by Laurence Myers Sustainability & Service Learning Coordinator International School of Kuala Lumpur In just a few days the world's leaders are congregating in Paris - fresh off the recent terror attacks - to define a way forward. There is general optimism about how much headway has been made over the past few years are the politicians are finally recognizing the need for long-term commitments to curtail carbon emissions. As of the writing of this article, 179 countries have submitted their intended nationally determined commitments. This is supported by an ever increasing number of cities and businesses and universities that are, likewise, doing their part by looking into their supply chains, and considering a revamping of the way operate. There is an ever increasing number of inspirational stories regarding more and more initiatives and the climate movement feels like it is gaining momentum. From a pure carbon emissions perspective international schools often do not (or cannot) determine the level of their emissions. As generators of university-bound populations, sometimes with a profit motive, schools have generally lagged behind from a pure operations perspective. Even if their curricula focus on skills for sustainable development the schools themselves are "behind the curve" so to speak, with regard to necessary change. Yet, even as scientists argue the exact value of the world's climate commitments on a national level, international schools have been focusing on the small, and admittedly positive, things that their students have done as examples on how sustainability has been embedded into their school culture or behaviors.. Perhaps, though, it's time for schools to have a heart-to-heart with themselves and to analyse, quantitatively, the true cost of their environmental operations. It's possible that the end results might astound their communities, or even challenge their very nature of being. But it would behoove those who take that step, to provide a systematic data collection, reporting and goal setting with regard to climate commitments. Often international schools are considered the light houses of their respective countries. Their students will become world and business leaders, doctors, lawyers, engineers, etc. The price of educating them is high, as is, more often than not, the environmental cost of their education. If COP 21 is revealing anything, it's that, in contrast to the top-down model of climate conferences of the past, the bottom-up and all around approach is catching on much better. Perhaps it's time international schools became more obvious parts of a necessary sustainable movement. As examples to their communities, as educators of the "next generation of leaders", as pioneers and authentic learning experiences, climate commitments from international schools would be an ideal next step to bridging the gap between educating world citizens and ensuring that the institutions themselves "walk the talk" toward a more sustainable future. What would this look like? One option would be a movement, similar to the President's Climate Commitment in which university presidents in the United States have committed to climate related changes on their campuses. Wouldn't it be great to have an EARCOS, NESA, ECIS (etc.) commitment of the same sort? But in all fairness school administrators have their hands full with issues of education, staffing, curriculum and the like. So, perhaps better yet, would be a movement, by students for students (and schools and the wold at large) to the same end. That would be the ultimate bottom-up approach to climate commitment and certainly a way for students to address what is arguably the world's most pressing problem in a meaningful way that supports and informs the adult crowd toward making meaningful, necessary and bold decisions that pave the way for a truly bright future for the very students our schools are aiming to support. Bottom-up. Student initiated. Authentic. Relevant. Is looks like good education all round!
2 Comments
12/1/2015 01:24:44 am
Hi Lawrence,
Reply
Laurence Myers
12/1/2015 03:39:13 am
Hi Mark,
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
October 2020
AuthorThis blog is currently being updated by Laurence Myers, K-12 Service Learning Coordinator at the American School of Dubai. We are hoping the blog becomes a compilation of posts from a variety of people in the region and around the world. Want to add something? Send it along! Categories |