Journal of Science Policy & Governance
​Volume 22, Issue 01 | March 6, 2023

Policy Analysis: Climate Education Policy in New York: Preparing Students for a Climate-Altered World

Elise Birkett (1*), Emily Fano (2*), Alicia Alonso (3), Isabel Avina (4)​
  1. Middlebury Institute of International Studies, Center for the Blue Economy, Monterey, California, USA
  2. National Wildlife Federation, Washington, DC, USA
  3. Yale University, Yale College Department of the History of Science and Medicine, Hartford, Connecticut, USA
  4. New York University, College of Global Public Health, New York, New York, USA 
​
*denotes equal contribution
​
Corresponding author: [email protected]
Keywords: climate education policy; climate literacy; climate solutions; New York state education policy; education mandate; climate justice; education ​
https://doi.org/10.38126/JSPG220102 ​

Executive Summary

New York’s lack of comprehensive, interdisciplinary and standardized K-12 climate education curricula highlights a gap in the state’s climate action plan. Education plays a key role in building climate literacy and encouraging sustainable behaviors. The climate crisis is complex and requires engaging students in systems thinking to gain a holistic understanding of its root causes, global impacts, and solutions, including preparing students to enter the growing green jobs sector. Existing learning standards and proposed legislation do not address these needs. Compulsory climate education across New York is necessary to prepare students for a climate-altered society, engage youth in climate discussions, model state leadership and support economic competitiveness. Teachers, students, and parents want climate education, but gaps in New York’s education policies have left educators without the resources or bandwidth to teach it. Analysis of gaps in New York state policy, existing literature, and model programs, suggests that to increase student climate literacy, the state legislature should amend its education laws and create a K-12 climate education mandate with the following key components: 
  1. An Office of Climate Literacy should be established either within the New York State Education Department or the Board of Regents. 
  2. Curricula should be comprehensive, interdisciplinary, and justice-centered. They should be place-based, solutions-oriented, and engage students in building relationships with their communities. 
  3. Robust funding mechanisms should be identified to support schools, teacher training, and professional development, and for creation of a task force - housed within a new state Office of Climate Literacy - to guide equitable implementation of the mandate. 
  4. Resources for professional learning should be identified and developed, in collaboration with teachers. 

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Background header image courtesy of Brookings
Elise Birkett holds a Masters degree in International Environmental Policy from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies with a concentration in Ocean and Coastal Resource Management. She has worked with the Center for the Blue Economy, the NYC Mayor's Office of Climate Resiliency, and the Climate and Resilience Education Task Force on climate resilience policy and advocacy projects. Her focus is in climate justice, education, and climate change based human rights. Elise currently works at Stevens Cooperative School, a progressive school in Jersey City, as a second grade associate teacher. 
​
Emily Alix Fano holds a Masters degree in Urban and Environmental Policy from Tufts University and is an experienced climate leader specializing in the design, development, implementation and management of urban climate resilience education programs. She manages the Resilient Schools Consortium (RiSC) program for the National Wildlife Federation and co-founded the Climate and Resilience Education Task Force. The Task Force is dedicated to expanding access to K-12 climate education and relevant vocational training, and mentors high school students to engage them in climate education policy and advocacy. 

Alicia Alonso is a student at Yale University studying the History of Science and Medicine (HSHM) and Political Science. Alicia is particularly interested in health policy – with a focus on strategies to improve access to health care and address social determinants of health, including the adverse health outcomes of climate change. 

Isabel Avina is a NY-based climate justice organizer, educator, and researcher. Their work focuses on developing climate justice curricula, supporting youth in the climate movement, and facilitating multi-stakeholder education programs. Currently, Isabel works with NYC-based climate and energy nonprofit, Solar One, offering climate education programming to teens and teachers. Isabel has worked as a consultant with clients like GrowNYC, the National Wildlife Federation, the Climate and Resilience Education Task Force, and NYC’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Isabel received their Masters degree in Environmental Ethics from New York University and their Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from New York University. 

Acknowledgements 
The authors would like to acknowledge the contributions and express their gratitude for the thought partnership of Elissa Teles Munoz and Frank Niepold, Climate Education Coordinator at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). 

Disclaimer 
Any opinions expressed in this article reflect those of the authors, and should not be seen as official position statements by any of the affiliated universities or institutions.

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