers to use regenerative agriculture and more resilient farming practices. That’s a fundamentally different job than it was just a few years ago, when the focus was getting X amount of crop at Y price by Z date.

Second: software engineering. We’ve seen rapid growth of energy management skills among software engineers, and for a clear reason. There’s a lot of resource intensity in AI. Companies are aware of that, and they know that small increases in code efficiency can have real major impacts — not just for the planet, but for their bottom line, given how much they’re investing in AI infrastructure.

Third: insurance. I live in Southern California, so I think about wildfires a lot. But think about any part of the country, any part of the world, where flood or fire risk is real. Insurance companies think about risk all the time. They’ve had to figure out how to build teams that can effectively assess climate risk. If you have to insure any physical asset, climate risk is simply one of the risks you have to think about now.

Q: For people who don’t view themselves as environmentalists, why should they care about green skills?

First and foremost: workers with these skills have an advantage in the labor market, and the labor market is getting tighter. Hiring is down from a few years ago. If you’re thinking about getting a job or getting your next one, being able to demonstrate that you can think about efficiency, find opportunities in challenging situations, and navigate ambiguity — those are all things we’d call green skills. And it turns out they’re green skills because they have a positive impact on the planet, but they’re also just things that are important to companies overall.

Energy management skills are another example. Finding efficiency, especially on energy, is going to be increasingly important as we go through more electrification and the total cost of energy for a company continues to rise.

Q: Are schools, universities, and training programs adapting fast enough to teach the green skills the job market needs?

The first thing I’d highlight is something you touched on — young people really do have a passion for this work. What we see in our data is that young people want to work on solving the biggest problems they see around them. They want the skills and knowledge to make a serious impact on those challenges, and climate change is definitely one of them.

The question then is whether training providers and education institutions are adapting their curriculum — both for what students are looking for and, perhaps even more importantly, for what employers are actually demanding. And I think the jury is still out on that. Education institutions often lag behind what industry is looking for.

A couple of things they should be doing: first, making sure there are fields of study where people can learn the skills for the new types of jobs being created. LinkedIn data shows that about 20% of the jobs that exist today didn’t exist in 2000 — so there’s a real need for new fields of study. But even more broadly, we’re estimating that by 2030, 85% of jobs are going to see at least a 25% change in the skills they require. That’s a lot of curriculum to update.

Take civil engineering — a career field that’s existed for over a century. A few summers ago in New York, the Third Avenue Bridge between the Bronx and Manhattan couldn’t close all the way because it was so hot that the bridge had expanded beyond what the original designers had accounted for. Those designers were working more than a hundred years ago. A civil engineering program still has to teach you how to build and design a bridge — but now it has to introduce new types of risk, new challenges, possibly new materials, because we have to consider that a piece of infrastructure built today needs to last 100 years under very different climate conditions than what was historically assumed.

Q: Many workers worry about being left behind. What does the data show about whether their skills are transferable to the green economy?

A few ways to answer this. One: you can be in marketing, accounting, or sales — we need those skills in the green economy. Those companies still need to find customers and manage their finances.

Two: workers who currently work in energy — even traditional, fossil fuel-based energy — are energy workers, and that’s a core part of who they are. We need a lot of people to work on energy. There are already strong examples of this. A geothermal company in the United States hired a significant number of people out of the oil and gas industry to help build and operate their facility. The skills transfer more than people assume.

But here’s the broader point: this space is growing rapidly. When you have relatively new types of jobs growing as fast as green jobs are, you can’t rely only on people who’ve done them before. We featured a solar asset management company in our 2024 Green Skills report that kept poaching employees from competitors because the demand was so intense — and that’s not a sustainable way to build a talent pool for an industry. When they broke the job down into its tasks and skills, they found other pockets of untapped talent that could excel at doing that work.

This is part of a broader movement around skills-based hiring — hiring people not for their degree or their most recent job title, but for what they can actually do. In this transition, we’re going to need a lot of that. A lot of people have the passion and interest to work on climate. The question is how we match that passion with the skills they already have to fill the jobs that need to be done.

Q: Your research shows women are underrepresented in green jobs. Why does that gap exist, and what are we losing if we don’t address it?

First and foremost: we are facing one of the biggest challenges on the globe, and if half the global workforce isn’t equally able to participate in solving it, we’re putting the solutions at risk.

Second: there’s a lot of economic opportunity for people with green skills, and if fewer women have those skills, fewer women are going to be able to take advantage of that opportunity. We also know that more of the jobs likely to be displaced by AI are held by women — and a lot of green economy jobs are going to be more AI-resilient. So if women are less likely to be in the green economy, that’s a compounding economic risk.

