Today, networks representing more than 7,000 higher and further education institutions from 6 continents announced that they are declaring a Climate Emergency, and agreed to undertake a three-point plan to address the crisis through their work with students.
The three-point plan includes:
1. Committing to going carbon neutral by 2030 or 2050 at the very latest;
2. Mobilizing more resources for action-oriented climate change research and skills creation;
3. Increasing the delivery of environmental and sustainability education across curricula, campus and community outreach programmes.
The letter, organised by The Alliance for Sustainability Leadership in Education, known as EAUC, the US-based higher education climate action organization, Second Nature, and UN Environment’s Youth and Education Alliance, marks the first time further and higher education establishments have come together to make a collective commitment to address the climate emergency. It will be shared with key Ministers meeting in New York today at the Higher Education Sustainability Initiative.
