We are a global network of educators, researchers, and practitioners committed to rethinking and redefining the role of education in the climate crisis. Our work is rooted in two interconnected initiatives that challenge the status quo and push for urgent change.
The Call to Action for Climate Justice in Education emerged from conversations among educators worldwide who recognize that today’s education systems are complicit in perpetuating unsustainable models of progress and economic growth. In solidarity with youth climate strikers, we call on fellow educators to transform education into a force for climate justice—one that confronts, rather than reinforces, the systemic drivers of the crisis.
We are educators who declare our solidarity with the students’ uprising for climate justice action. Today, the world is the most ‘educated’ it has ever been and yet the nearest to environmental breakdown. It is clearly evident that the ‘progress-and-development’ models of the past – and the existing modern education systems that underpin these models – perpetuate the status quo and its unending goal of economic growth and development, thus aggravating the climate crisis. While we’re not suggesting that the climate crisis can be simply ‘solved’ through more (or better) schooling, we cannot continue to deny the implication of our education systems in the anthropogenic climate crisis we now face.
The idea for the Call to Action emerged from many conversations among researchers and education practitioners from different disciplines about the need for a collective response to the youth climate strikes. The magnitude and urgency of the challenges we face require collaborative efforts of the education sector to address the climate crisis as our key priority. To advance this cause, a core group of educators drafted a Call to Action, gaining support from more than 150 leading educators as initial signatories from across the world.
We are launching the Call to Action on the occasion of the UN Climate Action Summit and the Global Climate Strikes, to express educators’ solidarity with the striking students. We call on our fellow educators globally to join us in supporting students’ uprisings and making urgent changes to the business-as-usual of education – at all levels and across all disciplines.
Join us.
Call to Action Drafting Team
- Raewyn Connell, The University of Sydney, Australia
- Daniel Fischer, Arizona State University, USA
- Gustavo Fischman, Arizona State University, USA
- Charles A. Hopkins, York University, Canada
- Katrin Kohl, German Commission for UNESCO, Germany
- Hikaru Komatsu, Kyoto University, Japan
- Mary Metcalfe, University of Johannesburg, South Africa
- David Orr, Oberlin College, USA
- Jeremy Rappleye, Kyoto University, Japan
- Iveta Silova, Arizona State University, USA
- Affrica Taylor, University of Canberra, Australia
- Antonia Wulff, Education International (EI), the world federation of teacher unions
Disclaimer
The Call to Action is signed by individuals and does not necessarily represent the views of their employers.
Acknowledgements
Thank you to everyone who helped make this initiative possible, especially those who translated the Call to Action, including Byoung-gyu Gong (Korean), Esther do Lago e Pretti (Portuguese), Estève Giraud (French), Hikaru Komatsu (Japanese), Jieyu Jiang (Chinese), Ketevan Chachkhiani and Keti Tsotniashvili (Georgian), Margarita Pivovarova (Russian), Yamini Yogya (Hindi), Yvonne Lujano Vilchis (Spanish), Daniel Fischer (German), Réka Könczey (Hungarian), Radu Ticiu (Romanian), Magda Karjalainen (Polish), and Michela Mayer (Italian). Additional thanks to Janna Goebel for helping to locate the images used on this website. The royalty-free images used here were found on pixabay.com and unsplash.com. Thank you to the artists who contributed their work to these sites for public use. We extend our gratitude to Worksite LLC for their invaluable contributions to the initial design and setup of our website.
Our second initiative, the Manifesto for Decarbonizing Scholarship and Research, is led by members of the Education for Planetary Futures Learning Futures Collaborative at Arizona State University. We challenge academia’s high-emission practices, from air travel to resource-intensive research, and advocate for systemic changes that align scholarship with climate responsibility. By modeling sustainable academic practices, we seek to transform how knowledge is created and shared—not as an extractive process, but as one that fosters sustainability, reciprocity, and planetary wellbeing. Read more about this initiative below.
The writing of the Manifesto for Decarbonizing Scholarship and Research was spearheaded by members of the Education for Planetary Futures Learning Futures Collaborative at Arizona State University (ASU). Our work on the Manifesto began in 2023 during the Learning Planet Festival, a global event organized by the Learning Planet Institute in partnership with hundreds of partners across the world, including ASU, where all authors were affiliated at the time as faculty, postdocs, staff, and students.
As a multigenerational and multidisciplinary group of scholars and educators active in social science and/or education research and practice, we are committed to reducing or eliminating carbon emissions associated with academic and scholarly research activities.
We believe that education plays a key role in moving toward sustainable and just futures, and the decarbonization of education scholarship has a critical role to play. It is unfortunate that the ways we conduct that scholarship contribute to the problem we are trying to solve, and we commit to minimize our contributions. We also recognize a unique opportunity to model the very practices, behaviors, and approaches that we seek to advance. We see ourselves as advocates, with the goal of bringing research about the decarbonization of education systems to bear on those systems of which we are a part. To put it simply, our goal is not only to avoid further harm to the planet and ourselves, but also to foster healing and regeneration for both.
