We’re calling on leaders to prioritize quality climate education at COP26

Joan Namaggwa and Clare Nassanga discuss why every student needs to learn about climate change in school. (Courtesy of Joan Namaggwa and Clare Nassanga)

Ugandan climate activists Joan Namaggwa and Clare Nassanga write about why every student needs to learn about climate change in school.

To solve the climate crisis, students need to learn about it in schools. But in too many countries, students are not learning the information and skills they need to adapt to and challenge the climate crisis.

In a recent survey of students from 37 countries, Plan International found that while 81% of participants had learned about climate change at school, one in five rated their climate education poor or very poor. Nearly half of students surveyed did not know anything about the Paris Agreement and only 20% learned about climate activism in school.

We had similar experiences as students in public and private schools in Uganda. We learned the basics of environmental protection and a bit about climate change — but there was not much. We did not learn about the Paris Agreement or even climate activism. Our teachers just told us about recycling and the importance of planting trees; they didn’t relate it to our day-to day-lives. There was no real importance placed on the subject. 

Ugandan climate activists Joan Namaggwa and Clare Nassanga hold up a sign reading “Happy Earth Day.” (Courtesy of Joan Namaggwa and Clare Nassanga)

You wouldn’t know from the way climate education is taught in many schools that the world is facing a climate and ecological crisis. According to a recent U.N. report, temperatures will overshoot the 1.5 degree Celsius target in the next decade. This rise in global temperature is causing extreme weather events — including storms, landslides, floods, heat waves and droughts — at unprecedented levels. Understanding the causes and effects of climate change is the first step in transitioning mindsets away from ignorance about the crisis and developing a culture of caring for the environment.

Climate education also helps young people come up with new ways to reduce the impact of climate change and adapt to its unavoidable effects. Improving resiliency is particularly important for vulnerable communities — such as Indigenous people, immigrant communities, girls and women, people with disabilities and the elderly — who are most likely to be affected by climate change. When students don’t receive climate education, they aren’t prepared to adapt to extreme weather events and the socioeconomic impacts of these events. If decision-makers hadn’t ignored climate education to date, then millions more students would be prepared to mitigate (and help their families mitigate) these situations. Students need climate education to both understand the issue, the ways it affects their lives and how they can adapt and change their own behaviors.

“If decision-makers hadn’t ignored climate education to date, then millions more students would be prepared to mitigate (and help their families mitigate) these situations.”

— Joan Namaggwa and Clare Nassanga

In November 2021, leaders and governments will be gathering in Glasgow for the COP26 summit, an important climate change conference. We want to see them take meaningful action on climate education to ensure that people understand and address the impacts of the climate crisis, empowering them with the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes needed to be agents of change. Here are some steps we want to see leaders take at COP26:

1. Make climate education mandatory in schools — either as a separate subject or as a transversal theme in the school curriculum. Students need to grow up knowing about the current state of our planet and understand that there is no planet B. Leaders need to work with teachers to incorporate climate change into their lessons.

2. Improve the quality of climate education. It’s not enough for students to simply learn what climate change is in school; leaders need to make sure that every student receives a quality climate education. We echo Malala Fund’s calls for climate curriculums that prioritize STEM, green and life skills (like problem solving and critical thinking) and equip students with the knowledge and values they need to challenge the social and economic inequalities fueling the climate crisis. At COP26, leaders can make commitments around quality climate education in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), National Climate Change Learning Strategies (NCCLs) and Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) Strategies.

3. Fund school constructions that reflect environmental principles. The schools must set an example and the construction of schools should incorporate green designs. Schools should use energy from renewable sources and offer students opportunities to interact with the environment. Incorporating sustainable design into the school construction ensures that sustainable values are at the very heart of that learning environment. Additionally, students who attend schools with healthy air to breathe and conditions that encourage learning are happier, healthier and perform better academically.

4. Support the work of different climate activists and organizations fighting for climate education. At COP26, leaders need to amplify and listen to the people who are most affected by climate change and what they think students should be learning about the crisis in school. This could look like consultations with youth-led groups ahead of the conference and increased in-person and digital access for youth climate activists.

5. Ensure girls in the countries most affected by climate change are able to go to school. Not only do leaders need to make sure that every school teaches climate education but they also need to make sure every girl can go to school so she can access that education. Malala Fund’s report revealed that sub-Saharan Africa — the region least responsible for our current climate crisis — faces the greatest challenges in terms of climate change vulnerability and realizing every girl’s right to education. This means that millions of girls are missing out on learning the skills they need to mitigate the effects of climate change; education helps girls comprehend information, calculate risks (such as weather reports), prepare for the climate crisis and recover from its effects. At COP26, leaders should increase funding for girls’ education and dedicate funding for quality climate education. 

“At COP26, leaders need to amplify and listen to the people who are most affected by climate change and what they think students should be learning about the crisis in school.”

— Joan Namaggwa and Clare Nassanga

If every student received climate education, the world would be a better place. Students would be encouraged to change their attitudes and behaviors towards the environment. They would be empowered and motivated to take action to face the climate emergency. They would also encourage their families and communities to behave more sustainably. They would help develop many more ideas on how to achieve climate justice. Children are tomorrow's leaders, tomorrow's scientists, tomorrow's campaigners. It's important to educate them with the knowledge and skills they need to best serve people and the planet.

You can add your voice to our call for quality climate education at COP26 by sharing this article with your friends and family on social media and tagging us on Twitter and Instagram!