Climate Education Advocacy Working Group
The Climate Education Advocacy working group was formed in March 2020, when participants in NBEC convenings elevated climate education as an important priority they wanted to see advanced through the network. Given that climate education often takes the shape of outdoor learning as a means to communicate the impacts of climate change on students, their communities, and the local environment, and with the Maine Climate Council and the presidential administration's initiatives around climate change, there are real opportunities to create additional support for climate education. Climate education has been a catalyst for youth engagement in the network and was the #1 need expressed by educators in the 2019 census. It is a real priority for many NBEC participants.
In 2022 the Climate Education Bill (LD 1902), developed by this group, was introduced by Rep. Lydia Blume and was considered by the Maine legislature. In April 2022, this Climate Education Bill was passed and funded with $2 million! Read more in the press release here.
In 2021, the Climate Education Advocacy working group began working on developing a climate education bill for Maine. In 2020, this working group successfully advocated for the inclusion of climate education in the Maine Climate Council Climate Action Plan.
Deeply informed by successful climate education policies nationwide, the Climate Education Advocacy working group will continue to vision and work toward designing innovative and community-led, equitable climate education policies.
Current and former Climate Education Advocacy working group co-chairs at the group's retreat in June 2022 at The Ecology School in Saco, Maine.
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Do you want all Maine youth to have access to climate change education?
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Are you already providing climate change education?
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Are you a Maine student who cares about climate change education?
For inquiries about the Climate Education Advocacy Working Group, contact nbroaddus@nbeconsortium.com.
If you'd like to get involved, fill out this interest form.
Climate change has unbalanced impact on people across race and class. Rooting in themes of climate justice is a priority. In our Stories for Change working group, we are amplifying stories of BIPOC and other marginalized youth outdoors
Like the Climate Education Advocacy working group, the Local Outdoor Learning Advocacy working group is focused on building strength statewide and impacting decision-makers to make decisions that benefit all Maine youth. The Local Outdoor Learning Advocacy group focuses on municipal-level decision-making bodies, and both groups are working toward training participants and networks on advocacy.