The latest U.S. National Climate Assessment states that climate-fueled extreme weather disasters cost the nation a staggering $150 billion every year. This disproportionately affects underserved and overburdened communities.
The assessment makes clear that economic disruptions and the financial risks associated with them will continue to get significantly worse, absent a major shift toward investments in clean energy and climate resilience, as well as a rapid phase-out of fossil fuels.
Educators like myself across the country are grappling with how best to engage with students on the worsening climate risks. From wildfires and wildfire smoke, to flooding, extreme heat, and more frequent intense storms, nearly every community is now experiencing climate disruptions. This new reality means that educators have to integrate discussion of climate risks into their teaching.
Yet some of the country’s most powerful leaders, including the Federal Reserve Bank Chair Jerome Powell, who held an “economic education” teacher town hall, refuse to acknowledge climate risks.
