The HEATWAVES project, a ground-breaking initiative co-financed by the Erasmus Programme of the European Commission, announces the successful conclusion of a comprehensive literature review focused on climate change education at international level. Led by the Belgium partner, IHF, a think tank working on a European scale, the HEATWAVES consortium conducted an in-depth analysis of key educational resources to inform the development of innovative climate education frameworks.
HEATWAVES brings together five partners from four European countries (Belgium, Greece, Italy, Romania) with the goal of revolutionising climate education. The project aims to build a new climate education framework for online learning environments, create digital resources for students and teachers on heatwave awareness, develop immersive learning experiences through simulations and educational games, and disseminate key findings through scientific articles.
The literature review encompassed a wide range of works, including:
- UNESCO Learn for our planet: A global review of how environmental issues are integrated in education (2021)
- UNESCO Climate change education for social transformation: whole-institution approach to greening every school (2023)
- UNITED NATIONS Transforming education to transform the world: greening Education Partnership Getting every learner climate-ready (2023)
- UNESCO Education for sustainable development: a roadmap (2020)
- WORLD BANK The untapped potential of education in the battle against climate change (2023)
The review highlighted the importance of integrating environmental issues into education at all levels to foster environmental awareness and action among students. Other key takeaways from the literature review include:
- Whole-institution approach: adopting a whole-institution approach to greening schools was identified as a transformative strategy for embedding climate change education across curricula and school operations.
- Climate-ready learners: the literature emphasized the need for education systems to equip learners with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to address the challenges of climate change effectively.
- Roadmap for sustainable development: a roadmap for education for sustainable development was outlined, emphasizing the role of education in promoting sustainability and resilience.
- Untapped potential of education: the review underscored the untapped potential of education in combating climate change and driving positive societal change.
The HEATWAVES consortium is excited to leverage these insights to consolidate a comprehensive Inventory of the sources available at national and international level, and develop innovative education resources that will empower learners to become agents of change in the fight against climate change.
Stay tuned on the HEATWAVES official channels to learn more.
