Teaching Sustainability in Schools

OVER THE LAST six months I have written several columns, for this hugely influential magazine, on the overarching theme of ‘sustainability’. Under this broad framework, I have discussed climate change, water scarcity, waste management, deforestation, air pollution, urban flooding, challenge of plastics, responsibility of factories and food security. I plan to continue on the theme for several forthcoming issues to discuss other major contributors but, for now, I want to pause and look at the importance of ‘teaching sustainability’.

- Krishan Kalra

Again, within teaching, my focus is ‘teaching school children’. At a later date, I will share my thoughts about ‘teaching in institutes of higher learning’ as well as the role and responsibility of organisations like the All India Management Association (AIMA), the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). Challenges posed by climate change, hugely impacted by our obsessive consumption patterns, are immense. Even the UN has proposed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 and many countries, including India, have made pledges in varying degrees of reduction in emissions. There are many dimensions to the issue – need of developing countries to continue development projects, tenuous debate on ‘per capita v/s total emissions’ of a country and international confabulations will continue for a long time. Investments required for meeting the challenges – to quote a statement by the new World Bank president Ajay Banga on 3 June – his first day in office – “is in trillions of dollars”!

In addition to excellent campaigns through the print and electronic/visual media, there is urgent need to sensitise our school children and their teachers. We have seen in the past that any social messages understood and accepted by small, more impressionable children have paid handsome dividends. Whether it was the Diwali crackers or plastic bags, sound pollution, water conservation… children have played a key role.