Join us.
Manifesto drafting team (in alphabetical order): Dilraba Anayatova, Victoria Desimoni, Janna Goebel, Michelle Jordan, Carrie Karsgaard, Sandra Nabulega, Ann Nielsen, Rajul Pandua, Iveta Silova, Charlotte Simunek, Andrea Weinberg
We acknowledge the important contributions of our colleagues as reviewers and contributors (in alphabetical order): Kelvin Arthur, Cala Coats, Hang Duong, Gustavo Fischman, Adriene Jenik, Jordan King, Nicole Oster
Through these initiatives, we invite educators and scholars worldwide to join us in reshaping education and academia to face the urgent realities of the climate crisis.
initial signatories
We would like to thank the initial signatories of the Call to Action for Climate Justice in Education for their support (listed in alphabetical order):
Jill Adler | University of the Witswatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa |
German Alvarez | Departamento de Investigaciones Educativas CINVESTAV – IPN, México |
Manisha Anantharaman | St Mary’s College, USA |
Gary L. Anderson | New York University, USA |
Arjun Appadurai | New York University, USA |
Michael Apple | University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA |
Cecilia Åsberg | Linköping University, Sweden |
Beatrice Avalos Davidson | Universidad de Chile, Chile |
Stephen Ball | University College London, UK |
Phil Bamber | Liverpool Hope University, UK |
Matthias Barth | Leuphana Universität Lüneburg, Deutschland |
Stefan Baumann | Pädagogische Hochschule Zürich, Switzerland |
Cathy Beach | A Kids’ Guide to Canada, Canada |
Jason Beech | Universidad de San Andrés, Argentina |
Aaron Benavot | University of Albany, SUNY, New York, USA |
David Berliner | Arizona State University, USA |
Andrés Bernasconi | Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Chile |
Mindy Blaise | Edith Cowan University, Australia |
Christopher Boone | Arizona State University, USA |
Will Brehm | Waseda University, Japan |
Halina Brown | Clark University, USA |
Michael Burawoy | University of California, Berkeley, USA |
Erica Burman | The University of Manchester, UK |
Paul R. Carr | Université du Québec en Outaouais, Canada |
Pam Christie | University of Cape Town, South Africa |
Raewyn Connell | The University of Sydney, Australia |
Gerry Connelly | York University, Canada |
Joe Culhane | Portland Community College, USA |
Pamela Curtin | Lancaster University, UK |
Aklilu Dalelo | Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia |
Rico Defila | Universität Basel, Switzerland |
Elizabeth De Freitas | Manchester Metropolitan University, UK |
Mathias Demetriades | Den Globala Skolan/Universitets- och Högskolerådet, Sverige |
Antonietta Di Giulio | Universität Basel, Switzerland |
Donald A. Dippo | York University, Canada |
Jana Dlouhá | Univerzita Karlova, Czech Republic |
Jen Dollin | RCE Greater Western Sydney, Australia |
Thom van Dooren | University of Sydney, Australia |
Lorna Down | The University of the West Indies at Mona, Jamaica |
Inés Dussel | Departamento de Investigaciones Educativas CINVESTAV – IPN, México |
David Edwards | Education International, Belgium |
Ong Eng Tek | Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Malaysia |
Jo-Anne Ferreira | Southern Cross University, Australia |
Daniel Fischer | Arizona State University, USA |
Gustavo Fischman | Arizona State University, USA |
Hiroki Fujii | 岡山大学 / Okayama University, Japan |
Jim Gear | Canada |
Susan Gesner | GAEL, Canada |
Katherine Gibson | Western Sydney University, Australia |
Libby Giles | New Zealand Association of Philosophy Teachers |
William Goddard | University of Greenwich, UK |
Juan Miguel González Velasco | Universidad Mayor de San Andres, Bolivia |
Lin Goodwin | Teachers College, Columbia University, USA & The University of Hong Kong |
Noel Gough | La Trobe University, Australia |
Andréa Gouveia | Universidade Federal do Paraná, Brasil |
Donna Haraway | University of California, Santa Cruz, USA |
Mira Hird | Queens University, Ontario, CA |
Charles A. Hopkins | York University, Canada |
Tung-Hsing Hsiung | 國立臺東大學 |
David Hursch | University of Rochester, USA |
Maria de Ibarrola | Departamento de Investigaciones Educativas CINVESTAV – IPN, México |
Hilary Inwood | University of Toronto, Canada |
Alfredo Jornet | Universitetet i Oslo, Norge |
Takehiko Kariya | University of Oxford, UK |
Douglas D. Karrow | Brock University, Canada |
Noah Karvelis | Former Arizona #RedForEd organizer and University of Wisconsin-Madison |
Yuto Kitamura | University of Tokyo, Japan |
Takeshi Kitazawa | Tokyo Gakugei University, Japan |
