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A UNIVERSITY of Reading professor has been appointed OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in recognition of his exceptional contributions to climate science and education.
Professor Andrew Charlton-Perez, Head of the School of Mathematical, Physical & Computational Sciences at the University of Reading, has been pivotal in leading and delivering the National Climate Education Action Plan (NCEAP), bringing together more than 80 organisations to collaborate on transformative climate education initiatives.
As chair of the NCEAP Group, he ensures that many organisations can contribute to the overall Department for Education Sustainability and Climate Change strategy through their work.
He is the national co-lead of the Climate Ambassador programme, with £2 million of Department for Education funding to provide all UK educational settings with free support from sustainability experts to create Climate Action Plans.
More than 1,000 people have already volunteered for the scheme, including education minister Stephen Morgan MP in April 2025.
Climate Ambassadors have worked with nurseries, schools and colleges more than 2,000 times in the past 18 months, helping to enhance climate education, promote green careers, increase educational institutions’ climate resilience and decarbonise their operations.
Prof. Charlton-Perez said: “I am deeply honoured to receive this recognition for work that I am passionate about.
“I believe strongly that universities have a responsibility to support young people to receive the climate and nature education they overwhelmingly want and to support the wider education system on a path towards a more positive, green future.”
A hallmark of the climate education work to date has been the generous collaboration and commitment of the scheme’s partners, he said, including the network of volunteer Climate Ambassadors, who give their time and expertise for free to education settings in their local communities.
“The whole Climate Ambassadors team inspires me every day with their ingenuity and drive,” he said.
“Charlotte Bonner, who jointly leads the programme with me, makes the whole programme sing with her indefatigability and positivity.
“Shared work with sister projects, the National Education Nature Park, Sustainability Support for Education and Let’s Go Zero, is only possible because of the leadership of Jess Tipton, Sam Hartley, Lizzie Insall and Alex Green, and the respective teams delivering each project.
“Other partners include the major teaching unions and the Royal Meteorological Society.”
Prof. Charlton-Perez also highlighted the work of many civil servants within the Department for Education including Gayle Boulton and Jonathan Dewsbury, along with all those who contribute to the University’s reputation for climate and environmental study.
“Dawn Aggas, Fiona Blair, Jessica Gardner and Dylan Parkes have all been instrumental to the work at Reading on climate education,” he said.
“While we have, together, come a long way in a short time, there is still a great deal to do including reaching out to all education settings and delivering meaningful curriculum reform.
“I will be using this honour to provide the impetus to go further and faster.
“I hope others will continue to join us to do the same.”
Professor Robert Van de Noort, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Reading, said: “This is a well-deserved honour.
“Andrew has made an outstanding contribution to climate education and meteorological science over many years.
“He exemplifies the very best of academic leadership, combining world-class research with a deep commitment to public service and education.
“His work has had a profound impact, not just within our University, but across the entire UK education system and beyond.”
At the University of Reading, Professor Charlton-Perez plays an important role in environmental leadership, including helping to bring the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts headquarters to the University’s Whiteknights campus.
He led the successful submission for a Queen’s Anniversary Prize in 2021 for connecting communities with climate change, and collaborates extensively with the UK Met Office to provide graduate employees and conduct joint research.
As a scientist, he has made significant contributions to meteorology, particularly on ‘stratospheric sudden warmings’ and their surface climate impacts.
He has won the Royal Meteorological Society LF Richardson Prize, and has co-authored two major scientific assessments on ozone depletion and stratospheric processes.
Beyond his academic achievements, he demonstrates exceptional commitment to voluntary service, including as a volunteer football coach for a number of local clubs including Whiteknights Community FC, Shinfield Rangers FC and South Reading FC, and at Radstock Primary School, where he was Chair of Governors for seven years.
For information, visit: reading.ac.uk/smpcs
