Smithsonian Science Education Center Publishes New Climate Action Research Guide for Youth

April 22, 2024

Cover of the Climate Action guide with an image of Earth from space showing the atmosphereNow more than ever, there is an urgent need for a collaborative response to climate change. As we advance the vision of Smithsonian's Life on a Sustainable Planet, a new generation of students, educators, and citizens will need tools to enact meaningful, lasting change. 

The Smithsonian Science Education Center, in collaboration with its Smithsonian colleagues and the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP), has developed Climate Action! How can we mitigate human impacts to the atmosphere? a new community research guide for youth ages 11–18. Underpinned by the Sustainable Development Goals, the guide aims to help young people to use actionable knowledge emphasizing the importance of systems thinking, the diversity of climate perspectives, and the critical role of human choices in shaping our planet's future. 

As part of the Smithsonian Science for Global Goals project, Climate Action! is the eleventh freely available guide and includes research, investigations, and perspectives from subject matter experts on various climate topics. Within the guide, students explore an overview of climate science and human impact, and actionable strategies to engage with their local communities. 

“At the Smithsonian Science Education Center, we believe youth can think globally and act locally,” said Carol O’Donnell, Director of the Smithsonian Science Education Center. “Our latest freely available guide gives young people everywhere the tools to discover, understand and act on complex socio-scientific issues surrounding climate action, and encourages students to make a difference in their own communities” 

Climate Action! How can we mitigate human impacts to the atmosphere? and the conceptual framework for all Smithsonian Science for Global Goals guides was funded through a grant from the Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation. 

 

About the Smithsonian Science Education Center  

The Smithsonian Science Education Center (SSEC) is transforming K–12 Education Through Science in collaboration with communities across the globe. The SSEC is nationally and internationally recognized for the quality of its programs and its impact on K–12 science education. Visit the SSEC website to learn more about Smithsonian Science for Global Goals and follow SSEC on Instagram, X, LinkedIn and Facebook.