Katrin Kohl | German Commission for UNESCO, Germany |
Hikaru Komatsu | Kyoto University, Japan |
Richard Kool | Royal Roads University, Canada |
Ole Andreas Kvamme | Universitetet i Oslo, Norge |
Barry Law | Otago Polytechnic and Untouched World Foundation, New Zealand |
Un Leang | សាកលវិទ្យាល័យភូមិន្ទភ្នំពេញប្រទេសកម្ពុជា។ |
Barbara Leckie | Carleton University, Canada |
Keith Lewin | University of Sussex, UK |
Detlev Lindau-Bank | Universität Vechta, Germany |
Bob Lingard | Australian Catholic University and the University of Queensland, Australia |
Gustavo Lopez Ospina | UNESCO Office Quito, Ecuador |
Geovana Lunardi | Universidade Estadual de Santa Catarina, Brasil |
Antonio Luzón | Universidad de Granada, España |
Basil Manuel | National Professional Teachers’ Organization of South Africa, South Africa |
Michela Mayer | Italian Association for Sustainability Science, Italy |
Marcia McKenzie | University of Saskatchewan, Canada |
Tristan McCowan | University College London, UK |
Hugh McLean | Open Society Foundation, UK |
Milton McClaren | Simon Fraser University and Royal Roads University, Canada |
Mary Metcalfe | University of Johannesburg, South Africa |
Gerd Michelsen | Leuphana Universität Lüneburg, Deutschland |
Zsuzsa Millei | Tampereen yliopisto, Tampereen ammattikorkeakoulu, Suomi |
Paul Morris | University College London, UK |
Heinz-Dieter Meyer | University of Albany, SUNY, New York, USA |
Jordan Naidoo | UNESCO, France |
Robbie Nicol | University of Edinburgh, UK |
Kai Niebert | Universität Zürich, Switzerland |
Antonio Novoa | University of Lisbon, Portugal |
David Orr | Oberlin College, USA |
Mary Otieno | Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya |
Veronica Pacini-Ketchabaw | Western University, Canada |
Phillip G Payne | Monash University, Australia |
Roger Petry | RCE Saskatchewan and University of Regina, Canada |
Oren Pizmony-Levy | Teachers College, Columbia University, USA |
Damjana Potočnik | The Learning Teacher Network, Slovenia |
Peter Posch | Alpen-Adria-Universität Klagenfurt, Austria |
Jeremy Rappleye | Kyoto University, Japan |
Baela Raza Jamil | Idara-e- Taleem-o-Aagahi Centre of Education and Consciousness, Pakistan پاکستان۔ |
Dzulkifli Abdul Razak | International Islamic University of Malaysia, Malaysia |
Jenny Ritchie | Te Whare Wānanga o te Ūpoko o te Ika – Victoria University of Wellington, NZ |
Jessica Ringrose | University College London, UK |
Fazal Rizvi | University Melbourne, Australia |
Libby Robin | Australian National University, Australia |
Debra Rowe | Oakland Community College, USA |
Elaine Rubinoff | Learning for a Sustainable Future, Canada |
Connie Russell | Lakehead University, Canada |
Sandra Sales | Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil |
Ilga Salīte | Daugavpils Universitāte, Latvija |
Mirriam Sampa-Moonga | University of Zambia, Zambia |
Craig N. Shealy | James Madison University, USA |
Ulf Schrader | Technische Universität Berlin, Deutschland |
Pamela Schwartzberg | Learning for a Sustainable Future, Canada |
Iveta Silova | Arizona State University, USA |
John Siraj-Blatchford | University of Plymouth, UK |
Christine Stayte | San Silvestre School, Peru |
Kim Smith | Greater Portland Sustainability Education Network, USA |
Faye Snodgress | Kappa Delta Pi, USA |
Noah Sobe | Loyola University Chicago, USA |
Margaret Somerville | University of Notre Dame, Australia |
Stephen Sterling | University of Plymouth, UK |
Martin Storcksdiek | Oregon State, USA |
Beth Blue Swadener | Arizona State University, USA |
Keita Takayama | 京都大学、日本 |
Affrica Taylor | University of Canberra, Australia |
Kariya Takehiko | University of Oxford, UK |
Mark Terry | York University, Canada |
Victoria Thoresen | Høgskolen i Innlandet, Norge |
Leon Tikly | University of Bristol, UK |
Shepherd Urenje | Uppsala University, Sweden |
Philip Vergragt | Tellus Institute, USA |
Arnd Wächter | Crossing Borders Education, USA |
Reinhold Wagnleitner | Paris Lodron Universität Salzburg, Austria |
Arjen Wals | Wageningen University and Research Centre, Nederland |
Christine Wamsler | Lunds Universitet, Sverige |
Joel Westheimer | University of Ottawa, Canada |
David Blake Willis | Fielding Graduate University, USA |
John Willinsky | Stanford University, USA |
Antonia Wulff | Education International (EI), Belgium |
Shoko Yamada | 名古屋大学、日本 |
Jonathan Yee | RCE Saskatchewan, Canada |
Atsufumi Yokoi | 岡山大学, 日本 |
David Zandvliet | Simon Fraser University, Canada |
Michalinos Zembylas | Ανοιχτό Πανεπιστήμιο Κύπρου, Κύπρος |