There’s also a structural challenge. A lot of the jobs in energy, building, and construction are predominantly male-dominated roles that very few women hold to begin with. That’s not going to fix itself. One concrete example of what can help: pairing childcare assistance with apprenticeship programs so that more women are actually able to participate in those pipelines. We need more people working on energy and climate, full stop — and that means actively supporting women into these roles.

Q: When government policy pulls back on climate investment, what happens to green hiring? Does it slow down, or does the private sector pick up the slack?

Companies are looking for certainty. That’s ultimately what drives decision-making, especially for long-term investments in energy infrastructure. Political uncertainty — which we’ve had a lot of recently, with elections around the world — is something businesses generally don’t invest around.

That said, a lot of companies operate globally. What happens in one country may not match what happens in another, and companies may continue to invest in renewables or address climate change because it’s a priority in other markets they care about, even if one or two countries have walked back their climate commitments.

What I can say is that we’ve been tracking the LinkedIn hiring rate, and through at least the first half of 2025, the hiring advantage for workers with green skills remained strong. It decreased slightly, but we don’t yet know if that’s a sustained trend or a response to uncertainty.

What people kept asking me at Climate Week was: is green hiring still a thing, even as the political discourse is pulling back? And my answer is clearly yes. Because companies — regardless of whether they’re publicly sticking to climate commitments — have to get this stuff done anyway. They have to become more resilient because they can see what climate shocks and climate risk can do to a business. They see real opportunities in the energy transition they want to realize. And they want to control costs, and energy efficiency is a core green skill. Maybe they call it something different. Maybe they use different words. But climate is material, and that drives business decisions and informs what kind of workforce these companies need — even if it’s not the headline they’re shouting about.

Q: Looking ahead, what gives you confidence that the transition to a green workforce will continue?

Young people really care about this, and I’m genuinely excited about the number of people who have reached out saying, “I want to work on this — how do I make an impact?” I don’t want to suggest this is only something young people care about — we see all kinds of people motivated by it. But the question of how we help people see themselves in the variety of roles that could use the skills they already have to drive climate impact — that’s where there’s a lot of opportunity.

I’m also encouraged by the fact that a lot of employers are still treating this as a key priority — not just because of public climate commitments, but because they know it matters to their business. And when companies decide something is important to their business, they build decision models around it, again and again.

I’ll come back to that stat from earlier: the majority of green hires today have green skills but not green titles. That tells us this is becoming increasingly embedded across companies — and that’s a good thing. This can’t be something siloed in one part of a business. It has to be a set of capabilities distributed across the entire organization.

Q: For Earth Day 2026, what is LinkedIn doing to mark the moment, and how can initiatives like this help accelerate green skills development worldwide?

Every month, LinkedIn has what we call an “en day” — a day with dedicated programming around a different topic. April is Environment Day at LinkedIn, and it always lines up with Earth Day.

For us, it’s a time when we talk about our own company’s climate commitments around energy, water, and waste, and make sure our employees understand what those commitments are. People want to work at companies that care about this stuff, and that matters. We also do programming at our office locations — environmental cleanups in the community, things like that.

But beyond the single day: we’re always thinking about how we help the broader workforce develop these skills. We unlock LinkedIn Learning content around green skills so people can access it during and around Earth Day. And the reason that matters is that most people are going to learn green skills by seeing how those skills apply to the jobs they already hold — that’s where most people actually put green skills to use. LinkedIn Learning can be really useful for that.

So for us, Earth Day is a moment to step back from the day-to-day, spend some time engaging with the environment around us, and also learn about the skills we can all use to take more climate action — starting right where we are.

The post The Green Skills Gap: 22 Minutes with Efrem Bycer appeared first on Earth Day.

The power of education is profound, breaking barriers to economic opportunity and upward mobility while disrupting cycles of disadvantage, such as poverty, unemployment, and lack of opportunity. Without education, these cycles can persist across generations and communities. Simply put, education transforms lives. For example, every additional year of education a person acquires increases their future earnings by 10%, allowing them to secure stable housing, afford adequate nutrition, and invest in savings.

Education equips individuals with knowledge, skills, and confidence to navigate their social environments, solve problems, and contribute meaningfully to their communities. Whether through formal schooling, vocational training, or experiential learning, education opens pathways that might otherwise remain closed, offering tools for self-determination and the possibility of a better future.

