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Laura considers the impact and importance of the new GCSE in Natural History.
My journey to a conservation-related career was somewhat hard and confusing, and did not get off to a very directional start. But, I was lucky. I had a fantastic biology teacher and a great university experience, followed by a physically challenging yet deeply meaningful, volunteer placement with the National Trust.
So, what would a Natural History GCSE have given me if it was available when I was still at school? I suspect it would have been transformational. Without doubt, it would have sent me down an ecology and conservation path far sooner, and with much greater knowledge of environmental issues.
However, this GCSE will not only benefit people who end up working for wildlife, like me. Environmental education has been proven key to expanding all students’ understanding, both of humanity’s place within the natural environment, and the importance of wildlife to maintain these wild habitats. All young people should have access to this vital opportunity, no matter which career they go on to choose.
This exciting and timely GCSE will help to shape general understanding of the natural world (both locally and globally), creating a generation of students who truly understand what sustainability means and why it is so important. There is also the potential to increase capacity for future conservation efforts, as students become motivated by their own ability to make a meaningful contribution to conservation, and their increased understanding of the relevance and impact of STEM subjects in the real world.
This formal platform would also start to address the common misconception amongst young people that their peers don’t care about making a difference for the natural world. This values-perception gap can result in young people not taking the action they would otherwise wish – or be able – to take, and perhaps even internalise feelings of powerlessness and distress.
Having a GCSE option which focuses on these crucial subjects could offer an opportunity for young people to refocus any feelings of anxiety linked to the state of the natural world. This would not only build a better connection to nature – associated with increased wellbeing and educational outcomes, but also help students see they are an essential part of the solution.
However, it is not just about the students…
A GCSE which teaches about both species and habitats – their interactions, interconnection and the vital role wild animals play helping to maintain their ecosystems – could not just be transformative for students, but also the country. As one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world, the UK has a long way to go to protect and restore our natural habitats.
In addition, the global climate-nature crisis we are currently immersed in has to be a defining moment in history. Our reaction, how we address the crisis, and move toward a greener, safer future, will impact all life on earth, for generations to come.
I appreciate this might seem an over-dramatisation, but the reality is in front of us. From flooding to record-high temperatures, droughts and wildfires, the impacts of the dual climate-nature crises are being undeniably seen today, with increasingly frequent extreme weather events and a million species at risk of extinction.
But, are these enough to convince us all that radical international change is needed? With sea levels and global temperatures predicted to rise, leading to vast human displacement forecast to occur in the lifetime of our current secondary school students, I would argue we can no longer sideline nature within our conversations, our decision making, or our education system.
Laura Eastwood
Laura is the Head of Education at the Born Free Foundation.
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