Driving Change

By Gillian Petrini, Helen Doyle, and Steve McCauley

Climate change is a threat to human well-being and planetary health and one of the greatest challenges of our time. Students today are growing up immersed in the ongoing and increasingly devastating impacts of a warming world. This makes teaching about climate change, both mitigation and adaptation, across all subject areas, essential. In teaching climate education, how do we ensure that students are learning about the complexities of climate change while not becoming overcome with anxiety and hopelessness? How do we balance information with optimism? Looking to a solutions-based approach is key. Focusing on solutions that currently exist and building the skills to develop innovative solutions is both empowering and fosters optimism. The energy transition is one pivotal area for exploring solutions and mobilizing action. The decarbonizing of transportation is a sector where solutions are increasingly visible in communities across Canada, the United States, and around the world. The transition away from greenhouse-gas-emitting fuel sources to zero-emission, low-carbon transportation may already be noticeable on roads where you live. There may even be examples within your own school or school district, if you have electric school buses.