Today, each country/region faces a climate crisis, which turned this into a global threat with no borders and limits. The multiple threats like global warming, rise in temperatures, sea levels, floods, glacier melting, deforestation, wildlife extinction, habitat destruction, carbon dioxide emissions make this scenario worse and uncontrollable. All the climate activists and scientists eventually blame humans for all this. We are the first and last generation to witness this all, so it means the time is running out and we need urgent actions to tackle the challenges of the climate crisis.
The United Nations has given 17 sustainable development goals to all countries to implement the targets by 2030. So, SDG 13 talks about climate action with 5 targets and 8 indicators. Pakistan is lucky enough to achieve the Climate action targets due to its emphasis on green initiatives and biodiversity conservation before the deadline of 2030. In this context, Pakistan can use the tool of education to start awareness campaigns at all schools, colleges, and universities to understand the challenges of climate change to bring positive changes in the attitudes and behaviors of the young generation towards environmental degradation in the coming years.
In this ever-changing time, education has the power to make miracles by addressing climate change effectively. All educational and curriculum policymakers should emphasize climate education and make it compulsory for primary and secondary education.
Italy was the first country to realize the importance of climate education and introduce it to their schools, followed by New Zealand, Finland, and Norway. Our Education Ministry must bring change in our curriculum and introduce climate education as a compulsory subject like Urdu, English, Islamiyah, Pak-Studies, and Science. For curriculum implementation for climate education for each class level. The first step must be taken to train the teachers about the in-depth knowledge of climate change, environmental degradation, and other aspects. So, teachers could engage the students at different grade levels in various interesting activities and develop creative solutions for this burning issue.
We are in a critical climate emergency situation because we have been listed on the 7th number in terms of environmental destruction and crisis. So, we need severe policies and actions in our educational system. The government should also involve the private sector, commercial brands, and communities to invest their efforts and time for more joint ventures to solve the crisis. Many countries have started unique and innovative projects related to the climate crisis, giving both social and economic benefits and thus becoming eco-friendly. We just need to come out of our denial mode and accept the situation as real, not a rumor/hoax. Climate education is not related to science subject only or merely scientists should be concerned about it but it is our moral and social responsibility to protect our environment for our future generations.
