It is difficult to avoid the issue of climate change these days. 

It is undoubtedly the single most important issue facing us at this time. 

There is more information than ever available to us about this deeply concerning matter; it seems that burying our heads in the sand is no longer an option. 

Quick read: Why isn’t climate change at the centre of curricula?

Quick listen: ‘No school is immune from gender stereotypes’

Want to know more? Teachers’ promotion pitfalls (and how to sidestep them)

And why should it be? The state of the planet is everybody’s problem.

#ClimateChangeTeacher

Several weeks ago, I found myself down a climate change rabbit hole. I’d read a few articles here and there detailing the adverse consequences and stumbled across some troubling statistics published by Unicef. 

It was here that I discovered the hashtag #ClimateChangeTeacher and found out about the thousands of teachers across the globe training to become UN accredited climate change teachers.

Their mission? To educate the next generation and help them turn knowledge into positive action.

I’ve been feeling frustrated by the degradation in environmental conditions and the slow progress towards change for some time, so I was, of course, compelled to join the cause. Educating our pupils in this matter is imperative if we want to end the climate emergency that we are facing.

The course promised to help me develop my knowledge about all aspects of climate change, and on completion, I would have access to vast swathes of resources and information about new initiatives that could benefit my school and have greater impact upon my pupils. 

Having recently finished the course, and attaining UN accreditation for myself, I can confidently say that it delivered its promise.

Getting involved

If this sounds like your cup of tea, it is easy to get involved. Sign up for free to eduCCate global and complete the courses entitled children and climate change; human health and climate change; cities and climate change; climate change: learning to action and gender and environment. 

There is the option to complete the Introduction to climate change course, but it is not necessary for the UN accreditation.

Study can be completed through interactive lessons available on the website, or simply by reading the PDF document in the resources folder.

It is useful to have notes to hand when completing the quizzes at the end of each course or module - there are lots of different acronyms to familiarise yourself with, some of which are frustratingly similar. 

Once you have completed the courses, registering your accreditation will also allow you to access to the global community of climate change teachers and the superb resources on offer for your school.

You will join 225,000 other accredited teachers in over 40 countries across the world, your school will be placed on the map of EduCCate Global Schools, and you’ll be able to start your exciting journey as a climate change teacher, effecting change through education.

Laura Tsabet is lead practitioner of teaching and learning at a school in Bournemouth. She tweets @lauratsabet