Climate change isn’t just an environmental issue and it’s dangerous to think of it that way. It’s a global crisis that affects everyone, regardless of their field, age, or demographic. With the consequences and responsibilities being shared across the world, the need for climate literacy is universal. Reflecting on this, it becomes nearly appalling that Western doesn’t require some sort of sustainability course as a mandatory credit for all graduates; this is a missed opportunity for the university to lead by integrating sustainability into every degree program. By doing so, Western could equip all students with the knowledge and tools to confront one of the biggest challenges of our time. It’s time for climate literacy to be as essential as any other foundational subject.

The Knowledge Gap

Climate change isn’t a new issue, so by now nearly everyone has heard the phrase, or something like it: global warming, global temperature rise, climate crisis. However, the concepts aren’t always fully understood. Just last week, I had a conversation with an undergraduate science student who thought that our warming was part of the normal cycle of Earth’s climate through periods of warming and cooling. Not only is this a misleading assumption, it’s a dangerous one. One of the easiest ways to avoid taking action on a problem is by being convinced that it’s not really a problem. This is where disinformation about the climate crisis—denying its existence or downplaying its severity—takes root. It’s terrifying to realize that students of the rising generation will enter the workforce and shape the future without the climate knowledge they need to make informed, responsible decisions.

Yearly surface temperature from 1880–2023 compared to the 20th-century average (1901-2000). Blue bars indicate cooler-than-average years; red bars show warmer-than-average years. NOAA Climate.gov graph, based on data from the National Centers for Environmental Information.

What’s more notable though, is that this student was completely open to having a conversation about the climate crisis. Our campus is full of bright minds who are eager to learn if we present the information to them. These are minds that can forge solutions. The problem is that we often view climate change as a “polar bear issue” or a “plant issue”, and as a result, students outside those fields might not see the value in an introductory environmental science credit if they aren’t studying sustainability directly.

Climate is Everyone’s Issue

This single course would not be a throwaway credit. Climate change is a complex, interdisciplinary crisis—a "wicked problem" that demands attention from the perspectives of the environment, economy and equity. While its relevance to other fields like biology, earth sciences and geology may be obvious, let’s explore some extended examples, starting with healthcare. Healthcare professionals will be on the front lines, witnessing the effects of air pollution and pollutant biomagnification in patients. As the economy navigates the transition to clean-air technologies, it’s crucial that healthcare workers understand these changes. Social scientists are also examining how climate change disproportionately affects racial minorities and vulnerable communities, revealing disparities that require deeper awareness. Engineers, too, will encounter job opportunities in renewable technologies and must be prepared to make informed decisions about job markets and transitions. The demand for green infrastructure, like green roofs and pollution scrubbers on vehicle exhausts, will continue to grow, creating additional roles across various industries. Sustainability-related positions are also expanding in corporations, making climate literacy even more essential.

Sustainable Design Guidelines Background Report - Western University (2016)

The environmental crisis is an interdisciplinary issue, and all fields should be properly educated about it. Climate literacy cannot be optional when none of us will be able to check a box to ‘opt-out’ of it in our future careers.

Making Climate Literacy Work for Students

Climate literacy empowers us to address climate change more effectively. Young people, in particular, represent the generation that will spearhead meaningful change, and our potential should not be underestimated. Take, for instance, Greta Thunberg, whose activism has catalyzed a global movement, mobilizing millions in the fight against climate change. Her influence is a testament to the power of youth when they are educated and passionate about a cause. Our membership in society gives us an ability to invoke change and make decisions regarding the individuals that lead our governments. For example, when world leaders such as the former (and future) U.S. President decided to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, it showed the impact of limited climate awareness at the highest levels. Individuals like yourself can decide whether that stance is representative of your own views, and enact change.

Introducing climate literacy doesn’t have to be a heavy lift for non-science students, as it can replace breadth requirements that present more heavily scientific and complex content like mendelian genetics, or the intricacies of rock formations. Much like how some programs offer computer science as an alternative to first-year physics, a sustainability course could serve as an alternative to courses like biology for certain programs. A first-year sustainability course could potentially fulfill the Category C science credit while giving students the foundational knowledge they need. Many social science and business students struggle to find Category C credits that spark their interest and match their prerequisite knowledge from high school, but a sustainability course would appeal to a wide range of students since it is so interdisciplinary.

Geography and Environment - Western University

In my current second-year environmental science course, discussions cover broad topics like the water and carbon cycles, water pollution, air pollution, and endangered species. These topics are approached in a way that doesn’t require an intense scientific background but still explores their connection to human health, economics, and social impacts through stakeholder analysis. This course focuses on systems thinking, encouraging us to consider the impact on broader communities.

Sustainability doesn’t have to be limited to climate action. Picture a course founded on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), where students could learn about the complex relationships between issues like poverty, wildlife conservation, water rights, gender equality, and climate stability. By embedding climate literacy into all disciplines, we can better prepare students to tackle the challenges of a rapidly changing world.

As Western prepares students across all faculties for the workforce and research, it’s imperative that climate literacy is involved in the preparation. The climate crisis is not a distant problem; it’s arguably the defining challenge of our time, and there is no way of escaping it. Western must step up and ensure that its graduates are not only experts in their chosen fields but also equipped with the knowledge to confront the unique interplays of the climate crisis head-on. Climate change is everyone’s problem — it’s time we treat it that way.