In prisons, education is no less significant. In 2016, research organization RAND found that incarcerated individuals who participate in any type of educational program are up to 43% less likely to reoffend and return to prison. Prisons with college programs have fewer violent incidents, creating safer conditions for both incarcerated individuals and staff. Additionally, every dollar spent on prison education programs saves four to five dollars on the costs of incarceration, such as paying personnel and staffing, providing inmate healthcare, and carrying out facility operations and inmate services.

Among the approaches to prison education are environmental programs that harness the positive connection between humans and nature. Exposure to the natural environment reduces stress, alleviates depression, and enhances cognitive functioning. In correctional facilities, this exposure can take the form of interactions with plants and animals, exercising in yards with grass and trees, or even experiencing indirect contact through nature imagery or viewing nature through a window.

Environmental education programs mobilize the human-nature connection by providing contact with plants, soil, and outdoor environments that strengthen their sense of being part of the living world. In prisons, mental health challenges are prevalent; 43% of people in state prisons have been diagnosed with a mental disorder, such as major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, personality disorder, and/or post-traumatic stress disorder. Furthermore, 66% of people in federal prisons have reported not receiving any mental health care while incarcerated.

In light of this, environmental education programs are bringing green spaces, conservation work, and ecological learning into prisons, addressing both the mental health crisis behind bars and the pressing challenge of recidivism.

Programs That Heal People and the Planet

Environmental education initiatives have been found to empower participants, the institutions and organizations that serve them, and their local areas at the individual, organizational, and community levels. Programs across the U.S. are putting this principle into practice, bringing nature-based learning into correctional facilities with promising results.

For Jamala, his healing after 31 years behind bars (half of them spent in solitary confinement, an environment of sensory deprivation) came from an Insight Garden Program. Jamala attributes his reintroduction to nature through this weekly, two-hour class to be the foundation of his ability to address core issues in his life, such as addiction, anger, and gangs. This program taught him how to feel again after he lost the ability to connect with other human beings due to his time in solitary confinement. 

The Sustainability in Prisons Project, a partnership between The Evergreen State College and Washington State Department of Corrections, seeks to empower sustainable change by bringing nature, science, and environmental education into prisons. Through this project, correction centers have implemented programs ranging from beekeeping to turtle rehabilitation to prairie conservation. Additionally, since 2024, the project has awarded 1,326 college credits to 237 students through classes such as Foundations in Gardening, Foundations in Composting, and Environmental Workshops.

Prison-based environmental programs can reduce recidivism by addressing the psychological benefits of nature exposure and the employment opportunities created through green job training. For example, at Snake River Correctional Institute in Oregon, the Nature Imagery in Prisons Project found that inmates placed in solitary confinement who viewed nature films committed 26% fewer violent infractions than those without.

Additionally, environmental programs can create tangible pathways to employment and successful community reintegration. Through San Quentin State Prison’s Insight Prison Garden Program, inmates receive master gardener training from partner organization Planting Justice and are then offered relevant jobs, such as those in landscaping, upon release. These programs can also empower formerly incarcerated individuals through showing them how to address food insecurity in their communities by donating produce to food pantries and shelters. Participants in these programs also create productive green spaces by transforming vacant lots and neglected areas into thriving gardens and urban farms.

PULLQUOTE: [“I had a job to go to at Planting Justice when I came out; I’ve been able to totally transform my life because of the garden program.”] — Anthony Forrest, former participant in San Quentin’s Prison’s Insight Prison Garden Program

The impact of these programs also extends to daily prison operations. Prisons consume significant amounts of energy and resources, as well as produce considerable waste. For example, prisons typically use twice as much energy as office buildings and schools. Additionally, the average inmate uses between 120 and 149 gallons of water per day, and between 0.5 and 1.2 pounds of food waste are generated per inmate per day.

Environmentally focused practices such as reducing waste through composting and recycling programs, conserving energy through efficiency upgrades, and supporting sustainable food production through prisons gardens and horticulture training have been found to improve incarcerated persons’ health and reduce violence within facilities. 

Environmental education in prisons is not limited to the U.S. In Europe, Innovative Prison Systems promotes environmental-related skills, knowledge, and attitudes, as well as formal education and pathways to employment. In the U.K., the Greener Prisons Initiative at Her Majesty’s Prison Bristol aims to enhance ecological literacy, reduce food waste, and reconnect incarcerated individuals with the natural world through horticultural and educational programs. These programs reflect a shared recognition that connecting people with nature benefits individuals and societies everywhere.

