“Universities Take Action: How Higher Education is Leading the Fight Against Climate Change”
In 2019, Laura Schifter received a message on her phone that shook her to the core: “Only 11 Years Left to Prevent Irreversible Damage From Climate Change.” As she looked at her three children playing in the basement, she knew she had to take action to secure their future. This realization led her to become a senior fellow with the Aspen Institute’s This Is Planet Ed program, which aims to prepare children and young adults to thrive in a changing climate and empower them with climate knowledge.
This month, This Is Planet Ed released its Higher Ed Climate Action Plan, calling for a systemic approach to climate education at the university level. The plan urges universities to engage in climate-focused operations, research, education, and community engagement. Several universities, including Arizona State University and University of California San Diego, are now requiring students to take climate change courses starting in the upcoming academic year, preparing them to tackle the challenges of the climate crisis.
Institutions like Columbia, Harvard, and Stanford are taking the climate focus a step further by establishing entire schools dedicated to climate studies. Some universities are also turning their campuses into living laboratories, testing new energy- or water-efficient buildings and other sustainable solutions. For example, the University of Washington, Bothell, has integrated nature-based solutions into its campus, with a restored wetland and a greenhouse filled with native plants for students to study.
A recent eco-anxiety study revealed that a significant percentage of young people feel fearful about the future and believe that people have failed to take care of the planet. This sentiment is driving universities to incorporate climate education into their curriculum to meet the demand from students who are deeply concerned about the climate crisis.
Despite the growing emphasis on climate change education, many faculty and students have yet to connect the implications of a warming planet to their specific areas of study. This is why universities are introducing general education climate courses to bring students from all disciplines together and show them how climate change intersects with their interests.
The Aspen Institute’s action plan aims to make sustainability a core focus for every student, emphasizing the importance of integrating climate education into all fields of study. As the world grapples with the climate crisis, it is essential for students, educators, and business professionals to play a role in combating climate change and creating a sustainable future for all.