Climate change education is urgently needed for young people

Climate change education is a critical issue that is not receiving the attention it deserves in schools. River Braverman, a junior at City Honors School in New York, shared his experience of being one of the lucky few to receive education on climate change in his Honors Spanish class. This is a stark contrast to the lack of education on this crucial topic in most public schools.

Braverman first learned about climate change at the age of 9 through a video of Greta Thunberg, which inspired him to take action. However, when he tried to raise awareness by organizing a walkout, he was met with detention by his teacher. This incident highlights the lack of preparedness of educators to address the climate crisis.

Now, Braverman is actively involved in climate-focused youth organizations and is advocating for Bill S278A/A1559A, a comprehensive climate education bill in New York. This bill aims to provide robust climate change education for all PreK-12 public school students, recognizing the importance of educating the younger generation about this pressing issue.

Braverman emphasizes that the youth are the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change but are often the least trained to combat it. He calls for support for the bill, stressing the importance of educating future generations about the climate crisis. With New York having the fourth-highest youth population in the U.S., the impact of implementing comprehensive climate education could be significant.

An educated populace is a strong populace, and Braverman believes that youth can be the greatest changemakers in addressing the climate crisis. By supporting initiatives like Bill S278A/A1559A, there is hope for a better-informed and empowered generation to tackle the challenges of climate change.