Investing in Second Chances and Sustainability

The alignment of ecological responsibility with prisoner education can transform prisons into centers of positive change that benefit the environment, incarcerated persons, and society. The opportunity to expand these programs has never been greater, as growing awareness of both the climate crisis and the need for effective rehabilitation strategies converge. Partnerships between correctional institutions, environmental organizations, educational institutions, and community groups can expand environmental education programs across federal and state prisons, local jails, and youth correctional facilities. These collaborations generate significant benefits such as reduced recidivism rates, improved mental health outcomes, and improved employment skills.

The power of environmental education demonstrates that transformation is always possible and that healing the relationship between people and the planet benefits us all. Investment in these programs represents investments in second chances, healthier communities, restored ecosystems, and a more sustainable world.

Please consider donating to EARTHDAY.ORG to support our global advocacy and education efforts, which work to protect the planet and all who call it home. We recognize the importance of education in our Climate Education Coalition, which calls on countries to include climate education in their Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement. From prisons to classrooms to communities worldwide, environmental education builds the knowledge, skills, and hope needed to create a more just, resilient, and thriving world.

This article is available for republishing on your website, newsletter, magazine, newspaper, or blog. The accompanying imagery is 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 woods@earthday.org. Want more articles? Follow us on substack.

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Imagine a hardworking biodegradable battery powering a temporary soil sensor in the field, a tool measuring soil conditions to guide the frequency of watering and fertilizing. After days or weeks, its job of supplying power is done. Instead of needing to retrieve it or leaving electronic waste in the fields, the battery simply dissolves.

The idea sounds perfect: use the battery, then let nature take care of it. But reality is more complicated. Vanishing does not always mean harmless, and even the most eco-friendly inventions can carry hidden burdens.

Decomposing Biodegradable Batteries

Compostable batteries are energy storage devices designed to break down under controlled composting conditions, often at 58 °C (136.4 °F), 50% humidity, and pH of 6.5 to 8. They can be born in two ways. Some are designed to disappear almost entirely, built with a 3D printer using all-degradable polymers. Others are partially biodegradable: their binders, packaging, and separators can compost away, while metals inside slowly dissolve rather than fully biodegrade. The battery we’ll focus on if of the second type.

To be more precise, it is part of the aqueous zinc-ion family (AZIB), specifically the manganese dioxide branch (Zn-MnO2), which we will call Ziggy for its compounds. The key distinction of aqueous batteries is that they are water-based, making them chemically milder and safer than batteries based on organic solvents such as ethylene carbonate and polycarbonate. While not all AZIBs are biodegradable, versions like our Ziggy can be engineered to be so by replacing the un-chargable components that hold the battery together with compostable materials.

The Birth of a Battery

Right at birth, our young battery faces competition from powerful cousins, especially lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, one of the most popular conventional battery types used today.

In manufacturing, AZIBs like Ziggy perform surprisingly well. Studies suggest that producing various AZIBs can on average result in 45.1 kilograms of CO2 per watt-hour, nearly half the greenhouse gasses emissions of Li-ion batteries at 39 to 196 kilograms of CO2 per watt-hour. For clarity, producing 39 kilograms of CO2 per one kilowatt-hour battery is like driving an average car for 96.5 miles to power an average microwave for an hour. Regarding other factors, all tested AZIB types score better for terrestrial acidity and cancerogenic human toxicity, although non-cancerogenic human toxicity for AZIBs was higher for all material types. 

But there is no rest for Ziggy, as another competitor enters the scene: the all-organic polymer battery. Ironically, producing some all-organic batteries has, so far, shown greater greenhouse gasses emissions, ozone depletion, and toxicity than the production of Li-ion batteries and AZIBs. This is because all-polymer components are not as effective for energy storage as metals are. The specific energy (or how much energy it provides compared to its total mass) of all-organic batteries is five times lower than that of Li-ion ones and nearly seven times lower than some successfully optimized zinc and manganese dioxide based AZIBs. Due to this, a lot more material needs to be created to achieve the same output, leading to higher environmental impacts.

This does not prove that all-organic batteries are a bad idea, but it does show that when specific energy is low, manufacturing demands might complicate the end-of-life environmental benefits.

Overall, with the limited all-organic battery manufacturing data available, Ziggy seems to win in the production effects. However, our battery’s story is still unfolding.

Entering the Workforce

Soon after manufacturing, Ziggy is deployed where it is needed: networks of connected data-exchanging devices, eco-friendly sensors, and data-secure electronics. 

