On 8 November, the Geneva Global Hub for Education in Emergencies (EiE Hub), along with the Permanent Missions of Colombia, Philippines, Switzerland and the United Kingdom to the United Nations in Geneva, hosted a policy dialogue to highlight effective country solutions from crisis contexts that address the risks and impacts of climate change on education, and demonstrate the vital role of education in climate action.
The event served as a stock-take on education in emergencies (EiE) and climate change, just ahead of the start of COP29 in Azerbaijan. The EiE Hub, which launched the flagship report Leveraging Education in Emergencies for Climate Action in November 2023, has made clear that education is a powerhouse for driving climate ambition.
Leveraging Education in Emergencies for Climate Action was the first report to examine the effects of climate change on education in emergencies, and education gained prominence among topics discussed at COP28, through a dedicated day during the conference as well as the Declaration on the common agenda for education and climate change at COP28.
Now, a year later, progress has been made, but given the magnitude of the challenge, much further advancements are still needed. This means addressing a range of challenges, including a funding gap and a research gap. Sergio Venegas Marin, Economist and co-author of “Choosing Our Future: Education for Climate Action”, World Bank, noted the significant limitations on data in fragile contexts, where even basic information like whether schools are closed, or how many children are affected, are not necessarily tracked.
Several speakers mentioned the small proportion of funding to projects linking EiE and climate change, and the need to address that shortfall. It was noted that only 2.4% of climate finance from major multilateral funds currently goes to initiatives where children are primary beneficiaries, aimed at addressing climate vulnerability and enhancing resilience.
“Locally led responses may be the most important,” said Elisa Morgera, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change. “We need to consider how we make education accessible – in local languages, for instance – and prioritise funding for community led initiatives.”
“Education is not only about providing knowledge,” said Ambassador Jürg Lauber, Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the UN in Geneva. “It is also a means of fostering resilience and adaptation . . . when children in vulnerable settings have continued access to learning, they gain the essential skills and understanding needed to navigate and respond to environmental changes. Education fosters a culture of prevention.”
“It’s important to have procedures already in place before a disaster,” said Ambassador Bilal Ahmad, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN in Geneva, while also noting the need to prepare for unprecedented disasters. “In rural areas especially, it’s important to have early warning systems. And if you can provide people with internet access, there is a lot that you can do.”
It remains essential to empower young people – who are always among the most determined to confront climate change – to develop and implement their solutions, and for that they need education.
“We know we have to put youth at the heart of the decisions that affect them,” said Hema Kotecha, Deputy Permanent Representative of the UK to the UN in Geneva. “It’s not just that it impacts them, it’s that they have an essential role in taking this forward into the future… Education is the bedrock of ensuring children have the tools to engage.”
“Let’s talk about including young people in climate decisions,” said Omar Alkadamani, Global Partnership for Education (GPE) youth leader, in a video message. “Right now, young people don’t have much say in the big decisions that will determine our future. But who better to help shape these decisions than those who’ll live with them the longest? What if, in every country, there were youth climate councils where young people could advise on national plans, like the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)?”
All speakers, and several interventions from the floor, encouraged States and other actors to prioritise EiE at COP29, and to support that prioritisation with funding decisions. Participants shared examples of good practices and innovative solutions from different crisis affected contexts with potential to be scaled up. These included integrating disaster risk reduction into the school curriculum in Cambodia, providing mental health and psychosocial support through schools in Mozambique, and building back better after the 2022 floods in Pakistan.
For more details, watch the full recording here.
