IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 574 

Supporting the teaching of climate change in schools. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 20, 2019 

Ms. LEE of California (for herself, Mrs. DINGELL, Ms. BROWNLEY of California, Ms. MOORE, Ms. BARRAGA ́N, Ms. MENG, Ms. HILL of California, 

Mr. TONKO, Mr. MCNERNEY, Mr. LOWENTHAL, Mr. KEATING, Mr. 

ESPAILLAT, Mr. MORELLE, Mr. GRIJALVA, Ms. TLAIB, Ms. NORTON, Ms. 

CASTOR of Florida, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, and Mr. RASKIN) submitted the 

following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education 

and Labor 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting the teaching of climate change in schools. 

Whereas more than 80 percent of parents in the United 

States support the teaching of climate change; 

Whereas 86 percent of teachers in the United States feel that 

climate change should be taught in schools; 

Whereas 17 percent of teachers say they either do not have 

materials to teach climate change or they do not know 

enough about the subject to teach it; 

Whereas climate change is not a partisan or political issue; 

Whereas there is a broad consensus among climate scientists 

that the human activities contributing to increases in 


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greenhouse gas emissions are the dominant cause of climate change; 

Whereas, to meaningfully act upon our changing climate and 

changed world, young people need education about its 

causes, consequences, anticipated future impacts, and 

possible solutions; 

Whereas climate change is a social justice, racial justice, and 

human rights issue; 

Whereas, according to the National Center for Science Education, 37 States and the District of Columbia recognize 

human-caused climate change in their science education 

standards; 

Whereas the National Science Teaching Association, the National Association of Geoscience Teachers, the National 

Association of Biology Teachers, and other professional 

organizations have called for greater support for science 

educators in teaching climate science and climate change; 

Whereas, in 2015, the California State PTA declared climate 

change a children’s issue; 

Whereas, in 2019, the California Association of School Psychologists declared climate change a potential threat to 

the psychological and social development of children; 

Whereas climate change is threatening students’ communities 

with intensifying natural disasters, increasing temperatures, rising sea levels, and other extreme weather 

threats; 

Whereas climate change disproportionately affects students of 

color and students in poverty, thereby exacerbating existing inequalities and limiting equality of opportunity; 


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Whereas children represent a particularly vulnerable group 

because greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere 

will continue to accumulate over the coming decades and 

cause negative health outcomes; 

Whereas children are more vulnerable to the effects of criteria air pollutants emitted during the burning of fossil 

fuels; 

Whereas Americans must unify behind addressing climate 

change for the good of this generation and all subsequent 

generations; 

Whereas school districts should explore district-wide sustainability initiatives to educate students and reduce their 

carbon footprint; 

Whereas teaching climate change in schools will help students 

understand the human impact of climate change; 

Whereas teaching climate change in schools will help students 

understand that life on Earth depends on, is shaped by, 

and affects our climate; 

Whereas teaching climate change will help students develop 

energy literacy and may stimulate interest in STEM careers; 

Whereas teaching climate change will have consequences for 

Earth, human lives, and ecosystems around the world; 

Whereas when students engage in a climate change curriculum, they can develop a greater sense of efficacy with 

respect to their capacity to address critical social and environmental issues; and 

Whereas the global impact of climate change and the urgency 

and magnitude of the challenge of addressing climate 


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change will eventually fall on current students: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) supports teaching climate change in public 

3 and private schools at all grade levels; 

4 (2) encourages the Federal Government, States, 

5 localities, nonprofit organizations, schools, and com6 munity organizations to teach climate change in ap7 propriate programs and activities, with the goal of 

8 increasing public knowledge on the impacts that hu9 mans have on the climate; and 

10 (3) encourages school districts to provide robust 

11 resources to teachers and students so they can learn 

12 about climate change in a safe and open learning en13 vironment. 

Æ 


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