Poland  Supports The Inclusion Of Climate Education On Their National Curriculum

Warsaw, (May 9, 2024) – EARTHDAY.ORG, the global force behind Earth Day, welcomes Poland’s decision to enhance the presence of  climate education within their national school curriculum. Minister of Climate and Environment of the Republic of Poland, Paulina Hennig-Kloska, released a statement endorsing this significant step, on Earth Day, April 22. Her statement in full is here.

The Minister emphasized that “Education stands as the cornerstone of all efforts to combat the pressing climate crisis and protect our environment.”

“We have been advocating for governments around the world to rise to the challenges of the climate crisis by teaching climate education in every classroom,” said Kathleen Rogers, President of EARTHDAY.ORG. “We applaud Poland for helping to lead the way in this critically important, educational and environmental initiative. We hope it inspires other nation’s to follow suit.”

EARTHDAY.ORG (EDO) has been a leading advocate for integrating climate education into every school curriculum, from kindergarten to grade 12, for over 50 years. EDO takes pride in its longstanding collaboration with the Polish government on this issue, including during COP 28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Minister Hennig-Kloska’s recent statement reinforces their unwavering commitment to this cause.

Poland is actively greening their national curriculum as highlighted by this new Ministerial statement. The statement outlines on-going efforts such as the development of new educational materials, conducting teacher training, and providing support to the Polish Ministry of Education, as they update the core national curriculum to elevate the presence of climate education.

Their statement also explains how they are committed to greening their schools with renewable infrastructure, developing renewable energy sources, the creation of biodiverse school gardens and access to plant-based meals in school canteens. 

The ambitious approach taken by the Polish government is unprecedented within the European Union (EU), where most member states have yet to commit to integrating climate education into their school curriculums. With Poland set to host the next Presidency of the EU in 2025, we hope they can leverage this platform to encourage their EU partners to prioritize investment in environmental education.

EARTHDAY.ORG recently published a report, Climate Educations vs. The Climate Crisis, which highlights how educating students of all ages about the climate crisis can equip them with the tools and skills necessary to support  the green economy. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of activating their ‘Green Muscle Memory’, ensuring that from a young age, they instinctively make environmentally friendly choices.

Teaching climate education serves another crucial purpose: it helps alleviate climate change-related anxiety in children. That’s why EARTHDAY.ORG commends Minister Hennig-Kloska’s statement, which specifically emphasizes their belief that we must not burden our children with the responsibility of fighting climate change. That is the role of adults.

About EARTHDAY.ORG: EARTHDAY.ORG’s founders created and organized the very first Earth Day on April 22, 1970. Since then, EARTHDAY.ORG has mobilized over 1 billion people annually on Earth Day, and every day, to protect the planet. EARTHDAY.ORG’s mission is to diversify, educate, and activate environmental actions and advocacy worldwide. EARTHDAY.ORG is the world’s largest recruiter to the environmental community, working with more than 150,000 partners in nearly 192 countries to build environmental democracy. Learn more at EARTHDAY.ORG. It’s not a day, it’s a movement.  

Inquiries in English to Sarah T Davies at [email protected]

Inquiries in Polish to Johnny Dabrowski at [email protected]