Here it competes again with lithium-ion batteries, whose main strength is that they deliver high energy density of 100–265 watt-hours per kilogram of material. However, Ziggy meets the challenge admirably, its power output matching that of Li-ion batteries at 150 watt-hours per kilogram with the newest advances in design. Additionally, like Li-ion, some Zn-MnO2 based AZIBs like Ziggy can be recharged, and considering our battery doesn’t need to be recovered when used in hard-to-retrieve agricultural monitoring devices, it does its job better in some scenarios than its Li-ion relative.

Meanwhile, another contender enters the field, though not for long, as its defeat is nigh: the all-organic batteries. They are, as mentioned above, seven times weaker per kilogram of substance than most advanced Ziggies. This makes all-organic batteries bulkier and less efficient.

In this regard, our battery is doing a good job at matching and even outperforming its competition, however, there are still the post-mortem costs to consider.

End of Life

When our hero’s job is done, its body starts its return to the earth. However, letting it decompose in one place without recovering active components, elements that hold the energy inside the battery, can lead to them accumulating and exceeding safe values by as much as 180 times for zinc and eight times for chlorides. This can cause soil quality to degrade and plants to die, leading researchers to suggest that better composting standards for these batteries be developed.

This challenges the comforting assumption that biodegradable batteries automatically solve the battery disposal problem. Batteries like our hero may reduce persistent plastics and certain toxic components, but they can still introduce harmful substances into the environment if handled improperly.

But how does this compare to the other contestants?

Li-ion batteries create a different end-of-life problem: when they are discarded as waste, they can become a serious chemical hazard. Lithium-ion cells contain limited and toxic materials such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, manganese, and electrolyte salts. These can pose threat to soil, air, and water safety, as well as deplete ozone layer and increase cancer and respiratory disorder risks in humans if released.

Due to the lack of enforcement, these batteries are most often tossed or incinerated, which introduces harmful compounds into the air, water, and soil. The best disposal method for them is recycling, which while not being entirely pollution-free, minimizes negative effects on nature. However, the recovery rate for Li-ion battery materials is low, with less than 40% of a battery being recyclable with the current technology and operation patterns.

As for the last contestant, the costs of all-organic battery dissolution is currently undetermined. Researchers, however, are optimistic, citing metals such as zinc, manganese, and chlorides, as the main problem with biodegradable batteries, and saying that replacing them with all-organic polymer might result in a technology that is safe to compost.

The Moral of the Story

If biodegradable batteries like Ziggy are to become more common, their story needs careful editing.

Their dissolution time should be tightly controlled so the batteries remain stable while they work and release predictable doses of ions afterwards. Regulations, composting standards, and environmental testing must grow alongside innovation. Ziggy is a step in the right direction, but its power needs to be handled responsibly if it enters a large-scale production.

The story also reminds us that labels like “biodegradable” or “eco-friendly” deserve closer inspection. Sometimes they could be pure marketing, like we so often see with food items in grocery stores, while other times, they signal a genuinely promising approach, especially when the claim is backed by real toxicity data. This is why climate education matters, as it helps us connect everyday technology to real-world environmental outcomes. As such, we encourage you to sign the Pledge to Support Climate and Environmental Literacy to ensure that future generations have the tools they need to navigate the complex landscape of green labels and real impacts.

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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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Let’s take a deep dive back into your childhood. Whether that was 10 or 60 years ago, can you recall the moment you read your favorite childhood book? 

Perhaps you checked it out at a local library, maybe it was a birthday gift from your grandparents, or a parent took you to a bookstore. For me, that book was Winter’s Tail: How One Little Dolphin Learned to Swim Again, later adapted into the better-known 2011 film Dolphin Tale. My mom purchased this book for me when I was 7, and I fell in love with this mighty dolphin who learned to survive without her tail. I was so enthralled with this tale that I reread it until it fell apart at the spine. Her heartwarming story eventually inspired me to pursue wildlife biology. 

Books are the quiet unsung heroes of our lives, especially when we are children. Every child deserves to read great books and here are five reasons why encouraging kids to read and love books can help create people with empathy, and even inspire future environmental enthusiasts. 

1) Hear it, Read it

Bedtime stories are more impactful than you might think. Reading to your child can increase areas of the brain that allow humans to speak and write. 

Books expose children to new vocabulary that they may not regularly hear. In fact, incoming kindergarteners who read one book a day hear 290,000 more words than kids who aren’t being read to, better preparing them to learn to read by themselves. 

So grab a book and read your kid a story!

2) Turning Pages, Turning Attention 

While urbanization and technology has led to many advancements in the world, it has also resulted in a disconnection with the natural world. More than half of American adults report spending less than 5 hours a week outside, and modern-day toddlers spend an average of 2 hours a day with access to screens.

