Climate change lessons will be compulsory in Italy from the start of the next academic year, following an announcement from education minister Lorenzo Fioramonti. While the subject has been covered in science and geography lessons around the world for some time now, this is the first time a government has made it a legal obligation with all state schools to dedicate almost an hour per week to climate change issues.
Traditional subjects will also be taught with sustainable development in mind, Mr Fioramonti stated. “The entire ministry is being changed to make sustainability and climate the centre of the education model. I want to make the Italian education system the first education system that puts the environment and society at the core of everything we learn in school.”
The Five Star Movement minister previously attracted criticism for his approach to climate change when he encouraged students to take part in protests rather than attending school while they were taking place in September.
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