When Bertel Haarder took the stage at Copenhagen Business School on Wednesday the 14th of October, he marked the conclusion of the International teachers’ climate education conference ICE2009.
For three days, teachers, organizations and sector leaders exchanged ideas on how to include climate change and sustainable development in the education.
The Minister’s main message was that educating in these topics should be viewed as a broad-spectrum. And the students must remain critical and reflect when being taught.
Climate education as a transversal discipline
“Of course, they have to learn the basic facts about energy, ecosystems, greenhouse effect, religions, democracy, and economy and so on. But they should also learn to question current beliefs and to challenge the assumptions underlying our knowledge and opinions,” said Bertel Haarder.
The Danish Minister for Education during his speech at ICE2009 in Copenhagen. Photo: Thierry Wielemann
He also underlined the stance that climate education must cover several subjects on the timetable:
“Students should be aware of not only the natural science of climate change and the technological challenge related to future energy supply, but also the international policies related to negotiating a climate agreement, the economics and so on.”
The long journey was worth it
With participants from more than 35 countries, there was ample opportunity for networking, getting to know other cultures and discuss climate education, reduction of CO2 emissions and new technologies.
Eight key note speakers, 13 master classes, five workshops and visits to the Experimentarium, Copenhagen City Hall, The Museum of Natural History and The Odd Fellow mansion – these were just some of the points on the three-day agenda.
The Minister was presented with posters made in workshops by the participants. Photo: Thierry Wielemann.
“I have travelled a long way to be here but it was definitely worth it, “said one of the South African representatives. He added: “Teachers in South Africa have never received education in climate topics. It is therefore difficult for them to pass on knowledge to the students. Conferences like ICE2009 give us the inspiration we need to initiate climate education in all parts of the world. And now is definitely the time to do it.”
Let us meet again
With ICE2009, the call to make climate education part of the education in the whole world has been passed on. At the end of his speech, Bertel Haarder encouraged the participants to continue the work by using the website Teacherscop15.dk and meeting up again:
“In the years to come, people like you will have a key role to play, and hopefully you will keep exchanging ideas and uphold international cooperation. Perhaps we should have the ambition to meet again in Copenhagen in two or three years’ time to discuss “Education for Sustainable Development.”