The Faculty of Education welcomes Professor Marcia McKenzie to deliver the next Dean’s Lecture.
‘I want you to act as you would in a crisis. I want you act as if our house is on fire. Because it is.’ - Greta Thunberg, World Economic Forum, 25th January 2019.
These words to world leaders helped propel young people across Australia and globally to take to the streets in a series of school climate strikes. Five years on, little has changed in climate policy and we face an intensifying stream of reminders of the climate crisis and its inequities: wildfire deaths in Hawaii, unbearable heat waves in China, New York City engulfed in smoke, unprecedented bushfires and flooding at home in Australia. Young people are giving up hope in the face of these existential conditions, with over 50% globally now believing that humanity is doomed.
Given all this, how are educators and school systems stepping up to accelerate action in responding to climate change? In what ways are we also addressing rising levels of climate anxiety and grief in young people and their communities?
This lecture will share approaches school systems are taking to respond to this crisis of our times, as well as ways to address challenges such as science denial. It will propose how schooling can better meet students and communities where they are at, to create schools that take climate leadership and enable hope and action in young people and their communities.
Please note: In the event that this lecture exceeds venue capacity we will require a change of venue within the University of Melbourne, Parkville campus. Keep an eye out for communications!
Presenter
Professor Marcia McKenzi
Professor and Associate Dean Sustainability in the Faculty of Education, and Lead of the Climate Communication and Education Research Theme at Melbourne Climate Futures, University of Melbourne.