Though this is increasingly the norm, it is not beneficial to our wellbeing. Nature nurtures our mental health in many ways, curating better self-control, reducing stress, and improving our mood. The good news is you can feel connected to nature without having to be physically outside.

One way to foster this connection is by reading physical books, especially those rich in natural imagery or immersive storytelling, which allow the mind to explore new worlds. Unlike e-books and tablets, physically turning the pages of a book creates a “mental map” making the tales we read more real.  By reading books families can engage in less screen time and find more meaningful ways to re-engage with the environment.

3) Borrowed Books = Responsibility

Local libraries are a bookworm’s dream. It’s a cozy, quiet space to escape from the outside world for an hour or two. However, people are using libraries less due to the accessibility of the internet. Compared to 2003, there is a 60% drop in registered library users worldwide. 

That’s sad because community books and return deadlines help children and teens gain responsibility for communal items, which can translate into other aspects of their world- be it being nicer to their siblings and sharing toys to taking responsibility to care for our planet. 

4) Read Anything. Care About Everything. 

Children are especially influenced by indirect experiences, and research shows that they remember fiction books more than other types of reading

Fiction often includes anthropomorphism, fantasy or adventure narratives, and opportunities for incidental learning. By engaging with great stories, it is easier for children to develop meaningful conversations about the world around them and the environment.

We know that children experience climate anxiety, which is a feeling of anxiousness regarding climate change and its impact on human existence. Reading can help children be more optimistic and hear different narratives about how things can be improved.

5)  The Plot Thickens… and so Does Your Heart

There is a correlation between reading and increased empathy. That is because books represent different experiences that encourage reflection in our own lives. They allow us to connect to the broader human experiences. 

Just as books can broaden our understanding by exposing us to experiences beyond our own, we must also recognize the realities faced by others—even for example, when the consequences are not immediately visible to us. So for example while countries in the South  often pollute the least, they are frequently the most impacted by the pollution of the North. To combat this we need more climate empathy and one powerful way to cultivate it, is through reading. Books illuminate the challenges and solutions of our changing world and can inspire action and understanding.

Books are a vital part of our education system and climate literacy should be too; it is the foundation of mitigation, adaptation, and resilience and teaching the next generation about climate change is in itself a form of climate action. If you agree there is an urgent need for all nations to incorporate climate education in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) as part of their climate plans, please add your name to our Climate Literacy Petition to pledge your support.

To start your climate awareness why not check out Watt’s In a Book: 4 Energizing Reads on Renewable Power and 5 Books to Read to Save the Planet. Plus, here are free climate education resources for you to explore. 

This article is available for republishing on your website, newsletter, magazine, newspaper, or blog. The accompanying imagery is 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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For me and my EARTHDAY.ORG colleagues, Bryce Coon and Max Falcone, the quality and quantity of proposals, the inclusion of Indigenous and Amazonian voices, and the clarity of the collective ambition made this COP transformative.

An Extraordinary Leap in Climate Education: From 40 to 152

Perhaps one of the most remarkable achievements of COP30 is the global recognition of climate and environmental education as central to climate action. Today 152 nations have included climate education in their updated NDCs, a staggering advance from the original 40 countries after the 2015 Paris Agreement.

This accomplishment reflects nearly a decade of collective work by governments, ministries of environment and education, youth movements, academic institutions, and nonprofit organizations. For EARTHDAY.ORG, which has promoted, amplified and even defended environmental education since the very first Earth Day in 1970, this expansion represents a turning point.

It confirms that education is no longer peripheral—it is a pillar of national climate strategies. It provides a stronger foundation for green jobs, a just clean energy transition, and community resilience. It aligns science, policy, and civic action in ways unimaginable just a few years ago.

COP30 has demonstrated that when nations understand the role of education in long-term systems change and decision making, the world moves faster and more coherently toward solutions.

For the Love of Forests

One highlight was the renewed focus on the FTTT Initiative (Forests, Territories, Trees, and Transition)—a Brazilian proposal that integrates community-led forestry, canopy restoration, bioeconomy opportunities, and climate education. 

FTTT provides an institutional framework that other nations can adapt. EDO cares passionately about the health of the world’s forests and through out  Canopy Tree Project we have been planting millions of trees for decades.

Our own new series, UNDERREPORTED EARTH – “TREE TALES”– IG trail – sees Tracy McVeigh from The Guardian speak with three top investigative journalists about their groundbreaking reporting around forests: Elisangela Mendonça uncovers how the Amazon rainforest is being threatened by the collagen industry. Josephine Moulds takes us into the Congo Basin, where fossil fuel auctions are endangering one of the world’s most vital rainforest ecosystems. Ana Bottallo travels deep into the Amazonian mangroves to witness how local communities fought to have their voices heard.

