The science of climate change is simple – the earth’s climate is changing rapidly, and human activity is at the heart of the problem. From the physical environment to human health and even socio-economic conditions, all aspects of our lives, and the earth’s natural systems are being threatened by the damaging effects of climate change. It is in view of the far-reaching impacts of climate change that Goal 13 of the sustainable development goals recognises the need to secure a sustainable future for all, and calls for urgent, collective, and transformative action across all sectors of the economy and at all levels of society. One way in which this objective is to be fulfilled is through knowledge and capacity building. Accordingly, a key target of Goal 13 is the improvement of education, awareness, and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation and adaptation. Higher education institutions have a crucial role to play in this regard.
What actions have been taken and how far do they go?
It is well recognised that the pursuit of sustainable development will have implications for emission levels as well as the impacts of, and vulnerabilities to climate change. In the light of the relationship between climate change and sustainable development, various efforts have been made to combat climate change through sustainability. Within higher education settings, these efforts have generally taken the form of research, campus sustainability initiatives, education, policy statements, frameworks, and declarations. While significant strides have been made with regards to research, campus sustainability activities and policy, the same cannot be said for education. A recent review of the teaching of sustainability in engineering programmes in UK higher education for instance, revealed that although UK higher education institutions have made some progress with teaching sustainability in engineering programmes, in a vast majority of disciplines, sustainability has not been embedded into the curriculum. Research has also found that despite climate change being an issue of significant concern to universities, its study within university programmes is limited. Generally, there appears to be a disconnect between institutional and classroom level actions.
There are several reasons why embedding sustainability in the curriculum has proven to be challenging. One possibility is that learning providers, curriculum designers and more generally, educators, do not fully understand the concept of sustainability, its relationship to climate change and its relevance to their disciplines. Beyond this, there is also the problem of lack of access to tools, resources and skills necessary to support such engagement. It is important therefore that higher education institutions create the conditions necessary to drive creativity and innovation in the classroom.
Education for sustainable development: what more remains to be done?
The effort to embed sustainable development in the curriculum has been termed Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). The importance of ESD cannot be overemphasized. According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), ESD “gives learners of all ages the knowledge, skills, values and agency to address interconnected global challenges including climate change, loss of biodiversity, unsustainable use of resources, and inequality.” It equips learners with the knowledge and skills needed to promote the wellbeing of the environment, economy and society.
However, notwithstanding the importance of ESD, it cannot be properly incorporated into learning and teaching activities unless higher education institutions work towards building the capacity of educators to plan and facilitate such activities. Thankfully, in the United Kingdom, national guidance has been produced to assist higher education institutions in integrating sustainable development in the design, management and delivery of their courses. Other tools for professional development are also in place to help educators develop competencies for ESD.
In addition to teaching and learning activities, it is important for educators to recognise and utilize other opportunities for engagement with sustainability outside of their modules. Educators (and students) must take advantage of the various ways of getting involved in climate action. This holistic approach to ESD will ensure that beyond policy frameworks and classroom activities, learners can collaborate with stakeholders and the wider community.
Conclusion
The world is facing a climate emergency and urgent action is required to drive change. Higher education institutions are uniquely positioned to support global efforts to address climate change. Opportunities exist for building knowledge, capacity and awareness of climate change and sustainability issues within the curriculum of various disciplines, in the university environment and beyond. However, it is important that these efforts are not siloed. A proper design and delivery of courses and programmes will ensure that these opportunities are properly utilised.