The Early Years Climate Strategy
Themes
-CHANGE HAPPENS LOCALLY & EARLY
-HEALTH & WELLBEING OF CHILDREN 0-5
-CROSS-CUTTING AGENDAS
-PROVIDING ENVIRONMENTS FOR ECOLOGICAL LITERACY DEVELOPMENT
-LEARNING ABOUT COUNTRY ON COUNTRY
Presented by the president of the Australian Association for Environmental Education ACT (AAEE) and Nature Pedagogy Leader at Woden Valley ELC
The presentation is a response to Australia’s first National Climate Risk Assessment which identifies cascading and compounding risks — yet children aged 0–5 are not explicitly included in climate adaptation planning.
This session introduces The Early Years Climate Strategy, a ready-to-deploy national framework responding directly to that gap. It reframes early childhood education not as a side issue, but as critical climate infrastructure — where ecological literacy, resilience, wellbeing, and community capability are formed.
Through real-world examples (including the Woden Model and the Access to Nature Survey), participants will explore:
Why early childhood is foundational to climate resilience
How children can be recognised as legitimate climate stakeholders
What practical, scalable action looks like right now — without waiting for new infrastructure
This session moves beyond awareness to implementation, offering a hopeful, actionable pathway for communities, educators, policymakers, and climate leaders.
Who should attend
Climate and sustainability practitioners
Early Learning services
Policymakers and public servants
Educators and education leaders
Health, resilience, and adaptation professionals
Anyone interested in systems-level climate solutions
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