As COP29 kicks off in Baku, Azerbaijan, sustainability has moved to the forefront of global discussions, with leaders negotiating how best to fund and formalise climate action.
Yet, while these crucial talks continue on the international stage, it’s worth asking ourselves back in the UK: how well are we preparing the future workforce to face the challenges of a sustainable economy?
Our further education and skills (FES) sector stands in a unique position to play a leading role.
COP29 highlights the urgent need for sustainability across every industry, and it’s clear that we can no longer treat this issue as an optional add-on in education. Instead, sustainability should be present across all subjects.
Tomorrow’s workforce needs more than just an awareness of climate problems; young people need practical skills and the critical thinking ability to succeed in an economy that’s increasingly gearing towards sustainability.
I don’t believe this is just wishful thinking. With COP29 focusing on new targets for climate finance and adaptation strategies, the message is clear: sustainability skills will soon be essential across a wide range of industries, from construction and energy to public services and healthcare.
Nationally, we must shift our thinking, treating sustainability education as a foundation for preparing students both for the job market and the wider world they’ll be stepping into.
This aligns directly with Professor Becky Francis’s curriculum and assessment review, which emphasises the need for themes that cut across disciplines and help students develop a well-rounded approach to solving today’s pressing issues.
For FE institutions, this means rethinking how we bring education for sustainable development (ESD) into the curriculum.
Imagine a curriculum where sustainability is not a stand-alone subject but is integrated across every field. In English, students might explore themes of environmental ethics in literature. In maths, they could work with climate data to hone their statistical and analytical skills. In history, they could explore the environmental impacts of industrialisation.
Sustainability is both a climate target and an important economic strategy
COP29 also reminds us that sustainable development goes far beyond purely environmental concerns; it includes economic resilience and social justice. Talks at COP29 around the Loss and Damage Fund highlight this, recognising the social impacts of climate change on vulnerable communities.
Here in the UK, our future workforce should understand that sustainability encompasses broader challenges, such as addressing economic and social inequity.
With substantial government funding being directed towards green research and development, it’s clear that sustainability is both a climate target and an important economic strategy.
For FE students, understanding sustainable business practices, ethical resource use, and circular economy principles will be crucial as industries adapt to meet evolving policies and consumer expectations.
FE colleges can also lead by example. With government investment in public sector sustainability, the sector is in a unique position to model sustainable practices.
By installing energy-efficient technologies, adopting renewable energy sources, and implementing waste reduction measures, campuses can serve as practical examples of sustainability in action.
When students learn in environments that visibly prioritise sustainability, it transforms these principles from abstract ideas into lived practices.
For over 20 years, initiatives like the EAUC’s Green Gown Awards have celebrated achievements in sustainability across education. These awards showcase the meaningful strides that many FE and HE institutions are already making and provide models that others can follow.
COP29 shows the world that climate action and social responsibility aren’t separate from the rest of society, and the same holds true for education.
Embedding sustainability into the heart of the FE curriculum is now essential, not optional.
By approaching it this way, we can create a framework that prepares learners for careers in a greener economy but also instils a lasting sense of responsibility towards building a more equitable, resilient world.
If we want to meet the ambitious goals emerging from COP29, education must be the starting point. By aligning curriculum content, institutional practices, and teaching priorities with sustainability goals, FE institutions can ensure that today’s students are ready to become tomorrow’s responsible and skilled leaders in a world that needs them more than ever.
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