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The climate crisis is no longer a distant threat rather it is an urgent reality affecting millions of children and youth worldwide. As natural disasters, conflicts, and health emergencies escalate, the impact on education systems becomes increasingly severe. This was the pressing theme at the 2024 Global Education Meeting (GEM) in Fortaleza, Brazil, where experts, policymakers, and education leaders gathered to discuss the critical need to build safe and resilient schools in climate-vulnerable contexts.
A culminating crisis of The Climate-Education Nexus-
One of the most startling takeaways from the GEM was the stark realization that climate change is not just an environmental issue but a profound educational crisis. With over 1 billion children living in climate-vulnerable contexts, representing half of the world's children, education systems are on the frontlines of these overlapping crises.
The statistics paint a grim picture: globally, 251 million children and youth are out of school, with a slight reduction of just 1% since 2015. This stagnation underscores the difficulty of addressing educational access and quality in an era of climate-induced disasters, political instability, and ongoing health emergencies.
Key Lessons from the Field-
In Fortaleza, education ministers and experts from countries like Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Colombia, Kenya, and the Kyrgyz Republic gathered together to share some valuable insights into how their nation’s governments are working to ensure that education remains a lifeline during crises.
This resilience must be built on three fundamental pillars:
Preparedness and Disaster Risk Reduction: Education systems need to be equipped not just to survive crises, but to continue functioning through them. Schools in disaster-prone areas should be built or retrofitted to withstand extreme weather events, ensuring physical safety.
Inclusive and Equitable Access: Emergencies exacerbate existing inequalities. Girls, young women, and children with disabilities are often disproportionately affected by school closures or interruptions in education.
Community and Teacher Engagement: Teachers are often the first responders during crises. Not only do they impart education, but they also provide emotional support and stability. Strengthening the capacity of educators and involving communities in planning and response efforts is crucial.
The Urgency of Action: A Call to Build a Global Network of Resilience
As we approach the 2030 deadline for achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), the need to integrate climate resilience into education systems is more pressing than ever. The world’s children and youth deserve an education that equips them for a future shaped by uncertainty and challenge. Yet, without deliberate and sustained action, achieving quality education for all is increasingly elusive.
As we continue to confront the climate crisis, the message from Fortaleza is clear: the future of education depends on our ability to adapt, collaborate, and act decisively. It’s time to rethink education as not just a means of learning, but a critical safeguard for children’s futures in an increasingly unpredictable world.
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