natural disasters, increasing temperatures, rising sea levels, and other extreme weather threats. (13) Climate change disproportionately affects students of color and students in poverty, thereby exacerbating existing inequalities and limiting equality of opportunity. (14) Children represent a particularly vulnerable group because greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere will continue to accumulate over the coming decades and cause negative health outcomes. (15) Children are more vulnerable to the effects of criteria air pollutants emitted during the burning of fossil fuels. (16) Americans must unify behind addressing climate change for the good of this generation and all subsequent generations. (17) School districts should explore district-wide sustainability initiatives to educate students and reduce their carbon footprint. (18) Teaching climate change in schools will help students understand the human impact of climate change. (19) Teaching climate change in schools will help students understand that life on Earth depends on, is shaped by, and affects our climate. (20) Teaching climate change will help students develop energy literacy and may stimulate interest in STEM careers. (21) Teaching climate change will have consequences for Earth, human lives, and ecosystems around the world. (22) When students engage in a climate change curriculum, they can develop a greater sense of efficacy with respect to their capacity to address critical social and environmental issues. (23) The global impact of climate change and the urgency and magnitude of the challenge of addressing climate change will eventually fall on current students. 40602. Sense of Congress The Congress— (1) supports teaching climate change in public and private schools at all grade levels