United States

Global Climate and Environmental Literacy Campaign

EARTHDAY.ORG (EDO) is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, DC working to diversify, educate, and activate the environmental movement worldwide. Growing out of the first Earth Day in 1970.

An initiative of EARTHDAY.ORG

Overview of the project

Since its launch in September 2020, EDO’s Climate and Environmental Literacy Campaign has accelerated a worldwide political movement and commitment toward integrated, assessed climate and environmental education with strong civic engagement and economic justice components. EDO has led the global initiative, bringing together a large and diverse set of stakeholders including Education International, a global network of labor unions, government leaders and ministers, NGOs, civil society advocates and partners, and business and technology leaders from the private sector. Combined with civic education, climate and environmental literacy will create jobs, build a green consumer market and allow citizens to engage with their governments in a meaningful way to solve climate change.

Objective

A global campaign toward fully integrated, justice-oriented climate and environmental education for all learners, in all schools, everywhere.

Level of progress

Ongoing research

Project timeline

09/01/2020 - project still in progress

Quantitative results

EDO’s climate literacy campaign brought this issue to world leaders at the G20 and COP 26. EDO’s climate literacy petition, representing 400 million members of 518 organizations and individuals in 126 countries was addressed and delivered to UN Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa and signatories to the UN Paris Agreement.

Qualitative results

Qualitatively, the issue of climate and environmental literacy has moved to the center of the global governance agenda. There were more events and opportunities for discussion at COP 26. For the first time, there was a joint session between ministers of the environment and their education ministry counterparts. The issue continues to gain currency among important social groups including teachers (and their unions), governments, NGOs and civil society, foundations, academia, and the private sector. https://www.earthday.org/cop26-climate-literacy-signatories/.

Financing

The project was funded through philanthropic donations from foundations and other interested parties.

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About the
organisation

EARTHDAY.ORG

website
Matthew Aruch
Director Global Education
aruch@earthday.org

EARTHDAY.ORG (EDO) is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, DC working to diversify, educate, and activate the environmental movement worldwide. Growing out of the first Earth Day in 1970, EDO works with more than 75,000 partners in over 190 countries.

Other partners / supporters

Education International; The Brookings Institute; Fridays for the Future;