Curriculum for Climate - Greening Education at Scale
In-person side event during the 59th Session of the Human Rights Council (HRC), Palais des Nations, Geneva.
Today’s environmental challenges – ranging from climate change and biodiversity loss to inequality and conflict – require systemic, cross-sectoral solutions. Education is a powerful yet underutilised tool in this effort.
This side event, organised with the Permanent Mission of Slovenia to the United Nations, calls for a transformative approach to education that equips learners with the knowledge, skills, and values to drive sustainable change.
Despite growing recognition of education’s role in environmental action, national curricula often fall short. Almost half of the world’s national curricula don’t mention climate change, and most teachers and students feel unprepared to engage with the issue.
UNESCO-IBE advocates for embedding cognitive, emotional, behavioural, and moral literacies into curricula. This holistic approach empowers learners to think critically, act responsibly, and promote climate justice. It also aligns with human rights principles, ensuring that education fosters civic engagement and protects vulnerable populations.
This vision builds on UNESCO-IBE’s 100-year legacy of shaping educational responses to global challenges. For a century, it has supported countries in designing inclusive, forward-thinking curricula, and continues to do so today – strengthening education systems to be more responsive and equitable in the face of ongoing environmental and social change.
Economically, greening education offers a cost-effective strategy for long-term resilience, with wide-ranging benefits for individuals, communities, and ecosystems.
This panel discussion will offer an opportunity to promote dialogue between education and environmental stakeholders, and explore how curricula can drive climate action, human rights and justice.