British Kids to Learn About Global Warming

British schoolchildren will soon learn about global warming and the impact of human activity on the planet, The Independent reported Friday.

Under an initiative to be unveiled Monday, the school curriculum for students ages 11 to 14 will include teaching children about becoming responsible eco-conscious consumers, the newspaper said.

Children have a dual role as consumers and influencers, Alan Johnson, the education secretary, told The Independent. Educating them about the impact of getting an extra pair of trainers for fashion’s sake is as important as the pressure they put on their parents not to buy a gas-guzzling family car.

Education officials said the global warming curriculum is part of an effort to bring a modern focus to classes that have come under criticism for being outdated. Other topics to be studied include the Asian tsunami and Hurricane Katrina, The Independent reported.

The new curriculum, designed to give teachers more flexibility, will take effect in September 2008.