Climate change should be a compulsory subject in all Scottish schools, MSPs told

All 23 Members Agree to Compulsory Climate Change Classes for School Children

All 23 members of the panel unanimously agreed to the recommendation of introducing compulsory climate change classes for school children. This recommendation falls under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with a focus on young people.

Curriculum Integration

• The report emphasizes the need for climate change to be included as a compulsory subject in the curriculum from primary school through high school.
• Children should also be involved in the development of this curriculum.
• This integration will ensure that all children are made aware of climate change, have the opportunity to engage and influence their parents, and contribute to change at home and in their local communities.
• By making climate change education compulsory, all pupils will gain a basic understanding of climate change, energy production, global concerns, and green job opportunities.

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Improved Communication on Climate Change

• The report highlights the need for improved communication from the Scottish Government on climate change.
• It calls for an accountable and transparent action plan to effectively communicate climate change policies and strategies.
• Communication should be adapted to different demographics, ensuring that the message is short, simple, and understandable.
• The report argues that policy documents are often too long, filled with jargon, and difficult to understand.
• Communication should be tailored to specific demographics and the actions they can take.

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The Climate Change’s People’s Panel

The Climate Change’s People’s Panel consists of 23 randomly selected members of the public who came together at Holyrood. The panel aims to support Holyrood’s net zero, energy, and transport committee in its post-legislative scrutiny of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.

Collaboration and Action Gap

• The report emphasizes the importance of collaboration with expert local and community-led organizations.
• There is an inconsistency in communication, education, evaluation, funding allocation, and overall action on climate change across Scotland.

READ MORE:  ‘Scottish Greens and SNP policies turning off Scots on net zero’

Recommendations for Action

In addition to the compulsory climate change classes, the panel unanimously recommended the following:

1. Robust, timely, and longer-term funding should be provided to expand and adequately resource climate hubs.
2. There should be a legal obligation on all local authorities to co-create local climate policy, supported by funding from the Scottish Government.

Conservative MSP Edward Mountain, convener of the net zero committee, acknowledges the need for the Scottish Government to lead in bringing together governments, businesses, and the public to address the shared challenge of climate change.

Net Zero Secretary Mairi McAllan appreciates the collective statement from the People’s Panel and assures that the Scottish Government will carefully consider their recommendations.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

SDGs Addressed or Connected to the Issues Highlighted in the Article:

1. Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education
2. Sustainable Development Goal 13: Climate Action
3. Sustainable Development Goal 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

Specific Targets Based on the Article’s Content:

• Target 4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development.
• Target 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising, and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning.
• Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable, and transparent institutions at all levels.

Indicators Mentioned or Implied in the Article:

• Indicator for Target 4.7: Proportion of schools with a curriculum that addresses sustainable development.
• Indicator for Target 13.3: Number of countries that have integrated climate change education into their national curricula.
• Indicator for Target 16.6: Existence of an accountable and transparent action plan on climate change communication.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Note: The indicators listed in the table are based on the information provided in the article and may not represent the complete set of indicators for each target.

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Source: heraldscotland.com

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