WHY CITY TO SEA WHALEY LIKES THE NEW TEACH THE FUTURE CAMPAIGN
There is an industry that spews out the equivalent CO2 of 189 coal-fired power plants and that by 2050, will account for up to 13% of the total remaining carbon budget. We are of course talking about plastics and it’s a devastating contribution to climate breakdown. There is no bigger threat to our oceans than global warming.
And yet when you talk to people about the plastics industry most people think of its negative environmental impacts as just the plastic pollution left in our natural environment. And while this is a HUGE issue, we need people to educate themselves about its links to climate chaos. This is why City to Sea are throwing oceans of love and support at Teach the Future, a brand-new campaign launched by of SOS UK, the new sustainability charity set up by NUS officers and staff, and UKSCN, the school strikers’ group.
Its time get drastic in our action to tackle plastics and climate change. Shockingly just 4% of school pupils feel that they know a lot about climate change, whilst 75% of school teachers feel they don’t know enough about climate change to teach it. Teach the Future is demanding the Government implement six actions, these are the foundations of our fight against climate chaos and should be at the top of this government’s to do list.
THEIR CALLS ARE FOR:
- A government-commissioned review into how the whole of the English formal education system is preparing students for the climate emergency and ecological crisis
- Inclusion of the climate emergency and ecological crisis in teacher training and a new professional teaching qualification
- An English Climate Emergency Education Act
- A national climate emergency youth voice grant fund
- A national Youth Climate Endowment Fund
- All new state-funded educational buildings should be net-zero from 2022; all existing state-funded educational buildings net-zero by 2030
CITY TO SEA’S FOUNDER, NATALIE FEE BACKED THE CALLS SAYING,
“Just like the plastics floating in our oceans, the political response to the climate crisis has been rubbish. These are well thought out, practical and possible demands. Education isn’t just about exam results – but about empowering young people to be the champions of our shared planet. We also need to support all those phenomenal teachers that have dedicated their professional lives to supporting young people. This can’t be left to them alone. We all need to rise up, stand up and be counted”
GET INVOLVED:
If you feel like we feel, then contact your MP today and ask them to get these 6 asks
Find out more about these asks and read the full document here.
Please register your support on www.teachthefuture.uk and sign the petition here.