EARTHDAY.ORG, the global leader in Earth Day advocacy, has recognized President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil for his commitment to climate education. This recognition comes after President Lula da Silva signed a new law that ensures climate change and biodiversity protection are included in Brazil’s National Environmental Education Policy (PNEA). The signing ceremony took place at the Planalto Palace in Brasília.
“EARTHDAY.ORG is delighted with another win on climate education,” said Kathleen Rogers, President, EDO. “We have been the global driving force behind promoting the importance of teaching climate education for decades. Our tireless work has ignited global interest, and Brazil has heard our call by putting climate education onto their school curriculum. Where Brazil goes, we know other nations will follow.”
Brazil’s Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, Marina Silva, emphasized the critical role of environmental education in addressing the climate crisis. “Educating for the environment is a task of this century. Without this, we will continue to believe that it is possible to live in opposition to ecology,” she stated.
This isn’t the first time Brazil has prioritized climate education on a global stage. At the Amazon Presidential Summit in Belém do Pará in August 2023, Brazil underscored the importance of environmental education. EARTHDAY.ORG played a key role in the NGO coalition advocating for climate education at the summit. Their Latin America office, based in Brazil, continues to work for universal climate education across the region.
“Climate education gives students critically important skills that will help power the global economy,” says Bryce Coon, Director Climate Education Initiatives, EDO. “Not just in the future but right now. Our recent report, Climate Education Vs. The Climate Crisis lays out what an important role teaching this subject will play in creating a climate-ready workforce.”
Rodolfo Beltran, Regional Director for South America at EARTHDAY.ORG, expressed his satisfaction with Brazil’s leadership in climate education. “As the regional lead for EARTHDAY.ORG (EDO), is it truly fulfilling to see our work pay off and once again we are proud that Brazil is taking the lead across Latin American,” he said. “We will continue to robustly promote climate education, with the goal of ensuring it is included in every K–12 school curriculum worldwide.”
EARTHDAY.ORG also emphasized the importance of incorporating climate education into each country’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC). “We want to see climate education on every country’s Nationally Determined Contribution,” said Bryce Coon, Director Education Initiatives, EDO. “Which is why we wrote an NDC Guide. We are committed to finishing the job we started nearly a decade ago to achieve this.”
EARTHDAY.ORG acknowledges Brazil’s continued commitment to environmental protection, including its efforts to reduce deforestation in the Amazon by 40% and expand renewable energy sources, which now make up 48% of Brazil’s energy matrix. President Lula da Silva’s climate leadership will be prominent as Brazil prepares to host COP30 of the UNFCCC in Belém in 2025.
“We need to remember that the cavalry isn’t coming. We are the cavalry when it comes to coping with a rapidly changing climate. Climate education is a vitally important part of our arsenal and Brazil understands that.” said Kathleen Rogers, President, EDO.
About EARTHDAY.ORG: EARTHDAY.ORG was founded in 1970 and organized the first Earth Day on April 22nd. Since then, EARTHDAY.ORG has mobilized over one billion people annually on Earth Day, and every other day, to protect the planet. Their mission is to diversify, educate, and activate the environmental community worldwide. Working with over 150,000 partners in nearly 192 countries, EARTHDAY.ORG strives to build environmental democracy. Learn more at EARTHDAY.ORG.
