Sustainability in our Schools: How Education will support the Year of Sustainability

The ‘Year of Sustainability’, aims to showcase the UAE’s commitment towards fostering a global collaboration in seeking innovative solutions to challenges, such as energy, climate change and other pressing issues related to sustainability. The country is also going to host the 28th session of the Conference of Parties (COP 28) to the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) from November 30, 2023 to December 12, 2023.

In addition to this, the entire region has an extensive commitment towards greener policies particularly in investing in renewable energies with large projects such as MASDAR in the UAE and the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia, both of which target creating international renewable energy clusters within the GCC.

The education community will of course not be left behind when it comes to sustainability initiatives, with teaching sustainability in the classroom being the foremost way that the whole ecosystem can contribute to both local and global efforts to promote it. According to The English Classroom, “Sustainable Teaching is the practice of giving students the skills they need for life-long learning outside of the classroom. [This is done] through teaching issues of sustainability as well as soft skills such as critical thinking, research, collaboration, and presentation skills.”

For Anju De Alwis, Managing Director of Ultimate Access, “education that promotes environmental stewardship can help students develop into responsible global citizens who are able to make decisions that consider the long-term consequences of their actions. Teaching sustainability helps students learn the importance of protecting the natural environment and natural resources for future generations.”

“Sustainability education also helps to promote personal and societal wellness as [it encourages] students to investigate the role they play in the community and develop the knowledge, skills, and mindset needed to promote self-sufficiency. It also forwards the cause of social justice as sustainable education can help students understand and address issues of social and environmental justice, such as the unequal distribution of environmental burdens and benefits. Sustainable practices can also lead to cost savings and greater efficiency in areas such as energy, water, and waste, benefiting the larger community and society as a whole,” she adds.