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In a world grappling with the escalating impacts of climate change, education must evolve to prepare future generations for a post-carbon society, a future where society significantly reduces its reliance on fossil fuels. This transformation is particularly critical in the Global South, where climate change disproportionately affects communities. However, according to UNESCO’s Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report, 62% of countries lack specific national-level laws, policies, and strategies for climate change education. This blog posts cover progress and gaps in climate education policy in the Global South.
The Urgent Need for Climate Education
Climate change affects children most severely and 1.3 billion school age children are living in regions that are highly susceptible to the effects of climate change, according to Save the Children. 90% of these children live in low and middle income countries. Climate induced hazards such as floods, droughts, and fires are posing an increasing challenge to safe schooling, yet only .03% of climate finance goes to education. Save the Children has conducted consultations globally and has found that children are calling for national climate change education programmes.
Recent Progress in Climate Education Policy
The year 2023 marked a shift in linking climate and education, with the historical adoption by the Committee of the Rights of the Child on child rights and the environment with a focus on climate change. At COP 28, a day was dedicated to both the Greening Education Partnership and RewirED to explore ways that education can strengthen the climate agenda. In addition, the largest investment of climate finance in the education sector to date was announced with 70 million from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) to build climate resilient schools in vulnerable countries and integrate climate change in school curricula beginning with Cambodia, South Sudan and Tonga.
While this is certainly encouraging, countries must make significant efforts to address the climate education gap in the Global South. There is an opportunity to build on this past year’s momentum on education and climate resilience. Partnership and innovation amongst NGOs and educational institutions can allow for the provision of high quality curricula, professional development for educators, and research support.
Policy Integration and National Frameworks
According to the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), mainstreaming climate change education into national policies can significantly enhance the resilience of education systems. Countries can align educational frameworks with sustainability through policy dialogue. The policy dialogue tool developed by GPE can effectively integrate climate change into education policies and practices. This approach not only enhances students’ understanding of climate issues but also prepares them to be proactive agents of change.
Policymakers and practitioners can integrate climate change topics into their nation’s formal student curricula and assessments. Incorporating a post-carbon lens into education is essential for building a sustainable and resilient future. NGOs are instrumental in filling the gaps left by inadequate national policies, providing the necessary resources, training, and support to educators.
Success Stories from the Global South
Countries have made great progress in mainstreaming climate change education at all levels. UNESCO’s GEM Report and the Monitoring and Evaluating Climate Communication and Education (MECCE) Project has developed 80 country profiles on climate change education policies and practices. Although there has been significant strides made in CCE, only 38% of these 80 countries have national law, policy and strategy that is specifically focused on climate change education. It is notable to mention that many countries in the Global South have incorporated CCE into their national policies and they can be examples for other countries who have not begun this process.
In Bolivia, there is a National Strategy of Education and Communication for Climate Change (2009) that incorporated climate change concepts into their national curricula, which also covers educational spaces and teacher training (UNESCO).
Article 16 of the Framework Law (2022) in Chile explicitly outlines education for climate change. It is addressed in pre-primary, primary and secondary education as part of a larger National Environmental Education Strategy (2023) that is led by their Ministry of Education and Ministry of the Environment (UNESCO).
Some countries are even going as far as actively including indigenous populations and other vulnerable groups into their climate change education and communication initiatives. In the Dominican Republic, the Gender and Climate Change Plan (2018) addresses the intersection of gender and climate change, aiming to reduce gender inequality.
Panama’s National Gender and Climate Change Plan, introduced by the Ministry of Environment in 2021, aims to enhance national capacities by integrating gender equality perspectives into climate action policies.
As countries pursue various strategies to achieve their goals, the country profiles provide valuable insights for education planners and decision-makers. These profiles serve as a critical foundation for policy discussions at sub-regional, regional, and international levels, supporting the development of solutions to address climate change challenges.
The Role of NGOs in Climate Education
Research and Curriculum Development
NGOs can conduct research to inform the creation of climate change curricula grounded in scientific evidence. By partnering with educational institutions and leveraging resources like the UNESCO Green Curriculum Guidance, NGOs can help develop comprehensive and context-specific educational materials. These materials should be culturally relevant and accessible in multiple languages to address the diverse needs of students across the Global South.
Resource Distribution and Access
In addition, NGOs can provide schools with access to high-quality, scientifically-backed curricula and educational materials. By distributing these resources widely, NGOs ensure that even schools with limited funding can offer robust climate education. Utilizing digital tools and platforms can further enhance the reach and impact of these materials.
Professional Development for Educators
Furthermore, effective climate education requires well-trained educators. NGOs can offer professional development programs, workshops, and training sessions to equip teachers with the knowledge and skills needed to teach climate change effectively. For instance, in Argentina, the non-profit organization Ecohouse collaborates with provincial education departments to provide free training and resources to schools, ensuring educators are well-prepared to incorporate sustainability into their teaching.
Building climate-resilient education systems in the Global South requires a coordinated effort between government policymakers and non-governmental organizations. Governments create policy frameworks while NGOs provide expertise to implement these strategies effectively, through their expertise in curriculum development, teacher training, and resource distribution. This partnership approach ensures that climate education reaches the communities most affected by climate change, preparing the next generation for the challenges ahead.
To learn more about the intersection of climate change and education, we invite you to read about our Analytical Framework and view our Climate Change and Education Dashboard for critical data and other blogposts in this series.
Dania Zanaid and Jerusha Rainy Kannula from the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs contributed to this blog post.
