De bijeenkomst over Onderwijs en Klimaat, die op 21 juni plaatsvond en samen met GPE was georganiseerd, was een succes. Minister Rob Jetten ging in gesprek met Youth Climate Activist Temilade Salami. GPE beleidsexpert Sarah Beardmore gaf toelichting op het rapport dat het verband tussen onderwijs en klimaat onderzocht. Carijn Beumer van de Universiteit Maastricht en youth representative van GPE Kevin Esutstatius pleitten voor het belang van klimaatonderwijs. De bijeenkomst werd gemodereerd door Pim Kraan, directeur van Save the Children, en afgesloten door Petra van Haren, CEO van Edukans. De statements die de minister heeft gemaakt, worden gecommuniceerd met Kamerleden, in de hoop dat zij de boodschap overnemen: investeer in onderwijs in het belang van het klimaat!
Samenvatting van de bijeenkomst
On 21 June, the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and GCE Netherlands convened the first Dutch intergenerational dialogue ahead of COP28, “Learning Climate: Leveraging the education-climate nexus”. The Minister for Climate and Energy gave a keynote address and was joined by a diverse panel moderated by Save the Children NL CEO, Pim Kraan. Speakers included GPE Youth Leader and Nigerian climate activist, Temilade Salami, GPE’s Strategic Partnerships Lead, Sarah Beardmore, and University of Maastricht academic, Carijn Beumer. The participants emphasized the significance of education in addressing climate change and promoting sustainability.
Minister Rob Jetten’s remarks highlighted the importance of education financing, the role of education systems in mobilizing climate action and the green transition, and the need for a shift in mindset among climate policymakers to prioritize education in climate change mitigation efforts. The Minister also called upon his colleague minister for International Development Cooperation, Liesje Schreinemacher, in “changing the mindset of climate policymakers and decision makers and putting our money where our mouth is, focusing on education in International Development aid”.
The Dutch Minister for Climate and Energy also emphasized the impact of young people in raising awareness for climate action and stressed the need to involve them in the fight against climate change. The Netherlands’ global climate strategy focuses on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and emphasizes the role of education in climate change adaptation and resilience. Initiatives in the Netherlands include promoting sustainability in education and launching a Green Jobs initiative.
Following the Minister’s speech, youth activist Temilade Salami reflected on the importance of education in climate change and shared her experiences in promoting climate education in Nigeria. She emphasized the need to empower individuals through education, the severe daily reality of climate change impacting schools and children’s ability to learn, and the role of education as a prerequisite in preparing for a green transition and green jobs. Sarah Beardmore emphasized the need to transform education systems and teach new ways of thinking and living to address the climate crisis. Investing in resilient educational systems and making them adaptable to climate change impacts was also highlighted. Carijn Beumer stressed the importance of starting climate education from a young age and advocated for prioritizing empathy and creativity in children’s learning for then to become sympathetic to global challenges like climate change. She emphasized the interconnectedness of issues and the need for systems thinking in our approach to education.
The participants also discussed the link between education and other issues such as clean water and affordable and clean energy. They emphasized the need for persistence, mobilization, and political will to bring about the necessary changes in education and climate action.
In summary, education was highlighted as a critical and overlooked factor in promoting climate action, adaptation, mitigation, and fostering social change in thinking and behavior towards sustainability. The conference participants emphasized the importance of education financing, investing in resilient educational systems, and supporting and platforming youth-led solutions
Compilatie van de bijeenkomst
