CC-EDU Simplify climate change education for better communication in elementary and lower secondary school

Climate change education occupies a major node in school education. It is a rich topic to explore in the classroom. The fact that climate change may be viewed on local, regional, and international levels — not to mention through scientific, civic, and cultural lenses — provides students with the opportunity to develop critical analysis skills and ability synthesize information. It provides an important window into individual and societal responsibility, making it relevant for all partners involved and a global urgent matter. The purpose of the CC-EDU project is equipping students (such as the next generations) in having a holistic perspective over climate change and learn about collective responsibility toward environment protection and prevention of further damaging situations. The aim of the project is preparing teachers to deal with the complexity of the topic, making it factual and with a view on local, regional, and international situations, using different approaches. The 6 partners coming 6 countries offer a wide European diversity and socio-economical contexts (towns of different sizes, economical life and culture) and will at the same time contribute and benefit from the project. As a whole, the wide experience mobilised for the CC-ED project, offering complementary skills and competencies necessary for the consortium success, is presented through the professional preparation of the staff participating in the consortium, encompassing as communication skills, competence in climate change and related science and social topics, immediate reach of the project’s target groups and ability and great interest increasing key and wider competences in all EU students. Partner institutions represent organizations from different sectors and with previous record in working teachers and the different learning environment (online, class based, workshops…). Each partner organizations will provide the most significant inputs to project activities/products, and will be guided by the University professors involved which have picked up due to their background in climate change topics. Through the CC-EDU project, schools have an opportunity to teach their students to evaluate a variety of evidence and draw their own conclusions. If students are to leave school and tackle issues head-on, they can’t do so without understanding how to use information and balance opposing viewpoints.The possibility for offering more targeted support to help teachers develop competences, enhances the quality of teaching in general (School development and excellent teaching for a great start in life COM(2017) 248 final). A holistic, individualised and young-people-centred approach is crucial for keeping the interest of young people in any topic, on climate change in particular.