This blog was written by Rachel Wilder, Fernanda Gándara and Terra Sprague.

The UKFIET Conference sub-theme on Climate and Environmental Justice – in tandem with BAICE – is hosting a participatory thematic forum to discuss critical questions about how efforts to measure climate and environmental education take into consideration concerns about justice. We invite you to join the conversation from 1 September 2025!

While environmentalists and educationalists alike recognise that education should play a valuable role in transitions toward social and planetary justice and sustainability, there is little consensus and not much discussion on how we know what or whether environmental, climate or ‘green’ education is advancing justice. For example, whose experiences and knowledges are valued in evaluations of environmental and climate education? Does it take into account legacies of social and planetary oppression, exploitation and inequality? Do measures go beyond knowledge outcomes to also address structural determinants of the climate injustices? Whose interests do these measurements serve?

This forum will kick off on 1 September 2025 via an online asynchronous platform, it will include an in-person lunchtime session at the UKFIET conference itself on 16 September for those in attendance, and will conclude with an online summary session on 30 September.

The forum offers participants the opportunity to share ideas, questions, examples of measurement tools and indicators, hurdles and practices related to justice within environmental and climate education.

Activities:

  • Online dialogue from 1-15 September, using specific examples of measurement tools and questions to fuel discussion
  • In-person lunchtime session at the UKFIET Conference for conference participants, Tuesday 16 September (Room 10, 1-2pm)
  • Online real-time wrap-up discussion via MS Teams following the Conference on Tuesday 30 September, 1-2pm GMT

Please get involved via the online activities even if you are not attending the UKFIET Conference. Conversations for Change is open to all who are interested in the topic and have internet access.

To participate, simply email Rachel Wilder and you will be sent inviting instructions and the link to join. We hope you will join us in the continuation of this Conversation for Change.

We are grateful for the generous support of BAICE, who have sponsored this activity and event.

This builds on events that UKFIET supported in 2022 and 2023, including Conversations for Change: The Future of Education for Global Climate Justice (see links below). Through these events, we asked and answered questions about what practical steps need to be taken to embed climate justice into education policy and programmes, curricula and pedagogy.

Links to previous Conversations for Change activities and blogs on the UKFIET website: