Climate

Change &

EDUCATION

While climate change presents new

challenges to education – education

provides a powerful means through which to respond.

c-bangay@dfid.gov.uk:

Climate change –

current reality not future threat

Over

95%probability

climate

change

caused by

Humans(IPCC V)

Climate change impacts - drought, flooding, sea

level rise, intense cyclones will hit the tropics

hardest. Developing countries are ill equipped

to respond.

„Looking to the future, the danger is

that it will stall and then reverse

progress built-up over generations

not just in cutting extreme poverty,

but in health, nutrition, education and

other areas.‟

Climate Change

(UNDP 2007: Human Development Report)

Flooding

Average Sea Level - Rise 15-20cm in the 20 century

India has an estimated 100 people million living in its coastal zone (TERI, 2010).

Water Shortage

By the 2080’s 43-50% of

people will be living in

water scarce countries

compared with 28%

today

Food Production

75% of Africa’s agriculture is rain fed. With a

4oc rise 35% of will become unsuitable for

cultivation

Temperature rise and acidification

destroy coral.

50% loss of live coral on the Great

Barrier Reef since 1985

Coral reefs support over 500 million people

world wide

Environmental Impacts and

Education

Loss of livelihoods and income and

worsening food security affects health and

school attendance.

Research in Côte d‟Ivoire shows in regions

experiencing greater than usual weather

variability, school enrolment rates declined

by 20 percent.

People exposed to drought

and civil strife in Zimbabwe

during early childhood

suffered a height loss of 3.4

centimetres, close to 1 fewer

years of schooling, and a six-

month delay in starting

school.

Health and

Learning

Estimated

effect on lifetime

earnings = 14%

… children who suffer from protein-energy malnutrition, hunger, or … who carry a burden of diseases such as malaria, diarrhoea or worms … are more likely to repeat grades, drop out early and fail to learn adequately due to poor attention, low motivation and poor cognitive function.

Loss of human potential is estimated to

lead to a 20% decrease in adult income.

“

”

Gender

Girls enrolment and

school performance

suffers.

Girls disproportionately

bear the burden of

deteriorating livelihoods -

collecting clean water, fuel

and caring for the sick.

Climate Change ‘… the biggest global

health threat of the 21st century’

Climate change will alter the range of vector-borne diseases

such as malaria, dengue fever and water-borne infections.

The Lancet –

2009

In Kenya, malaria accounts for the annual

loss of 11% of school days for primary students

and 4.3% in secondary.

The cumulative

effect of absences

impacts on

learning

Malaria also

deprives students

of their teachers …

Reconstruction efforts will mean

funding is focused on maintaining

basic provision rather than investing

in systems improvement.

Cost

Extreme weather events will damage

education and health infrastructure and

disrupt service provision.

Strong performance in science and awareness of global environmental problems tend to go hand in hand, and both are associated with a sense of responsibility supporting sustainable environmental management..

Education for Action

2009 EFA Global Monitoring

Report

“Fostering a shared

understanding of the nature of

climate change, and it

consequences is critical in

shaping behaviour, as well as

in underpinning national and

international action…

Educating those currently at

school about climate change

will help shape and sustain

future policy making, and a

broad public and international

debate will support today’s

policy-makers in taking strong

action ”

Stern Review

School location risk assessment

Climate ‘proofed’ school design

Adapting to seasonality changes (school year, exam calendar, textbook distribution)

Disaster preparedness capacity e.g. to respond to internally displaced children / minimize disruption of schooling

Increased ‘scientific literacy’ e.g. higher education capacity to facilitate technological transfer

Capacity to respond to new migration streams

Demand side interventions e.g. conditional cash transfers

Integrated school / health interventions that protect cognitive development

Curriculum, assessment, teacher education reform e.g. localised curriculum components

Internationally portable qualifications (especially for small island states)

Research

Pedagogy and assessment systems that promote ‘higher order thinking’ in support of sustainable livelihoods

Orientation towards new ‘low carbon’ technologies & sustainable futures

Short Medium Long

Mitigation

Education - What Can be done ?

“Educating young

women may be

one of the best

climate change

disaster

prevention

investments in

addition to high

social rates of

return in overall

sustainable

development.”

goals.”World Bank Policy Research Working Paper 5342

Adaptation to Climate Extremes