Tackling the climate crisis with philosophy
How do we tackle the climate crisis? Education might be the answer. In collaboration with global partners, Dr Forstenzer's research is helping to shape the future of climate education for young people and leaders, while also empowering disadvantaged communities to challenge political inaction.
Greenhouse gas concentrations are at their highest levels in 2 million years and continue to rise. The earth is about 1.1 degrees warmer than it was in the 1800s, and this temperature change is already causing heat waves, intense droughts, rising sea levels and declining biodiversity.
Every increase in the Earth’s temperature matters. Without intervention, the current rate of carbon dioxide emissions could increase the global temperature by 4.4 degrees by the end of the century. The concern for the Earth’s temperature rising at this unprecedented rate has led to global agreements like the yearly UN Climate Change Conference, which brings together world leaders to discuss solutions to slow down global warming.
Interventions such as the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Paris Agreement and Action for Climate Empowerment agenda also call on governments to educate and empower communities on policies and actions relating to climate change.
While science is central to understanding the consequences of a warming world, research from the University of Sheffield’s Philosophy department argues that education is one of the most important factors of helping communities respond to the climate crisis.
Dr Joshua Forstenzer is a Senior Lecturer in Philosophy and the Co-Director of the Centre for Engaged Philosophy at the University of Sheffield. His research interests include democratic education and how philosophy operates to engage meaningfully with public concerns.
Partnering with French organisation, Synergie Family, and European organisation, Union of Justice, Dr Forstenzer carried out work to help transform the future of educational practices for children, young people and leaders in the face of climate emergency.
His research on the impact of social learning provides younger people and disadvantaged communities with the tools they need to help overcome political inaction in response to the climate crisis.
Reshaping educational practices in Europe
Synergie Family is a social enterprise with headquarters in Marseille carrying out inclusive educational and cultural activities with adolescents and adults in disadvantaged communities. The organisation is dedicated to improving education in France, helping to foster the talents and aspirations of young people from deprived communities.
During Dr Forstenzer’s time as a Philosopher-in-Residence at Synergie Family, he organised several participatory philosophical activities for local children, Synergie's staff teams, residents of L’Epopée (the social-impact village founded by Synergie Family), and its wider neighbourhood. He also engaged with policymakers, including French Members of Parliament and local elected officials, on critical thematic areas aligned with the mission to transform education in and out of formal schooling.
Over the course of this two-and-a-half-year partnership, significant advancements were made in Synergie’s organisational development, intellectual capital, and ability to create positive societal impact. Through Dr Forstenzer’s efforts, individuals and communities were also empowered to advocate for their needs. His contributions indirectly impacted 150,000 beneficiaries (a little under half of which are school age children) by helping the organisation offer better learning experiences and become more thoughtful when dealing with complex issues.
“Our partnership with Dr Joshua Forstenzer was a real opportunity to further connect with the research and university ecosystem. This is valuable in helping us measure the impact of our own educational innovations, as well as analyse the purpose, meaning, and ultimate rationale for our activities”, says Naïm Zriouel, Deputy Director General of Synergie Family.
“We firmly believe that this model of collaboration, blending philosophy with operational execution, represents a pioneering approach to addressing today’s most pressing educational, social, and economic challenges."
"His contributions helped to enrich Synergie's practice and mission of educational innovation and amplified our influence across key stakeholder groups. That is why we fully intend to continue to collaborate with Dr Forstenzer - and follow-on activities have occurred regularly in the years since”, adds Naïm Zriouel.
Dr Forstenzer’s work demonstrated how practical philosophy can be used to inform practices and improve the thinking of young change-makers. This collaboration led to discussions with Magid Magid, climate justice activist and author / former Mayor of Sheffield and MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber Region, about changing the UK’s approach to climate crisis education.
