Climate Age

Five Reasons Education Policy and Funding and Must Be Included in U.S. Plans to Address Climate Change  

The American work force consists of more than 150 million people, and active consumers are half again that many. Indeed, fully two-thirds of Americans, when reasonably educated on climate and its solutions, could participate more effectively in bringing about a more rapid 80% reduction in greenhouse gas pollution. Importantly, today’s children and youth will be called upon to navigate the coming climate age.  There are so many practical reasons to invest in their education on the subject. Throughout American history we have seen the impact of large-scale education in sectors as diverse agriculture, science, technology, and even the U.S. Military. Now it is climate’s turn.

Reason one: more enlightened consumerism – Education has been shown to play an effective role in helping people make better consumer choices. The more people understand the reasons for new consumer opportunities the more inclined they will be to adopt them. Recent research shows the impact of education on consumer choices.  

Reason one: a filled science and technical know-how gap — The U.S. will need a ready cohort of skilled scientists, specialty technicians, engineers, natural resource managers and other workers for the deployment of new climate-friendly technologies. As markets grow in alternative energy, for example, we will need workers with the know-how to install and maintain solar power, wind turbines, geothermal systems and more. In the design world, we will also need architects, planners, engineers and other design professionals who know how to create more climate-friendly buildings and communities.

Reason two: incubators for climate entrepreneurs and creative new solutions — Most experts agree we will need new inventions, new technologies and new business models to get to our climate goals. The U.S. has a history, when faced with a major need or problem, to see creative minds go to work.  In our education system, high schools, community colleges, colleges and universities support business incubators that unleash entrepreneurial capabilities of their students.

Reason three: more effective business leaders, owners and public officials — Even beyond the entrepreneurial world, leaders of ongoing businesses who understand how to address climate change will be needed.  Our schools schools need to be educating future leaders in both the private and public sectors on how to grapple with new climate challenges and uncertainties.

Reason four: more understanding of the “why” of policy solutions — Improved understanding of why government policies, such as methane regulation, or carbon taxes, make sense in the fight to reduce greenhouse gas pollution will help to make those policies more acceptable to and supported by the public. The science of climate change is complex and resists quick and easy bullet points of explanation. Education can help fix that.

Reason five: better protection of public health and safety – Not everyone who is affected by climate change is impacted in the same way. People from lower-income communities and many communities of color suffer more dire consequences from floods, heat waves, hurricanes, and more. Education can help policy makers and members of the public better understand these impacts and address them through economic measures and public health support.

Much Greater Possibilities With Effective Nationwide Climate Education

• A new U.S. energy profile — This will involve greatly ramped-up growth in alternative energy across the U.S. – wind, solar, geothermal, and more. 
• A smart power grid — We will also need to build/rebuild a “smart” power grid to distribute all this energy more efficiently and effectively.  This will include many new co-generation sources.
• Revolutionized transportation — Our autos, trucks, trains and planes will need to be vastly more energy efficient and even run on whole new energy technologies and systems.
• A greener building environment — Our buildings, residences, offices, industrial sites, schools and more will need massive building and rebuilding.
• Climate smart land planning — Our cities, towns and other communities will need planning approaches that reduce energy usage and make them more resilient to climate impacts such as flooding, drought, fires, sea level rise and more. 
• Reformed food and fiber systems — We will need greener and more climate resilient agriculture and forestry systems.
• Greener manufacturing and retail goods and services — Our manufacturing processes, and related service programs, such as food service, will all need to made more climate-friendly.
• Effective waste management – We will need to operate this sector via principles of circularity.
• Green infrastructure – Our development of public works needs to be infused with principles that permit us to work with the increasingly violent forces of nature as opposed to trying to rein them in and control them. 
• Forward-looking banking, insurance and investing – The financial sector will need to be supporting private businesses and public investments that are geared toward lower greenhouse gas emissions and increased resiliency.  
• Social equity and justice – Vulnerable populations will be protected through the funding of new methods of resiliency and public safety, including in the health sciences.