UN Declares a ‘Code Red for Humanity’
On 9th August the IPCC released their 6th report on climate change which states even more conclusively than before that human activity is changing the climate in unprecedented and sometimes irreversible ways. In response, the UN has declared a ‘code red for humanity.’
You will probably have seen the news stories of increasing floods, wildfires, and other climate disasters around the world. You might also have witnessed how climate anxiety is affecting our children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing.
This November, the United Nations will come together at the 26th Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, where there will be massive pressure for greater climate ambition - not just from governments, but from individuals and institutions, including schools. This is key because:
Young people rely on schools as trusted sources of information on climate change, and crucially, to provide role models through individual teachers and school leaders.
Schools as institutions will be under increasing pressure to mitigate emissions, starting with the Streamline Energy and Carbon Reporting now being required of Academy Trusts.
But we know it’s not easy. Schools are under huge pressure, especially after the huge disruptions of COVID-19, and many educators feel overwhelmed, unsure about where to begin, and dubious that their actions will even make a difference.
WE’RE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU
DEED and the Consortium of Development Education Centres (CoDEC) offers practical support for action on sustainability in schools, based around the 4 Cs: Campus, Curriculum, Community and Culture. We bring our significant experience from integrating global perspectives to approaches to exploring complexity in the classroom.
We can work alongside and in support of your school, offering advice and access to climate resources, training, initiatives and local opportunities, including positive stories of climate action, and the voices of young people in the Global South who are disproportionately affected.
You can download our flyer here to kickstart your climate action journey or get in touch with us at: info@deed.org.uk