A local collaboration
Dr Forstenzer wrote an article entitled ‘Citizenship Education, Climate Action, and the Struggle for Climate Justice’ with Magid Magid for the Educational Briefing in 2022, which highlighted how we should abandon the hope that enlightened elites will take action without significant and widespread public pressure. They advocate for strategic and well-coordinated social action by civil society which unites ‘one billion climate activists’ in a struggle for a just and liveable future.
“Magid came knocking on my door in 2016. I was one of his constituents and we ended up talking for quite a while about Sheffield, the climate, and the role of young people. He adopted a very dialogical democratic attitude”, explains Dr Forstenzer.
In 2020, Magid Magid founded Union of Justice, a European climate justice organisation dedicated to advocating for policies that combat climate injustice and empower marginalised communities. Their work focuses on highlighting the disproportionate effects of the climate crisis on people of colour and historically oppressed populations across Europe, with a mission to bring about systemic, equitable change. The team is made up of community activists, researchers, artists and elected representatives - all working towards building a world that is equitable and sustainable.
“Synergie Family and Union of Justice technically work in separate spheres. Synergie works in education in France, while Union of Justice works in campaigning and art across the European Union. However, both focus on developing the talents among people who belong to historically marginalised communities”, explains Dr Forstenzer.
Union of Justice
Union of Justice has collaborated with Dr Forstenzer since its establishment in 2020. Dr Forstenzer’s research-driven ideas and practical support were fundamental in the early development of the non-profit organisation, and he further served as their Philosopher-in-Residence from January to March 2022.
“The focus was on recruiting and training leaders of colour who wanted to advocate on the climate crisis. Early on, I was asked to join the Union of Justices’ advisory board and I helped Magid in whatever ways he needed. We asked what exactly leaders need to learn if they are to engage in the climate question and what it is that citizens need to learn to become leaders on the climate question. Our collaboration developed organically over the years”, says Dr Forstenzer.
“Dr Joshua Forstenzer’s collaboration with Union of Justice has been nothing short of transformative. His contributions have shaped our organisational development, strengthened our research and advocacy, and enhanced our impact at both a policy and community level. From helping us secure critical funding to guiding our intellectual and strategic direction, Dr Forstenzer has played an essential role in advancing our mission to combat climate injustice and empower marginalised communities”, adds Magid Magid, Union of Justice founder and Executive Director.
Collective flourishing
Using his research expertise in educational philosophy and democracy, Dr Forstenzer’s work with Union of Justice and Synergie Family focused on addressing the current lack of focus on personal and collective flourishing within the climate crisis curriculum.
“My work looks closely at the intersection between anxiety about the climate and what it would mean for us to imagine collective flourishing in a post-carbon future, or at least in a future where the world may look very different to the one we live in now. I think that's very hard for us to do. We have a lot of imaginative resistance to thinking about how different the world could be - even though we've seen the world change, very rapidly, in our own lifetime. For example, we saw what massive disruption looks like over a matter of months during the pandemic”.
Dr Josh Forstenzer
Senior Lecturer in Philosophy
“We understood the term 'collective flourishing' as the process through which communities generate the conditions for individuals to meaningfully and democratically participate in shaping their collective future. To be clear, we believe that a rapid transition to net zero, a rich programme of civic education, and a deepening of our democratic culture and institutions are all required to achieve this. We’d like to place this idea of personal and collective flourishing at the heart of a climate crisis curriculum as it is developed”, explains Dr Forstenzer.
Looking ahead
Some critics might argue that climate citizenship education is a slow process while the climate crisis is an urgent problem. However, researchers at the University of Sheffield believe two things: First, education is crucial for addressing the climate crisis, but it's not the only solution. Second, we reject the idea that the climate crisis is a single, decisive moment; rather, it's an ongoing process that will require continual efforts to address it. Impactful, thought-provoking, and empowering educational experiences are a key condition for sustaining such efforts over time.
For further information please contact: mediateam@sheffield.ac.uk
Written by Anna Blagg, Research Marketing & Communications Coordinator
