Activating Youth through Systemic Environmental Education and Storytelling

 The Environment and Human Rights Academy (formerly The Climate Academy) has created an innovative suite of educational resources for secondary and higher education, tackling the climate and biodiversity crises through a blend of the latest science from the IPCC and IPBES reports, systems thinking, storytelling, journalism practices, guided discussions, and creative, experiential learning. These resources are enriched with real-world case studies of inspiring solutions that address environmental challenges while also reducing inequalities and prioritising wellbeing.

Our approach goes upstream. We look beyond the visible impacts of the environmental crises, which are felt unevenly across countries and social groups, towards their direct and indirect drivers. Together with the interdisciplinary nature of the resources, we give students a holistic understanding of the status quo and the forces that shape it. Centred on systems thinking, the materials convey a powerful message: the systems at the root of environmental crises can be transformed. By understanding and activating leverage points, students become part of the urgent transformation needed.

The resources navigate the interplay between individual action, community engagement, and institutional change, highlighting the crucial role of each. In doing so, they build students’ futures literacy and acting for sustainability competences, empowering them to envision and influence systemic change.

A central focus is given to diverse worldviews and ways of valuing nature. Students are introduced to traditional and Indigenous knowledge, alongside alternative economic thinking, as vital pathways to more just and sustainable systems of governance.

To activate the climate change-related theory, journalism and storytelling are woven throughout the climate materials. By interacting with the concepts through the lens of journalism, students take these concepts into their own hands, strengthening their media literacy and communication skills. The materials also showcase inspiring, people-and-nature-centered solutions from around the globe, enabling students to both understand and share complex ideas effectively.

The creative and experiential methods integrated into the biodiversity resources have been successfully tested in diverse learning communities. Activities include:

• Mindfulness and nature hikes to foster human-nature connection
• Biodiversity Jenga to illustrate ecosystem fragility
• A cookbook of recipes featuring forgotten, local plant varieties to revive biodiversity and cultural heritage
• Photovoice and participatory filmmaking to amplify youth voices, nurture creativity, and support community advocacy.

So far, these materials have engaged over 150 learners worldwide in schools and community programs, including in European countries such as Belgium, Portugal, and Slovenia. Updated versions of the resources, refined with student and teacher feedback, will be released publicly in September-October 2025.

The materials are designed for flexibility and impact:

• Online course for educators on biodiversity
• Booklets, teaching notes, activity guides, and slide presentations on climate change, storytelling, and biodiversity
• Available in multiple languages (English, French, Portuguese, Romanian)

They not only save educators’ time in lesson preparation but also support professional development, build confidence, and foster deep student engagement, helping learners understand environmental crises and act on them in ways that benefit both people and nature.

These resources have been developed through European collaborations:

• Climate change-focused materials as part of the Empowering Youth through Environmental Storytelling Erasmus+ project alongside News Decoder, a media literacy and journalism organisation for youth.
• Biodiversity-focused materials in the context of the PLANET4B Horizon Europe project alongside a consortium of European research institutions and NGOs.