Why Teachers Want Sustainability Tools — and How Ed-Tech Can Deliver

Teachers everywhere know the truth: students are growing up in a world shaped by climate change, inequality, and ecological crisis. Yet most classrooms are not preparing them to act on these challenges.

A global survey by Teach For All reports that while 95% of teachers believe it’s important to teach climate change, fewer than 40% feel prepared to do so. At the same time, studies show that 70% of young people report feeling anxious about climate change, but less than 20% feel their schools equip them with solutions.

This is a gap that Ed-Tech can no longer afford to ignore.

What’s Missing for Teachers Today

Despite the urgency, teachers face systemic barriers:

• Training gaps → Nearly 70% of teachers in the UK report they have not received adequate training to teach climate change and its broader implications. Similarly, around three-quarters of teachers globally say they have never received professional training in climate education.

• Curriculum disconnect → In the U.S., while about 60% of teachers mention climate change, fewer than 22% go deeper into critical themes such as environmental justice or sustainability careers.

• Emotional burden → Climate education often increases anxiety in students. Surveys reveal that 70% of young people feel climate anxiety, but schools rarely provide teachers with the tools to address it constructively.

  
  

How regenÜrate Acts

At regenÜrate, we designed our pedagogical guides as built-in teacher training — giving educators confidence, structure, and creativity when introducing sustainability. We call them the Kitchen for Regenerative Learning, because they contain everything needed to “prepare” and serve meaningful lessons:

• Igniting the Stove → Reflections and setup tips for each mission.

• The Sous Chef → Context on the book’s guiding character (whether a mushroom, chameleon, or river) to bring stories alive.

• What Will You Taste? → Detailed walkthroughs of all 5 missions, including skills strengthened, sample answers, and extensions for home or community.

• Seed Bank → Resources for deeper dives.

• Emotional Care & Functional Diversity → Strategies to manage climate anxiety and adapt activities for diverse learners.

• Project Opportunities → Pathways to turn classwork into school-wide or community impact.

In other words, our guides act as ready-to-use teacher training, not just lesson plans.

A Classroom Example

In a pilot program in Colombia, students used our Gen R book (linked to SDG 7: Clean Energy) to build mini solar prototypes. Teachers, supported by the guide, connected the science to conversations about local energy justice. Students didn’t just learn physics — they became active designers of solutions.

This is what sustainability education should look like: rigorous, creative, empowering.

Why Ed-Tech Needs to Step In

Ed-Tech has already revolutionized math drills, reading comprehension, and gamified learning. But sustainability — arguably the defining challenge of our era — is still missing. By integrating regenerative education:

• Ed-Tech platforms can expand their offerings with turnkey sustainability modules.

• Teachers save time and stress with structured guides that align with global goals.

• CSR partners find a clear, measurable way to bring sustainability into communities.

• Students gain the critical thinking, empathy, and problem-solving skills needed for the future.

The Business Case

Demand for sustainability in schools is rising fast: parents want it, students demand it, and governments are embedding it in curricula. Ed-Tech platforms that fail to integrate it risk being left behind. Those that embrace it will:

• Access new revenue streams through CSR co-funding.

• Align with global frameworks like UNESCO ESD 2030 and the SDGs.

• Position themselves as leaders in preparing students for a regenerative future.

The Missing Piece

If Ed-Tech can personalize reading and gamify math, why shouldn’t it also empower the next generation to regenerate our planet?

Teachers want sustainability tools. Students crave solutions. CSR leaders seek measurable impact. The technology exists. The only question is: who will bring the pieces together?

References

• Teach For All (2021). Barriers & Solutions: Getting Teachers Climate-Education Ready.

• Sustainability Exchange (2023). Nearly Three-Quarters of Teachers Lack Training on Climate Education.

• Brighten Report (2022). Most Teachers Don’t Get Enough Training on Climate Change.

• Education Week (2023). If Climate Change Education Matters, Why Don’t All Teachers Teach It?

• The Guardian (2024). Young Americans Face Climate Anxiety Without School Support.

• UNESCO (2021). Education for Sustainable Development: ESD for 2030 Roadmap.