Climate Education
Building Tomorrow: 9 Wishes Every Child Deserves
April 29, 2025
Today is World Wish Day, which makes it the perfect moment to reflect on what we all hope for the next generation – happiness and health. As a former teacher, I believe deeply that all children deserve the opportunity to thrive.
One of the most powerful tools we can give them is knowledge and climate education is often the missing element in their learning journeys. Here are 10 wishes I have for our children and the world they are inheriting:
1. I wish we could be honest about young peoples’ climate anxiety because it is all too real and we need to teach young people about hope and optimism instead of constant fear and despair: With 75% of young people saying that the future is frightening, we must address the emotional component that comes with talking about climate change and the disasters that are happening world wide.
Research says that education plays a big role in combating climate change misinformation and activates climate action – empowering us to find solutions. So I wish for every child to have access to climate information to get climate literate.
2. Students need inspiration to get involved and I wish that they find their inspiration. Maybe they can find it looking at the Earth Day Map -and track what other communities have been doing. Plus, it’s not over just because Earth Day’s happened. Earth Day should be every day and our Earth Day Map is still up and running and taking commitments! This map is a reminder of the power of collective and individual action.
We know that climate change can be a heavy topic. So don’t forget that libraries can be a huge resource and provide more inspiration. Good books can talk about big topics in a way that tells a story, and does not lecture.Use our educator book hub, to find books on a variety of climate related topics and all reading levels.
3. I wish that schools will have the freedom and resources they need to talk about climate change without fear. Climate education resources allow educators to bring climate change topics into the classroom, no matter the subject or grade.
With resources like the Earth Month Calendar, educators can have a voice and a choice in implementing lessons and activities that work best for their students. Even once April is over it can help teachers develop classes for their students.
4. I wish people would remember that mitigating climate change will create millions of new jobs if we back renewable energy. Climate education naturally incorporates skills that are going to be super relevant to young people’s future.
5. Climate Change affects communities disproportionately. Geographical locations, financial, socio-economic, cultural, and social status all play a part in how much extreme weather will affect young people and all of us.. So I wish for equality for all of us in dealing with the impacts of climate change.
6. I wish there was explicit professional development for educators to teach climate change topics in their classroom: Professional development (PD) allows teachers to build their educator networks and become content experts.
With 65% of educators not teaching climate change in their classes because they don’t see the alignment to their curriculum; P.D. opportunities are more important than ever. When educators are exposed to high quality professional development opportunities, it allows them to be better teachers. Our The School Guide to Climate Education is a handy tool free to ALL teachers so I wish they would read it!
7. I wish that everyone knew that Earth Day has been celebrated for a 55 years:
Earth Day began in 1970 and was born out of a collective desire for clean air and clean water. It was kind of that simple.
What blossomed from that first Earth Day was the mission to create awareness, understanding, and action.. Today, EARTHDAY.ORG stands at the forefront of this global mission. We should reflect on the passion and action that was at the first Earth Day to empower us to continue to care.
8. I wish that we could remember that young people, especially kids, view us as role models: A good role model will have an influence that positively affects the wellbeing of a person – providing safety, hope, and happiness.
Research says that young people are more likely to look to parents and adults for guidance on what is important, that means they care what their teachers think. If adults are learning about climate change and taking steps to better the planet, then young people will follow them.
9. It’s not just ALL about extreme weather events when it comes to climate change and I wish we could all remember that! Climate change, is about long term changes versus weather events, which refers to short term changes.
If you share these wishes and want to help make them a reality, join us at EARTHDAY.ORG. We offer a wide range of free resources to support climate education, including curriculum packets, toolkits, and our comprehensive School Guide to Teaching Climate Change.
Visit our Climate Education webpage to access reports, classroom materials, policy updates, and more. Together, we can empower young people—and build a brighter, more sustainable future for all.
