No Snow in Finland: In early December, Lapland, a region of Finland largely in the Arctic Circle, would typically have 20-30cm of snow on the ground, but, due to unseasonably warm and wet weather conditions, much of the region is entirely snow-free at the moment. Finnish Lapland had its warmest summer on record this year and temperatures have continued to be milder than average in Autumn and Winter. The lack of snow impacts animals and plants, and the local tourism industry, with many tourists cancelling their trips if they cannot take part in snow-based activities.
Historic Shift Towards Renewable Energy: For the first time, investment in solar power is higher than investment in oil, marking a historic shift towards renewable energy. As solar panel costs continue to fall, making it a more affordable option, and solar technology becomes more efficient, over $1 billion is being invested in solar power every day. Unlike oil, a fossil fuel, generating electricity from solar does not generate greenhouse gas emissions. Solar power can also be used to help bring electricity to remote communities without having to connect them to a national energy grid.
Climate Literacy of School Leavers Report: Research commissioned by the Department for Education (DfE) in 23/ 24 has been published, assessing the level of climate literacy of school leavers (Year 11) in England. The survey was conducted with a sample of 522 Year 11 pupils and provides evidence of the state of climate awareness of young people and keys gaps in climate education. Some key findings are:
- The 1.5°C / 2°C climate goals are poorly understood. Many young people thought that the climate had already warmed more than this.
- The concept of Net Zero is poorly understood, despite it being used widely by media, schools, politicians and employers.
- Most school leavers are “fairly concerned about climate change.” We should continue to make sure the focus is on making young people “concerned and hopeful” as this will lead to effective individual and collective climate action.
- Young people have low awareness of climate change in the UK, including projected impacts on the UK and what adaptation and mitigation are already in place or will be needed in the UK.
- A significant proportion of young people do not appreciate that future global warming can still be limited or avoided, highlighting an opportunity for increasing hope and awareness of climate action amongst young people.
- Young people’s awareness of green careers and renewable energy could be increased.
- Young people place high trust in their teacher’s understanding of climate change, highlighting the importance of giving teachers time and support to stay up to date with climate developments.
- There is still a high level of confusion between climate change mitigation strategies and other sustainability issues, such as plastic pollution.
For further reading you can view and download the report on the Gov UK website, or visit the Royal Meteorological Society news page for an excellent overview. Additionally, as part of your ECO2 Smart Schools support an OASES Officer can visit your school to deliver climate and energy workshops to your pupils or staff training. Please contact us to book in a workshop or training.