Building capacity for climate-change education in Aotearoa New Zealand schools

Abstract

The government of Aotearoa New Zealand has recognised the gravity of climate change by adopting a Climate Emergency declaration, passing the Zero Carbon Act (2019), and asking the Climate Change Commission to chart a pathway towards a carbon-zero future. The climate emergency necessitates transformation of the practices and visions of individuals and society towards a sustainable future. We argue that education must be recognised as a key enabler for this transformational process. In this article, we draw on our recommendations to the Climate Change Commission (2021a) for structural changes in our education system to build capacity for the implementation of climate-change education for a sustainable future. Our focus is on building capacity in school leaders and teachers through development of knowledge and skills, provision of time and space, and cultural embedding of education on sustainable living and climate change into the ways we all teach and learn. Our intention is to provide a “think piece” to be considered and discussed by school educators and leaders across Aotearoa New Zealand.