Now that, sitting government plans to adopt uniform curriculum throughout Pakistan, may it be madrasah or conventional schooling, there is dire need to especially focus on mass education on environmental issues and options to be exercised, but this requires long term planning and is not fashionable sort of thing
By Prof Dr Abdullah G Arijo
Society needs citizens who understand the climate system and know how to apply that knowledge in their careers and their engagement as active members of their communities. For this to happen, there is dire need to address the issue by adding climate change in curriculum as has recently been done by Italy.
Climate science and energy are complex topics, with rapidly developing science and technology and the potential for controversy. How can educators effectively bring these important subjects into their classrooms? There are many ways to approach climate and energy depending on the grade level, course topics and instructional method.
In Pakistan, students at all levels are made to study subjects related to medical, engineering, commerce and computer. These subjects help them built their carrier, hence there is virtually no intention to include or introduce a subject on climate change. Although, there are three exclusive chapters on ecology in a higher secondary biology book, all rubbish. It does not create any awareness of whatsoever and just gives a piece of baseline information which only makes money mare go.
Our masses need to know about the causes and effects of climate change. They must also know how to combat this issue which is destroying earth at an alarming rate. Climate change occurs when changes in Earth’s climate system result in new weather patterns that remain in place for an extended period.
Climate change is one of the burning issues of mankind and needs serious attention with clear vision and wisdom to embark upon smart approaches to hit where it hurts more. And this seems to be possible if climate change is included in curriculum the way Islamic studies and Pakistan Studies have been made integral segment, though it is nothing but repetition.
There is dire need to address the climate change issue with the objective that the citizens of the future need to be ready for the climate emergency and to make it happen the mandatory teaching hours must be incorporated into the existing curriculum as Physics, Chemistry Biology Math etc.
Italy is the first country stepping up to the plate when it comes to climate change by ensuring that their youth is educated on the topic. When the 2020 school year starts, Italy will be the first country in the world to include mandatory teaching hours about matters linked to climate issues says Lorenzo Fioramonti, Minister of Education in Italy.
Since the revolution in industrialization, humans have contributed negatively as far as climate is concerned, and have induced drastic and destroying changes in the ecosystem. In this changing world, man has become dependent on the automobile and domestic items such as deep-freezer, air conditioner and refrigerator, without knowing that while these appliances provide comfort, are also a source of greenhouse gasses, that are responsible for global warming. The major greenhouse gases are water vapour, which causes about 36–70% of the greenhouse effect; carbon dioxide (CO2), which causes 9–26%; methane (CH4), which causes 4–9%; and ozone (O3), which causes 3–7%.
Scientists attribute the global warming trend observed since the mid-20th century to the human expansion of the “greenhouse effect” warming that results when the atmosphere traps heat radiating from Earth toward space. Certain gases in the atmosphere block heat from escaping. Long-lived gases that remain semi-permanently in the atmosphere and do not respond physically or chemically to changes in temperature are described as “forcing” climate change. Gases, such as water vapour, which respond physically or chemically to changes in temperature are seen as “feedbacks.”
In its Fifth Assessment Report, the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change, a group of 1,300 independent scientific experts from countries all over the world under the auspices of the United Nations, concluded there’s a more than 95 per cent probability that human activities over the past 50 years have warmed our planet.
Moreover, the industrial activities that our modern civilization depends upon have raised atmospheric carbon dioxide levels from 280 parts per million to 400 parts per million in the last 150 years. The panel also concluded there’s a better than 95 per cent probability that human-produced greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide have caused much of the observed increase in Earth’s temperatures over the past 50 years.
Besides global warming, all other types of pollution, including noise pollution, demand serious attention to educate our youngsters to let them understand cause and effect game. and for that very matter, Climate Change Education in a must and be made mandatory.
Climate change education (CCE) is an education that aims to address and develop effective responses to climate change. CCE will help policymakers understand the urgency and importance of putting mechanisms into place to combat climate change on a national and global scale.
|
Climate change occurs when changes in Earth’s climate system result in new weather patterns that remain in place for an extended period of time |
Education is an essential element of the global response to climate change. It helps people understand and address the impact of global warming, increases “climate literacy” among young people, encourages changes in their attitudes and behaviour and helps them adapt to climate change-related trends.
Climate Literacy Courses (CLC)
Climate Literacy presents information that is deemed important for individuals and communities to know and understand about Earth’s climate, impacts of climate change, and approaches to adaptation or mitigation. Principles in the guide can serve as discussion starters or launching points for scientific inquiry. The guide aims to promote greater climate science literacy by providing this educational framework of principles and concepts. The guide can also serve educators who teach climate science to meet content standards in their science curricula.
Climate science and energy are complex topics, with rapidly developing science and technology and the potential for controversy. How can educators effectively bring these important subjects into their classrooms? There are many ways to approach climate and energy depending on the grade level, course topics and instructional method. For this all, youth engagement may earn results if climate change is made a subject or otherwise included in the curriculum.
The world is experiencing a rising youth population. If not true for Pakistan, this new generation has an increasingly strong social and environmental awareness, the energy and knowledge to lead our societies towards a low carbon and climate-resilient future. Young people are actively engaged at local, national and global levels in raising awareness, running educational programmes, conserving our nature, promoting renewable energy, adopting environmentally friendly practices and implementing adaption and mitigation projects, and this in future must play role in addressing climate change issues.
Pakistan, which has been listed as the 7th most vulnerable country affected by climate change, seems to be serious and is now seriously tackling the vagaries of weather, both at the official as well as non-official level. However, a task force, particularly at HEC level may be established with a clear objective to introduce Climate Chane as subject and in any test designed by testing services the questions of general knowledge may be substituted with climate change. This requires serious and speedy action before it is too late.
Authors : Prof Dr Abdullah G Arijo Chairman Department of Veterinary Parasitology Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam-Pakistan