State Policy Landscape 2020: K12 Climate Action looks at key areas where states have policies that can support schools in moving toward climate action. The report highlights opportunities for growth by focusing on state-level policy in the following focus areas:
- Mitigation;
- Adaptation; and
- Education.
With 98,000 public schools in the United States, the education sector has the opportunity to lead the nation into a new era that normalizes sustainable practices and equips the next generation to tackle the environmental challenges of the future.
The report discusses key topic areas (including energy, transportation, food, adaptation and resilience, state standards, and career and technical education) and findings show that some states have started to work toward climate action, but there is more work to be done. Policymakers, school leaders, and educators can learn from the policy initiatives currently occurring across the country. The differences across states, the need to support schools in transitioning to environmental sustainability, and leadership from America’s youth create an opportunity to further advance policy to support schools in addressing climate change.
The full report dives into each topic area, provides examples of each and highlights bright spots across the country.
The individual sections of the report are also available for download here.
