Illustration of two children holding protest signs advocating for climate action, with images of the Earth and a raised fist, surrounded by renewable energy symbols, wildlife, and eco-friendly elements.

Findings

Headline Findings

1.

Open book with a drawing of the Earth and a heart above it.

There is very little formal resourcing of educators to teach on climate justice, and no requirement for them to do so in the national curricula they work with.

2.

Illustration of a green fist raised in front of a globe, surrounded by six pencils and six arrows pointing outward.

School and individual approaches to climate justice vary, and educators are finding creative ways to work with students to talk about, and work towards enacting, climate justice from classrooms as appropriate. 

3.

A happy cartoon person with a green face and black hair, smiling and waving, with a speech bubble containing a question mark.

These creative initiatives are often influenced by or in response to students’ own interventions in classrooms, particularly at post-primary levels, as students debate a wide range of political views and responses to climate change.

4.

A person with green skin and curly hair holding a sign of the Earth with a heart in the center. The person is smiling and has a thought bubble showing the same person with a sad face.

This work involves emotions such as sadness, anger, guilt and hope. Such emotions demonstrate meaningful engagement with the topic, and where they are nurtured and dealt with sensitively, these emotions can prompt ideas and actions.

5.

Two speech bubbles featuring a drawing of the Earth with a heart and a raised fist, symbolizing love and activism for the planet.

Images can be particularly powerful in communicating and debating ideas about climate justice, as well as generating new collective understandings.

6.

A hand holding a globe with a heart on it, in front of a large building with a flag.

More institutional support is necessary to support climate justice in the classroom. This extends from inclusion in curricula documents, to revised leadership approaches that support climate justice activities, and the provision of greater professional development opportunities for educators.