An educator at the University of Worcester has been involved in convening a special discussion in the Houses of Parliament.
MPs, climate experts, young people, teachers and parents came together to discuss the impact of the climate and ecological crisis on education.
The Educators Emergency Conversation was hosted by Chris Hinchcliff MP and co-chaired by Elena Lengthorn, the University’s Lead Mentor for PGCE Geography and Chair of its Sustainability Forum.
Elena is also co-chair of Our Shared World, a network of individuals from across the UK working together to create a more sustainable, fairer, peaceful and resilient world.
The Educators Emergency Conversation brought together MPs, climate experts, young people, teachers and parents to discuss the climate and ecological crisis and its impacts on education, from safeguarding to curriculum. It was inspired by the success of the many hundreds of screenings of the People’s Emergency Briefing film across the UK, including in Worcester.
Elena, who has played a key role in shaping the new Natural History GCSE as part of national advisory panels, said: “It was a privilege to co-chair this important conversation in Parliament and to bring together educators, policymakers and campaigners to discuss the challenges that the climate crisis presents for education. Professor Paul Behrens, the National Emergency Briefing expert witness on food security, from Oxford University, reminded attendees, before leading a discussion on education responses to our climate and ecological emergency, that ‘not talking about it doesn’t make it go away’.”
She added: “Schools and universities have a vital role to play in helping young people understand the changing world around them, while also equipping them with the knowledge, skills and hope needed to create a more sustainable future.
“The event highlighted a number of educational opportunities for the Department for Education - an invitation to disseminate and encourage school staff interaction with the National Emergency Briefing for school teachers; including Climate and Ecological Emergency Education in the initial teacher education curriculum, funding Sustainability Leadership in all schools and recognising the climate and ecological impacts on safeguarding.”