Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 21 November 2023

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action

Citizens' Assembly Report on Biodiversity Loss: Discussion (Resumed)

Niamh:

I am really happy Senator Boylan asked about education because that is my background as a climate activist. I come from the Irish Schools Sustainability Network. I was a leading student ambassador on that for two years, so a lot of my groundwork is getting that education into schools.

Something I would encourage is nature engagement. To expand on that, last year during my transition year programme we got an outdoor classroom. We had students down there and the main thing was we had students from TY teaching the activities. First-, second- and third-year students were out in nature doing activities like pallet-breaking and making them into raised beds. We had twine-making from, I think, flax plants. There were so many different things we were doing and we could see climate and nature action going up in our school. People were taking that out of the school into their home lives. That should be encouraged. As one of the TY tutors out teaching, we saw action going up and attitudes changing. If members want to talk about education, that is a great way to get students learning about this.