Home. It’s all about that. Everything begins and ends in a place that we all call home. Today is the day of our first and eternal home. The Earth. This big blue ball is full of life, people, and… problems. Today, on Earth Day, we brought some data to talk about climate education and some other pressing issues.
First of all, it’s important to bring up the topic of the climate crisis. In short, climate change is a reality that causes variations in temperature, precipitation, and cloudiness on a global scale.
Gabriela Amaral, a geographer and teacher graduated from Unicamp, points out that natural disasters are becoming more and more intense and deadly. And those who suffer the most are the poorest populations. From this perspective, climate education is an essential tool for mitigating the effects of climate change.
The future… came earlier?
People used to say that global warming would be something for future generations to deal with. Well, I guess the next generation came earlier, and it happens to be ours.
It turns out that global warming is happening much faster and, this time, it is not related to natural causes but rather to human activity. In recent years, the world has become warmer. “Global warming, which was once a scientific idea, knocks on the door with great intensity”, says Gabriela.
And we, as a population, daily, feel this devastating effect of seeing our planet, our home, wearing out. In 2013, The Washington Post posted an article saying that Planet Earth would offer favorable conditions for human life for at least another 1.75 billion years.
But now, in 2024, we don’t have these numbers anymore, due to the lack of recent research results. At least one thing we must know: things have to change. Secretary-General António Guterres pointed out in September that the climate emergency is a race we are losing, but it is a race we can win.
So, whatever this means, it’s up to us. How can we change the world and improve the quality of life if it was us, humans, who made it get to this point? Bizarre, right? And also real, and simpler than we can imagine. The key is Climate Education.
It is important from the perspective of raising awareness and instructing the current generation. So they can act and think about ways to ensure that future generations will suffer less from climate change
How can this small sentence improve our world? How can we use education to minimize climate impacts? Gabriela can answer it for us:
“If the thought of preserving the planet is well disseminated, we will have in the near future, generations of scientists, engineers, biomedical professionals and, why not, politicians who have as their goal to develop products, methods, energy and public policies with the aim to preserve the planet.”
Gabriela Amaral, geographer and teacher graduated from Unicamp
When scientists, politicians, and influencers deny the existence of global warming and its effects, a denialist generation is formed, not recognizing the urgency that this issue requires.
It’s up to us!
“It’s not about overloading kids, just like we do with technology. Look at the wonders of your little screen; the wonder of nature is fabulous facts, it’s about painting a picture l, like technology. But it has a greater impact on our health, our well-being, and the well-being of everyone else”, said Kathleen Rogers, president and CEO of EarthDay.org.
It all started and finished in a home. And that’s the similar thing that connects us, dear rider. You share your home with me. And with your boss, the trash man, the bakery and so it goes… This home allows us to share our existence here. So, let’s pass knowledge to each other too. By raising awareness among everyone, maybe we can lessen the damage and take care of the only land we have.
To inspire
In the Brazilian branch of The Climate Reality Project (a global organization) climate education is already a reality. They disseminate this knowledge through programs such as The Brazilian Coalition for Climate Education (CBEC): an initiative formed by more than 70 organizations, collectives, and individuals who are committed to promoting education about climate change in Brazil.
The coalition seeks to raise awareness about the importance of climate education in conjunction with the fight for climate justice. So Brazilians act consciously about the causes, effects, and solutions of climate change, to increase the country’s capacity to deal with these issues. With this project, another initiative came through: the IPÊ – Institute for Ecological Research. With their Climate Schools project, IPÊ aims to expand the presence of climate education in schools.
It’s better to start right now than never. Let’s honor the title of being part of this huge ecosystem, and bring this gift to the Earth. And maybe, we can keep calling it home and prorogue its existence.
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The article above was edited by Ana Beatriz Aith.
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