Secondary school students made themselves heard at Victoria’s inaugural Climate Change Education Forum held on 12 July by Sustainability Victoria and Deakin University.
Students travelled from across the state to help shape a shared vision for the future of climate change education in Victoria.
They were joined by teachers, university lecturers, environmental educators, and representatives from business, government and not-for profit sectors – including Aurecon, Bank Australia, the Melbourne Cricket Club, Officeworks, Powershop, Te Mania Angus and the International WELL Building Institute – who shared what actions they were taking within their respective industries.
The forum explored diverse perspectives and featured inter-generational discussions on climate change, which included the role of schools in providing opportunities for students to take action.
Key messages from the forum included:
- The need for action now, as by the time students leave university, significant changes to the world’s climate will already be underway.
- Welcoming the involvement of business and government at the forum, and the opportunity to hear firsthand the steps they are taking to tackle climate change.
- Addressing climate change means changing the way we live, and these changes need to be normalised.
Other topics covered included current legislation and targets, as well as actions underway by students, and their hopes and fears for the future.
Artist and graphic recorder Sarah Firth was on hand document some of the conversations that took place.
The event served to highlight the ongoing importance of including student voices as we respond to climate change.
