Italy is the first country making climate change lessons compulsory

Do you think Ireland should do the same?

Italy is to become the first country to make climate change lessons compulsory for all schoolchildren. From the start of the next academic year, all state schools will dedicate almost one hour per week to climate change issues. The Italian education minister Lorenzo Fioramonti has said that going forward all school children will take compulsory lessons on climate change. Schools will be required to dedicate at least one hour per week to climate change issues as well as integrating the topic into traditional subjects such as geography, mathematics and physics. According to The Independent UK, Fioramonti said;

"The entire ministry is being changed to make sustainability and climate the centre of the education model. I want to make the Italian education system the first education system that puts the environment and society at the core of everything we learn in school."

Mr Fioramonti has been criticised previously for encouraging children to attend climate protests that often occur during school hours but it's clear that he's passinate about the subject. With more and more scientists warning us to change our habits before climate change goes even further, I definitely think that the Irish education board should follow Italy's example. Our children are the ones who will have to deal with the terrible environmental consequences if things do not change. It's crucial that they are educated on climate change and school is the best place to start.