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With the election over and the coalition government now in place, the Aotearoa Climate Educator’s Coalition remains committed to promoting how education can be used for good in a climate-changing Aotearoa.

In this update we’ll be focusing on:

• ACEC and NGC Briefings to Incoming Ministers

• Education sector carbon footprint released by Ministry of Education

• COP28 is getting underway - ways to engage

Please get in touch if you would like to share plans and thoughts, or to make sure we are connecting with your networks.

Briefing for Incoming Government:

Over the past couple of weeks a group of ACEC Supporters have been crafting a Briefing on climate education for government leaders (our thanks to all those who contributed!). Now that the shape of the government is clear and appointments have been made, this week we have sent this Briefing to the Incoming Ministers (and their Associates) and Opposition Spokespeople for Education, Climate, Environment, and Children.

Our briefing, prepared jointly with the Next Generation Conversation, a group of young people in Ōtautahi (our thanks to Sian Carvell), calls for transformative education to support all New Zealanders to transition to a low-emissions society and to adapt to the changing climate. We encourage the incoming Government to:

ENDORSE the Global Declaration on Education and Climate Change at COP28

COMMIT to strengthening sustainability and climate change learning within all formal education sectors

GUARANTEE sustainable funding, support, and resourcing for community- and marae-based learning and action on climate change

ACCELERATE action on climate change (both emissions reduction and adaptation), recognising the clear economic benefits in taking action now to prevent disastrous economic and social costs incurred through delayed or deferred action.

Ministry of Education Carbon Footprint and Response Released

As part of the Carbon Neutral Government Programme, the Ministry of Education has been working on its first-ever report on carbon emissions from the sector, and developing plans to address and reduce these emissions. 

The Ministry has now released this information on this page of its website, with some useful commentary that highlights the potential of schools and kura to play an important role in shaping lifelong learning around transitioning to a low-emissions society and a sustainable future. 

The update includes three infographics that are worth checking out.

• Tō tātou taiao - the Ecosystem infographic which shows multiple aspects to climate and sustainability response for the sector.

• The GHG inventory - this infographic tells us that our highest emitting activities on an annual basis are transport, construction, and purchased goods and services, which includes food. A full inventory will be released in the new year.

• Potential emissions savings - further down the page this infographic shows some of the biggest potential sources of emissions reduction.

Notably, if half the ākonga living in urban centres got to school via active transport, we’d see national reductions of 77,620 tCO2e. There has been quite a bit of work done by local councils on active travel, and here is a selection:

• Auckland Transport Travelwise programme 

• Greater Wellington Active Travel Action

• Christchurch City Council School Travel programme

• The Mana Ora: Students Decarbonising Schools programme with Auckland Council’s sustainable schools team and NZCER. 

• This story from Meadowbank School 

There are proven ways that schools can incorporate learning and action while also reducing emissions. We hope that the need to examine carbon emissions will provide another reason for schools to explore environmental education for sustainability further.

The New Zealand Association for Environmental Education (NZAEE) website is full of resources across a range of school levels and topics, and the Aotearoa Social Studies Educators’ Network (ASSEN) has been delivering teacher PLD around the country, highlighting opportunities for climate learning within the refreshed Social Sciences Curriculum. Visit the ASSEN website to find out more about the support they can provide. 

COP 28 is getting underway: Here’s how you can engage

The 28th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) is convening in Dubai, UAE from November 30 to December 12. 

We’re keeping an eye on what’s on the agenda for education at COP28, and any ways that we can engage from a distance.

The MECCE (Monitoring and Evaluation Climate Change Education) Project will have a delegation at. At COP28, delegates will in part focus on climate communication and education. In advance of the meetings, the MECCE Project has released 30 new country profiles (for a total of 80 countries!) and funded case studies narratives (with final reports). These are all available on an updated interactive data platform.  MECCE are participating in four side events at COP this year, and their team members on the ground will share the latest findings and insights from our research. Visit the MECCE website to stay up to date on the MECCE Project at COP 28.

There’s also the RewirED Summit, a “global summit on climate and education”.  We aren’t sure if this will be livestreamed or not.  See Home - A Global Summit on Education (rewiredsummit.org).

In the lead up to COP28, the OECD held a webinar on Rethinking the role of education systems in reaching climate goals. A recording of the 90 minute webinar can be accessed by registering here.

For those who are members of education unions, Education International Asia-Pacific (EIAP) launched a Climate Justice Series earlier this year with the goal of illuminating climate change issues and topics that are relevant to education unions in Asia and the Pacific. Asia Pacific education unionists are encouraged to join the upcoming Climate Justice Series webinars, with the next one on December 08 at 7pm Suva/8pm NZ/ 2pm Bangkok time. It will present a recap of the climate justice and just transition conference in Fiji, where discussions featured climate science, the Paris Agreement, climate education and the centrality of indigenous knowledge in equitable climate action. Unionists are also encouraged to share their reflections on their unions’ work on climate action. If you're interested, please SIGN UP HERE.

The Climate Coaching Alliance is also promoting this online event on the evening of December 11 COP28: Taking stock of coaching’s contribution to global sustainable development. Four expert panellists will discuss  “why and how coaching and coaches can contribute to reducing inequality, tackling climate change and fostering economic growth” and “how social responsibility, climate change and well-being – both physical and mental – can form part of every coaching conversation”.

Update webinar from the Climate Change Commission

Earlier in the year ACEC gave feedback to He Pou a Rangi the Climate Change Commission on their advice for Aotaroa New Zealand’s second emissions reduction plan.  They have invited interested parties to an update zoom session (zui) on Thursday 14th December at 10:00am.  See link details and agenda below if you’re interested in attending. 

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87469699854?pwd=bkFaRDRLSEg3R1VPZ1FxZ3JOcFUzQT09 

Meeting ID: 874 6969 9854 

Passcode: 387651 

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