The intersection of education and climate change raises two pivotal questions: What impact is climate change having on education? And what role can or should education play in the face of imminent climate change? On the first, it is clear that education delivery (especially its quality and equity) is being affected by climate change, but we need to know more about the specific impacts (where, how, on who) and how to mitigate them. Better and more targeted research is needed to ensure all children continue to receive education as the effects of climate change intensify. On the second, education could play a role in building resilience among populations in the face of climate change, but we have very limited evidence for this and how it might work.
Here, we—a group of researchers, activists, donors, and policymakers—have come together to outline a research agenda to protect children’s education in the face of a deepening climate crisis. We aim to align the academic, policy and practitioner community around this set of shared research goals to better understand the impacts of climate change on education and the role education could play in driving a more resilient future generation.
