Let's start by understanding the bigger picture. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted by all United Nations member states in 2015 with a goal to provide ‘a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future’. At the heart of this agenda is the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
To work towards these goals, it has been recognised that education must sit at the heart of this agenda. Children and young people need to be educated and therefore empowered to understand the impact of climate change on our world and make informed choices for a sustainable future. In the 2022 Berlin Declaration on Education and Sustainable Development, UNESCO emphasises that education plays a key role in shaping positive mindsets. It helps learners develop both the knowledge and the skills they need to navigate today's challenges and shape the changes for the future.
In 2022 the DfE launched the Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy, which aims to make the UK the world-leading education sector in sustainability and climate change by 2030. Many of the aims of the strategy relate to greener buildings and infrastructure and connections with nature, but it also aims for ‘excellence in education and skills for a changing world: preparing all young people for a world impacted by climate change through learning and practical experience.’
So, where and how does music play a part in this agenda? As music educators we know that music plays a valuable and unique role in school life. Young people engage personally, emotionally and creatively with music; music supports holistic development, collaboration and teamwork, self-expression, problem-solving, empathy – all of which are recognised as skills needed in understanding and making changes in the worldwide community. Music can play a crucial role in supporting sustainability and climate change education; equally, sustainability and climate change education can enhance a quality music curriculum.
Take a moment to consider how outward-facing the music curriculum in your setting is. Perhaps some of the ideas that follow, which link to UNESCO's SDGs, could spark ideas for how your music curriculum could be enhanced by ideas of sustainability and climate change education, and inform areas of your Music Development Plan.
Take music outside
Music lessons and activities which take place outside simply feel and sound different. Take time to allow learners to experience the way sound travels and how connected they can be to their environment, simply being musical in it. Children could be given time to explore their surroundings and find natural sound-makers; for example, sticks, stones and conkers could be used as sound sources, and leaves as a natural graphic score. More ideas for musical activities outside can be found online, such as on the Learning through Landscapes resources page (see link below).
Themes for composition
The natural world is a source of inspiration for many composers; take, for example, Vivaldi's Four Seasons or Beethoven's ‘Pastoral’ Symphony No. 6 (for an imaginative take on this piece, look at Aurora Classroom's film A Day Like This available on YouTube.)
In 2016, Italian composer and pianist Ludovico Einaudi collaborated with Greenpeace to create his minimalist composition Elegy for the Arctic, and US composer John Luther Adams won the Pulitzer Prize for Music for his orchestral piece Become Ocean (2014). Hans Zimmer's composition Earth provides inspiration and ideas for composition, provided by the BBC Ten Pieces.
Personal compositions will be at their most effective and meaningful when they have purpose. Themes of the natural world, environmental issues and climate change could spark musical creativity and develop themes of communication and emotion through music.
Representation
Representation matters. Take a moment to reflect upon the displays in your learning spaces, the musicians you use as examples in your curriculum. Do the musicians you use represent the young people that make up your school community? Do you routinely use examples of musicians from the global majority and those living with disability, without their being the explicit examples of ‘not the norm’? Does learning about music and Black History go beyond one month and become embedded into the curriculum?
Consider the importance for young women to see themselves in all roles within music. Look at the examples of musicians we provide and display; are women well represented in all roles? The newest collection of Ten Pieces from the BBC is a fantastic resource for celebrating women composers. How could these resources be embedded in your curriculum?
Provoke a discussion on Sustainability and the Music Industry
The impact of the music industry on the environment is a current hot topic and something that cannot be denied. The production of vinyl records, CDs and merchandise creates plastic waste. According to a report from Viktor Tachev (2022), ‘a single record made from plastic can take up to 1,000 years to fully decompose in a landfill. Also, its production consumes large amounts of energy.’ Both the classical and popular music industries rely heavily on the income made from international touring, which has its own environmental impact from flying the artists across the world, the travel of audiences and the power required to run the venue. Even the streaming of music isn't a simple solution. As Tachev explains, ‘Data centres and cloud services need power and cooling. As a result, they consume 1% of global electricity and generate over 350,000 tonnes of GHG emissions per year. The carbon footprint of our gadgets, the internet and the systems supporting them account for 3.7% of global emissions. This equals the airline industry's share.’