The episodes go live November 17/18th/19th across EARTHDAY.ORG social media on Facebook: Ep.1, Ep.2, Ep.3 and YouTube: Ep.1, Ep.2, Ep.3. Well worth a listen and helps to reveal some of what the Indigenous communities are fighting for.

A Global Strategy to Align Donors and Investors

In the spirit of the Brazilian FTTT initiative, we need a Common Strategy for International Donors and Nonprofit Climate-Education Investors—a coordinated, global effort that channels resources efficiently. This strategy would align international philanthropy, development banks, corporate sustainability funds, and nonprofit networks toward measurable climate-education outcomes. 

It also facilitates long-term programs for teacher training, curriculum innovation, youth leadership, climate-literacy certification, and green-jobs pathways. Additionally, it will strengthen monitoring frameworks that allow countries to track progress in their NDC-aligned education initiatives.

During our meetings with Ambassador Tatiana Rosito, Secretary of International Affairs (SAIN) at Brazil’s Ministry of Finance, and with the team of professionals led by Maria Netto at the Instituto Clima e Sociedade (iCS), it became clear that Brazil’s emerging financial architecture creates unprecedented opportunities for climate education.

The plan’s first USD 10 billion FTTT-aligned phase paves the way for a complementary round of junior capital, philanthropic, and blended financing to advance climate education, youth entrepreneurship, and early-stage startups in Amazonian and traditional communities, ensuring Brazil’s energy transition delivers skills, livelihoods, and innovation to the territories that protect the forest.

This vision was shared in exclusive interviews we had with Wanjira Mathai Vice President and África Director of WRI and Manuel Pulgar Vidal, former Minister of Environment of Peru and President of COP20 LIMA , present WWF global climate Envoy.

Knowledge is Power

Brazil’s tradition of multirões—large, volunteer-driven collective actions—stood out during COP30. Indigenous Andean cultures made their voices heard at the COP like never before, in negotiations, and with demonstrations.  

We should heed their advice developed as they have enduring systems of cooperative labor that have shaped their ecological and social resilience: the Ayllu, a form of community kinship and shared stewardship of land; the Mita, a structured system of collaborative public service; and the Minka, a voluntary, communal practice for building, farming, and collective well-being. 

Recognizing these ancestral traditions reinforces the idea that climate action is not new—it is a continuation of the communal wisdom of Latin America. 

Many organizations recognize what we can learn from traditional wisdom –  Limpa Brasil,  Let’s Do It!, Reconnecta Escolas Pelo Clima, the Pastoral do Meio Ambiente of the Basilica of Nazaré, Brazilian Coalition for Climate Education CBEC, CTNEAC-FBMC, IPAM Amazônia, and many local schools and volunteer groups demonstrated at COP30 how respect and coordinated action amplifies results across all states of Brazil and beyond.

They, like us, know that investment in climate education must reach everyone – the students, teachers – of all communities. This includes Indigenous communities, quilombolas, and rural youth who are custodians of some of the planet’s most vital ecosystems. Investments must expand access to climate-literacy training to the Amazonian communities and all Indigenous people.

The momentum generated in Belém must not be temporary—it must become a shared roadmap for the next decade. EARTHDAY.ORG reaffirms its commitment to supporting nations in implementing climate-education in their NDCs. 

As we look to Earth Day 2026 and beyond, the message from COP30 is clear; climate education is no longer optional—it is the foundation of resilience, green-job economies, and planetary stewardship. Brazil and the UNFCCC have helped make this reality visible on the global stage. For that, EARTHDAY.ORG extends its sincere gratitude—and its renewed determination to turn this historic momentum into lasting, transformative action.

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Every November 20th, we celebrate children’s rights on World Children’s Day – their right to learn, to dream, and to grow up on a healthy, livable planet. However, growing up in 2025 means that children are coming of age at a time when the Earth is crying for care. 

When we look at the climate crisis through their eyes, we see things differently – and perhaps we adults can learn a thing or two from children.

Here are eight lessons children offer us, not because they have all the answers, but because their way of seeing the world reminds us what really matters.

1. Be Curious About Everything

Children ask “why” a hundred times a day; in fact it is a precursor to some of the most common questions asked by kids 6 and under. That curiosity is where we can learn about the world around us. When we ask more questions about things, like how our energy sources are created, how products are  made, or where our waste goes, we become aware of the systems that shape our planet and what  changes need to be made. Curiosity keeps us open-minded and ready to learn. As new research from the University of California, Santa Barbara shows, people who nurture their curiosity tend to stay more engaged with the world around them, exactly the kind of mindset that helps us care more deeply for the planet.

