The IES has signed two separate letters sent to Michael Gove urging him to keep sustainability in the National Curriculum objectives.
The IES is concerned that dropping the teaching of sustainability and climate change from the curriculum for under 14 year-olds risks leaving our future workforce without the skills and knowledge to tackle environmental challenges. It may also adversely affect the number of students choosing a career in the environmental sector.
The first letter sent on 15th April was composed and signed by the Environmental Policy Forum, a collection of environmental professional bodies concerned with ensuring that policy is underpinned by sound evidence. The letter was signed by the representatives of five professional bodies.
A shortened version was sent to The Sunday Times, who published it on 22nd April.
The second letter sent on 16th April was signed by a diverse and broad set of 31 organisations including NGOs, think tanks, universities, local Councils and professional bodies.
The past few weeks have seen the emergence of a broad coalition of organisations opposing these changes. The breadth of organisations who were moved to sign these letters is a strong indication of the desire to see future generations equipped with the tools to deal with the environmental challenges of the 21st Century.