There is no easy solution; but an awareness of these issues and an industry-wide movement to look for solutions and make changes is what is needed, and some artists are beginning to lead the way. The UK's Orchestra for the Earth uses ‘world-class music to inspire, educate and influence audiences to protect our planet.’ In June 2022, singer Billie Eilish headlined ‘Overheated’, a six-day climate-focused event at The O2 in London. In 2020, Massive Attack announced that their European tour would take place using train travel instead of planes. Coldplay have also made attempts to decrease the environmental impact of their tours, pledging to cut their carbon emissions by 50%, support new green technologies such as kinetic dancefloors and energy-generating bikes, and fund sustainability projects.
Challenge your young people to consider the environmental impact of their own performances and school shows, from using recycled costumes, props and set design, to electronic programmes and ticket sales. These small considerations begin to inform a mindset and sensitivity to these issues.
It is important for young people to have an awareness of these issues so that the choices they make can be informed ones, even if a perfect solution is not yet clear cut. Discussion around this topic, and creating a ‘call to arms’ from young people to the music industry to continue to strive for sustainable solutions, could form a powerful topic within the sustainability and climate change curriculum.
Anthemic singing
For decades musicians, performers and songwriters have used the platform of popular music to express their views and beliefs to a wide-ranging audience. Coinciding with the United Nations' first ever discussion on the environment in 1973, ecology and environmental issues became a topic for pop songs in the 1970s, with performers such as Joni Mitchell (‘Big Yellow Taxi’) and Marvin Gaye (‘Mercy, Mercy Me (The Ecology)’) combining lyrical melodies and challenging lyrics to bring the issue into mainstream prominence. Performers as diverse as Billie Eilish (‘All the Good Girls Go to Hell’), Michael Jackson (‘Earthsong’), Metallica (‘Blackened’) and Will.i.am (‘SOS Mother Nature’) have all lent their voices to the environmental cause.
There are many anthemic songs that your setting could adopt as its sustainability anthem; but better still, why not involve the children and young people in shaping and creating their own climate change anthem? Gather themes, phrases and ideas and use these to create a unique school song. New lyrics could be written to an already existing song, or contact a local songwriter to work with you. You could even explore AI songwriting tools such as Suno.
In the Music for Youth Proms 2024, Cross Keys Choir from Portsmouth Music Hub performed their energetic, engaging song ‘Change Maker’. The song, composed by Emily Barden, was inspired by ideas and themes from the young people and conveys a message of empowerment and taking action. It encourages individuals to recognise their inner strength and creativity, to stand up against what is wrong, and to strive for positive change. The lyrics emphasise the importance of being proactive, breaking barriers, and leading with positivity and possibility. The resources for this song are freely available on Portsmouth Music Hub's Song Source as well as the One World songbook, which covers a range of climate change topics.
Conclusion
Sustainability and climate change education is about more than just knowledge – it is about fostering a sense of responsibility, creativity and action. By embedding sustainability themes into music education, we can engage young people in meaningful ways, inspiring them to become critical thinkers, collaborators, and active global citizens.
Music has the power to amplify voices, tell compelling stories, and evoke emotion. Whether through outdoor musical experiences, anthemic singing, or the influence of contemporary artists, music can help students connect deeply with environmental issues and inspire change.
As educators, we have the opportunity to broaden perspectives and create a curriculum that not only teaches about climate change but also instils a mindset of sustainability. By weaving these themes into our music development plans, we can empower future generations to make informed, ethical and impactful choices, ensuring a more sustainable and harmonious world for all.
