Phoebe L. Hanson (she/her)

How are you using education to build more sustainable and equitable communities? Tell us about your EE work and impact.

Co-coordinating Mock COP26 in 2020, a conference uniting youth from 140+ countries to share opinions, innovative ideas, and lived experiences surrounding the climate crisis, I co-founded their Teach the Teacher campaign, supporting students to deliver climate training to their educators. In the UK, this is now being delivered in 200 schools a year. Using the Mock COP platform at COP26, I worked with the UK Department for Education, the Italian government and UNESCO to convene a joint event of education and environment ministers at COP26 to advance climate teaching and learning. I advised on the UK’s pledge, the Department for Education’s Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy, and its constituent Natural History GCSE.

Tell us about your journey to where you are today. What inspired you? What has your path been like?

As a daughter of a teacher, I grew up in classrooms, talking to children about their anxieties and hopes for their futures. I listened to young people ask why they don’t talk about climate change more at school, why teachers didn’t know more about it, and how they could take action. I spoke to children not given adequate climate education to work towards turning their anxiety into agency rather than being paralysed by fear. After attending my first climate strike in 2019, I have worked with young people, teachers, governments and the public to develop their understanding of the climate crisis, its impacts, and the ways they could take action.

A Little More About Me

What book, film, or art piece has had the greatest impact on you?

My favourite book is The Little Prince. Growing up, I loved the quote ‘what makes the desert beautiful…is that somewhere it hides a well’ because it reminded me that somewhere in crisis, harshness and fear, is a well. Somewhere is beauty, life, and love. My well is community: building bridges across regions and cultures, expanding worldviews, and building resilience in the next generation. In the midst of such intensity, I aspire to empower children and to have their place, roles, and rights considered globally.

What advice would you give to the next generation of leaders?

Keep your sense of hope. Keep your sense of wonder and enthusiasm for the world around you.

What’s a passion project of yours outside of your work?

Right now I’m trying to learn Mandarin Chinese, and very slowly, I’m getting there. I’ve also been taking courses in Chinese calligraphy and politics, aiming to immerse myself in the culture.

How do you recharge?

I recharge with walks in the park, normally bringing along my camera to take pictures of moments I’d like to capture.