Educating for a carbon neutral future

Hills Road Principal Jo Trump was delighted to be invited to sit on a panel considering sustainability education at a recent session as part of the 2024 Cambridge Festival series. The panel was discussing ideas on how opportunities for climate and sustainability education might be brought into the curriculum.

Jo was joined by Hills Road Y13 student Henry Jena, Careers adviser Tariq Sadiq from Long Road Sixth Form College and Dr Amy Munro-Faure, the Head of Education and Student Engagement at the University’s Cambridge Zero.

The session was led by Cambridge University Press and Assessment’s Global Director for Climate Education, Christine Ozden who contributed to the debate at the Climate Change COP28 in the United Arab Emirates last December.

The panellists discussed what climate and sustainability education meant to them and the responsibilities of educators in addressing climate change and preparing students for the future workplace. An audience, both in the room and online, had the chance to put comments and questions to the panel.

Jo said, "As educators, we have a responsibility to step forward and ensure we are doing all we can. We want our future adults to fully understand the climate and sustainability responsibilities against which they need to weigh and judge their future impacts and choices in life. It is the most pressing need of our time, and we know we have a difference we can make if we act now.”