Turning the Classroom Green

March 5, 2025

By Antonio Díaz Aranda and Faith Adedolapo Olayiwola, SDSN Youth

This piece was originally published in IISD's SDG Knowledge Hub.

With five years remaining until the deadline of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, uncertainty looms over whether the world can truly achieve the SDGs. While global leaders debate policies, tactics, and financing to mitigate climate change, a crucial factor remains overlooked: greening education.

With half of the world’s population under the age of 30, SDG 4 (quality education) stands as a cornerstone in the struggle against climate change. Yet, the majority of young people – those most affected by the crisis – are left under-informed or entirely uninformed about its causes, consequences, and solutions. In fact, in a 2022 UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) survey, 70% of young people responded that they either cannot explain climate change, can only describe its broad principles, or know nothing about it. This disconnect becomes most evident at critical global events, such as the annual UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP), where practically all climate topics are discussed – from nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to a just transition and mitigation and adaptation targets – but greening education remains a thematic item, rather than a priority. Although included as one of the key elements within the Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE), in practice, education is not at the center of the discussions or is the priority of most member States.

How can we expect to achieve a sustainable world when the quality of today’s education falls short?

Green education is not just about teaching climate science. It drives critical thinking, innovation, and resilience. It questions how we can cultivate climate-conscious citizens, skilled professionals for green industries, and leaders to drive necessary systemic changes. It is simply no longer optional. Ignoring it risks an educational gap that could jeopardize all efforts toward achieving climate goals, ensuring survival, and fostering sustainability.

The primary challenge lies in its integration into school curricula. In the best cases, it is treated as a standardized subject for all students, offering only a surface-level understanding of climate issues without delving into their causes and consequences. And in the worst cases, it is relegated to an optional.

Beyond curriculum challenges, few teachers are adequately trained to explain these topics. Today, 29% of teachers feel unprepared to teach about climate change. If educators do not feel equipped, how can we expect their students to be “climate ready”? Capacity building must extend to teachers so they can equip future generations with the knowledge and tools to face the climate crisis.

In practice, while fostering a broad understanding of the climate crisis is crucial, it is equally, if not more, important to prepare a generation with practical skills and knowledge. According to the UN Development Programme (UNDP), 103 million youths lack basic literacy skills. It is evident that the fundamentals are ignored across the education systems, hindering critical development. And without a transformational shift in learning and teaching methods to empower youth, green education risks facing the same issues as traditional systems and methods.

This leads to the big question: How do we resolve this crisis?

The first step is meaningful inclusion of youth in today’s educational model. For too long, children and young people have been considered passive education recipients. Now, as young people face the catastrophes of the climate crisis head on, they are demanding a green education that is relatable, practical, and inclusive. They desire a space where teachers and students can collaboratively develop initiatives, methodologies, and educational tools. Youth-led programs including the SDG Students Program and the Local Pathway Fellowship, and initiatives like hackathons, capacity-building sessions, and awareness campaigns can inspire young people to implement innovative solutions while influencing a positive societal change.

By involving young people in climate education, we can build resilience, shifting the narrative from victimhood to agency. After all, their inclusion is not just beneficial but essential for building a sustainable, climate-resilient world.

The second step is promoting interdisciplinary education. According to a 2021 UNESCO report, 77% of young people strongly agree that experts from diverse fields and disciplines should teach climate change to fully address the issue’s complexity. We need lawyers familiar with environmental litigation, architects versed in sustainable urban design, and engineers proficient in sustainable models. Tailoring climate education across every field of study is vital.

It is time to rethink the role of greening education in our approach to the global climate crisis. To overcome humanity’s greatest challenge, we must begin in the most critical place where knowledge is cultivated: the classroom. Greening education must go from a “nice to have” in school curricula to a “must have,” to ensure our very survival.

In the fight against climate change, education is not just part of the solution. It is the solution.

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Antonio Díaz Aranda is the Events and Partnerships Project Lead with SDSN Youth and Faith Adedolapo Olayiwola is the SDG Students Program Project Lead with SDSN Youth.