Youth group wants climate change included in curriculum

A youth organization yesterday urged education officials and lawmakers to review the current curriculum in all levels and include lessons on climate change in order to complement disaster preparedness seminars and classes, especially in the light of the latest findings on climate change as published in the Stern Review.

According to the study by former World Bank chief economist Sir Nicholas Stern in the United Kingdom, a major global economic catastrophe is imminent unless governments take bold steps to stop climate change by slashing the world’s carbon emissions.

The Kabataan Party said it is important for the government to integrate modules on climate change in the set of courses in schools.

"It is very important and urgent that our government study the possibility of integrating climate change fully not only into development policy but also in education programs," said Raymond Palatino, president of the group.

If the government fails to take up drastic measures to confront climate change, the country would surely reap the worst impacts of climate change, Palatino said, noting that as it is now, the country loses billions of pesos every year due to flooding, landslides, and typhoons. — Katherine Adraneda