As 2023 is confirmed as the hottest year on record, the need to go further and faster on climate action in 2024 intensifies. Education has a vital role to play.  

Christine Özden, Global Director for Climate Education at Cambridge University Press & Assessment, urges more attention on climate education as key in tackling the climate crisis: “Government subsidies for fossil fuels are equivalent to more than seven percent of global economic output, while education investment is about four percent,” she says.  

 “Leaders have a choice: correct this lopsided prioritisation, or drift into what António Guterres, UN secretary general, describes as a “dangerous and unstable” climate disaster. It's not just about investment - critical as that is - but how we direct education spending that can make a difference. 

 “Climate education should be integrated into all stages of school curricula. It will help young people understand the climate crisis and its inter-connected nature, play a role in tackling it, and equip youth with the skills needed in changing economies. It’s up to governments to commit, collaborate and communicate on climate education. Dealing with climate change is a multi-generational endeavour. Climate education must be central to that,” Özden says.  

Özden led and participated in three sessions at COP28 in December 2023, alongside other Cambridge and partner delegates. As we look ahead to a new year, she summarises her key questions from the climate change conference:

1. How do we make collaboration the most effective it can be?

 “There is really significant activity with individuals and organisations working together, but how do we join up? There is a need to look at partnerships and initiatives and focus on those with greatest impact.

 “We must also remember the climate crisis is a global issue, but it requires local and contextualised thinking and solutions. A quote which really stuck with me was from a delegate who joined the panel session at the launch of the ActNowFilm, where youth leaders and world figures call for young people to be included in national climate negotiation teams and global decision-making. She said, ‘to be a global leader, you need to do something at a local level.’ Global collaboration and agreements don’t mean anything if there isn’t local action.” 

2. What does it really mean to empower young people? 

“The inclusion of young people in tackling the climate crisis, especially in decision-making, is essential. It was interesting to hear at COP28 young people call out some feelings of tokenism and segregation, for example being referred to as ‘youth negotiator’ instead of just ‘negotiator’. Youth delegates asked older people to withhold their cynicism more to drive more ambitious action.”  

3. How do we take ownership of the ideas and intentions of COP?  

“The sheer volume of pledges made at COP28 is quite startling, something Sir Alok Sharma - previously UK Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and President for COP26 in 2021 - called "pledge inflation". There needs to be accountability for delivering these.” 

4. How do we support behavioural change amidst cultural and social norms?  

“At COP28 120 global leaders pledged to triple the world’s installed renewable energy capacity by 2030 to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C. Technology enabled progress on energy capacity is extremely impressive. However, important culturally bound aspects of how we live are harder to change than say technology enabled aspects of our life. For example, one-third of all human-made greenhouse gas emissions are derived from the agrifood systems, yet food systems only joined the official COP agenda three years ago. At COP28, 153 parties signed a historic declaration for more climate-resilient food systems and sustainable food production, underscoring the importance of food in tackling the climate crisis.” 

Cambridge is committed to working through the reach of our products and services to bring climate education to more people around the world, to use convening and skills to gather expertise to benefit young people, and to influence key stakeholders to drive action to tackle the climate crisis.