Bringing Climate Research to New York City's Classrooms

"The NYC Mid-Winter Climate Institute is a direct response to meet the rising interest and demand for climate and environmental education among students and educators. National and state policymaking, curriculum development and implementation are still slowly progressing to fill the gaps."

"A 2021 UNESCO analysis surveying 100 countries found that only 53 percent of national curricula reference climate change, and when included, it is often deprioritized. Teachers also face many barriers that limit effective instruction, with fewer than 40 percent of teachers reported confidence in teaching the severity of climate change."

"Over the course of two days of in-person sessions and a half-day of virtual sessions, educators received guidance, ideas and resources from participating presenters as well as from one another. While many educators attended the training event for the very first time, others returned to share how they had integrated climate and environmental science lessons and activities in their own classrooms."

The NYC Mid-Winter Climate Institute 2026 brought together more than 500 kindergarten through grade 12 educators for collaborative climate-focused learning at Teachers College. Hosted by the NYC Public Schools Office of Energy & Sustainability in partnership with Subject to Climate, Teachers College, and the Columbia Climate School, the three-day event provided guidance, resources, and networking opportunities. Educators shared strategies for integrating climate and environmental science lessons into classrooms. The institute addresses significant gaps in climate education, as a 2021 UNESCO analysis found only 53 percent of national curricula reference climate change. Teachers face substantial barriers, including low confidence in teaching climate severity and limited preparation for explaining local impacts.

Read at State of the Planet