Climate change is a big global and societal challenge, and solving it requires different kinds of know-how, science and research. One very important method of influencing the prevention of climate change is education. With the help of education, we can raise awareness about questions concerning climate and influence both the daily consumer habits and develop the supranational activity.
Environmental education must be supported throughout the whole education path, from early childhood education to higher education and lifelong learning, so that we have a group as large as possible with environmental skills that can meet the needs set by climate change. Not only is it important that everyone can reflect on their own action’s effects on the climate in their daily lives, but also that they learn to utilize the information on their own fields in a broader framework. We need understanding from the technology side for more sustainable energy production, construction and overall for developing infrastructure, but also societal know-how concerning political processes, developing education and solving humanitarian problems. Economy also has a significant place in today’s society, so when we talk about the effects of climate change, we also need the perspective of economic experts.
With education, we can respond to all of these needs, but it requires a new kind of pedagogic approach. In environmental education, we talk about ecosocial education. Its aim is to create a culture, where we appreciate the sanctity of human dignity and the diversity and power of regeneration of ecosystems. The idea of ecosocial education is to create know-how relating to how to use natural resources in a sustainable manner. The guiding principle is also to learn how to recognize the interaction of the ecological, social and economic aspects.
The interaction and cooperation between different fields are exactly what are in the key position in education, when we are searching for solutions to stop climate change. Climate change can be used as an example of the so-called diabolical dilemma, where solving one section could possibly create new problems. However, if the cooperation between fields and going through different perspectives are made possible in education, it is easier to find actually sustainable solutions.
Tampere University’s environment education professor Veli-Marri Värri stated the following in his article:
“Saving the world is both a political and a pedagogical task. Education must create possibilities to transcend the prevailing way of life and to see differently.”
Let us remember this and demand education that considers the demands of climate change!
TREY’s #yoursolution series is a part of SYL and SAMOK’s #koulutustaprkl election campaign. The three main points of the campaign are climate, education and livelihood. More information about the national campaign can be found here.