Climate Education = Your Ticket to the Green Economy

Solar arrays farms, industrial battery storage facilities, new transmission lines, and wind turbines are visible symbols of the global energy transition. But beneath them lies vital yet invisible infrastructure that makes the green transition possible: knowledge, awareness, and values. 

Climate education builds this vital foundation. Without it, the transition risks stalling. With it, the clean energy transition becomes not only possible, but transformative; delivering cleaner air, stronger economies, and a fairer future for us all. 

On the road to COP30 — the 30th UN Climate Change Conference and the tenth anniversary of the Paris Agreement, taking place in November 2025 in Belém, Brazi l— one message is clear: investing in climate education is as essential as investing in the manufacture of solar panels.

Why? Because this transformation is only partly technica l— someone still has to source materials, design, build, install, sell, promote, and maintain these technologies. But it is also cultural, social, and economic, affecting every worker, household, and community. Without climate education, the clean energy transition risks not only a shortage of skilled workers but also public misunderstanding or resistance to renewable energy. Climate education empowers people, creates millions of new career opportunities worldwide, and helps lower energy costs — especially at a time when data centers and AI-driven demand are pushing energy prices to record highs.

PEOPLE WANT RENEWABLE ENERGY 

In the U.S. alone, 67% of adults think we should develop more renewable energy which is good because electricity from solar, wind, and hydropower provides nearly a quarter of the US’s total electricity generation  in 2024. 

3.56 million Americans are employed in the renewable energy sector and solar alone provides almost 3 times as many jobs much fossil fuels.Climate education is the most efficient ways to train future workers to fill these safer, competitive paying  renewable energy jobs. 

The U.S. is not the only country transitioning to clean energy. The International Labour Organization, ILO, estimates that the transition could create 24 million new jobs globally by 2030 in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, circular economy industries, and green manufacturing. These roles will require skilled workers and informed leaders; people who understand both the science of climate change and the technologies that address it.

INDUSTRY NEEDS CLIMATE EDUCATION

Climate education, embedded in schools, universities, and vocational training, ensures that young people and workers alike have these skills to thrive in this new landscape. Technical knowledge (such as how to install solar panels or maintain wind turbines) is only part of the equation. Equally important are critical thinking, problem-solving, and the confidence to act on climate challenges, 

We know that climate education literally changes how you think. Students who receive environmental education are significantly more likely to support ambitious climate policies as adults and subconsciously make environmentally friendly choices (or have green muscle memory). When young people understand the links between energy, economy, and ecology, they become agents of change in their communities. Over time, this creates a cultural shift: sustainability becomes part of everyday life rather than a distant ideal.

What is more, governments that include climate education in their energy plans aren’t just telling people what to do—they’re helping citizens understand why the policies exist. 

When people understand the reasons behind climate policies, they’re more likely to support them and take part. In this way education turns climate action into something everyone contributes to, not just a set of rules from above. It also ensures that as countries invest in clean technologies, they’re also investing in the skills and knowledge of their people, making the transition more effective and sustainable over the long term.

In short: Education = people understand = support = actively take part in the energy transition= better outcomes for us all

COP30 – WE NEED CLIMATE EDUCATION IN EVERY NDC

Soon, the world will gather in Belém, Brazil, for COP30 — to focus not on creating new promises, but on delivering existing ones.

Here, EARTHDAY.ORG’s  message is clear: investing in climate education is as essential as investing in clean energy itself. It is the invisible infrastructure that holds the visible world together, the cornerstone of a just, inclusive, and enduring energy transition.

If you agree with EARTHDAY.ORG’s agenda at COP30 to have all countries incorporate climate education into their Nationally Determined Contributions, NDCs, pledge your support here. NDCs are the climate action plans each country submits, detailing how they will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change. NDCs, pledge your support here. Plus, you can track what every nation around the world is doing to back climate education on our Climate Education NDCs Tracker.

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