This is the foundation of environmentalism: understanding how human choices impact the Earth and engaging in mitigation of the harm we may cause.

2. Paper Beats Rock, Rock Beats Plastic

We don’t come out of the womb with a Christmas wish-list – but we are born with our imagination. Children can build a rocket from a box or a sword from a stick. They teach us that happiness can be found in keeping things we already have rather than purchasing new items. Repurposing the things we already have in our hands cuts down on waste and uses our imagination. The circular economy works the same way, it reminds us to give materials like plastic bottles or packaging a second life, keeping them in use instead of sending them to waste.

3. Outdoor Play Is How We Learn

Kids don’t just play outside, they soak it all in. Evidence from 2020 shows that kids who spend more time in nature have better mood, concentration, and ability to empathize with others. Whether it’s noticing the smell of rain or the buzz of bees, connecting with the natural world helps kids — and adults — feel happier, calmer, and more motivated to protect the planet. 

4. Turn Feelings Into Action

Children don’t hide their feelings about climate change. Climate anxiety is so prevalent that in 2021 more than half youth across the world report feeling sadness, anxiety, anger, powerlessness, helplessness, and guilt about the changing climate. These feelings affect their daily life, causing such symptoms as fatigue, insomnia, and panic attacks.  ; We cannot let kids roll over and take this way of life; they must  act on these feelings instead. Research has shown that when young people express what they feel about climate change and engage in climate action, it strengthens their sense of agency – and that’s where climate education plays a role. Learning about solutions and sharing knowledge can turn these feelings into purpose. A reminder for adults that caring out loud is powerful.

5. Don’t Let your Ego Overshadow Your Message 

Children don’t need big words to explain why we should take care of the Earth. They know: “It’s our home.” and  that could be all the reason they need. Children tend to simplify things, adults tend to overcomplicate things. Sometimes simple language is much more effective in inspiring people to act on climate issues. In the United States, for instance, where 99% of the population is literate, the average reading level is a 7th-8th grade level. It is more important to be understood than to be perceived as an all knowing expert.  

6. What’s Gonna Work? Teamwork! 

Change doesn’t come from one person doing it all, but from all of us doing our part. A national survey study from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication found that while many Americans care deeply about climate change and would take actions like signing petitions or attending rallies,only about 6-16% actually do these things. The researchers discovered this by analyzing how people’s sense of shared responsibility influences their willingness to act. The study shows that we’re more likely to take action when we feel part of a collective effort rather than doing it all by ourselves. It’s through working together, asking questions, experimenting, and sharing ideas that we find the most effective ways to mitigate climate change. 

7. Empathy is as important as Science

Children not only absorb information; they experience stories. This unique mix of empathy and knowledge fuels lasting dedication. As for grown-ups, empathy means compassion in policies and practices that safeguard other people, and more specifically those hit hardest by the crisis. One effective way to build empathy is through reading stories and narratives that help us understand different perspectives. Developing emotional intelligence is just as important as understanding science. After all, Emotional intelligence is a crucial climate skill, one that is often overlooked in efforts to tackle climate change. 

8. Celebrate Small Wins

Children celebrate when they complete a puzzle or harvest their first tomato. Adults can use more of that happiness. Small wins can build momentum. Psychologists say that recognizing progress can help individuals sustain new behaviors.In taking climate action, it’s all about celebrating small wins to keep ourselves motivated. Whether through planting a garden, diverting waste, or creating art that reflects hope and concern, these activities help us connect with the planet on an emotional level. Art lets people envision the change, communicate their emotions, and could inspire others to begin the important work of healing our planet.

World Children’s Day is a time to remember that children have a right to a safe future.They also remind us that learning can go both ways. They demonstrate that caring for the planet doesn’t have to be a complicated task, it can start with curiosity, play, empathy and hope. Perhaps saving the planet isn’t always just about science or politics. Sometimes it’s about learning again, to see the world like a child does, as something worth loving.

But understandably love alone isn’t enough. Children deserve strong climate education and strong national climate commitments that safeguard their future. To help make that possible, sign EARTHDAY.ORG’s Pledge to Support Climate and Environmental Literacy, urging governments to include climate education in their NDCs. Every signature helps turn big goals into real classroom action and a more climate-literate world.

This article is available for republishing on your website, newsletter, magazine, newspaper, or blog. The accompanying imagery is 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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