Albany, N.Y. — Proposed budgets for the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year neglect vital P-12 climate education funding, failing the state’s 2.5 million students. However, the $246 billion budget, due April 1, could still include funding for this critical topic.

In September 2023, the Climate & Resilience Education Task Force (CRETF) proposed a $20 million allocation to the governor and key legislators. This amount pales in comparison to the $50 billion New York state spent on climate disasters in 2023 alone, with increasing expenses anticipated due to more frequent and severe events.

“Ask the kids in your life if they are getting the kind of climate change education they need and deserve. Almost universally, you will hear, no, they are not,” says Don Haas, director of teacher programming at the Paleontological Research Institution and its Museum of the Earth. “Time is of the essence to ensure our students receive the necessary education and resources to effectively address the challenges posed by climate change.”

The $20 million allocation was tied to proposed legislation, S278A/A1559A, advocating for interdisciplinary climate education for all P-12 students, teacher training and the development of green career and technical education programs. If New York is to maintain climate leadership, as demonstrated by the passage of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) in 2019, climate change education is imperative.

The bill  has 15 co-sponsors in the Senate and 29 co-sponsors in the Assembly. It is also  supported by more than 60 organizations and over 400 education professionals, including dozens with institutional affiliations. New York is lagging behind New Jersey, which implemented K-12 climate education learning standards and teacher training programs in 2020 and opened an Office of Climate Education last fall. Other states like Connecticut, Maine, California and Washington State have already passed laws to support climate education.

“It costs $20 million to repave 20 miles of a two-lane road,” said National Wildlife Federation’s Emily Fano. “One of our students pointed out that a car can drive that in 15 minutes. Currently, not a penny of the FY25 $46 billion education budget is allocated specifically to climate education. An investment in climate literacy would not only prepare our students to adapt to a climate-altered future, it would provide them with skills for jobs that could help solve the climate crisis and ultimately save our state money. We urge the Governor and the legislature to review our budget request and include funds for climate education.”
 
About CRETF

The Climate and Resilience Education Task Force is an intergenerational body of educators and students from across New York State steered by impacted youth and managed by the National Wildlife Federation in partnership with WE ACT for Environmental Justice.