Embedding sustainability and climate change in 11–19 chemistry education
Summary of contents
A high-quality chemistry education that integrates climate change and sustainability helps young people to become scientifically informed global citizens, inspiring learners to pursue careers in the chemical sciences and equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed to contribute to a greener economy. However, our research shows that sustainability and climate change issues are not sufficiently emphasised in the chemistry curriculum. Students oftendo notrecognise existing content as relevant to these global challenges, and teachers report that some topics need updating to reflect current scientific and societal priorities.
To address this, we are calling for three key actions:
Curriculum Reform
Governments across the UK should embed contemporary sustainability and climate change content and contexts throughout national chemistry curriculums. This includes making clear connections between chemistry topics and other disciplines.
Assessment Reform
Exam boards should include sustainability and climate change contexts in chemistry assessments.This will encourage teaching that connects their chemistry knowledge to real-word applications.
Practical Learning Reform
Students should besupported to consider the environmental impact of practical work in school. This approach promotes sustainable scientific practice and aligns school-level learning with real-world sustainability decision making in academiaand industry.