The role of education systems in the global climate change agenda has been overlooked, and yet small-scale, fragmented interventions and ad hoc approaches are not sufficient to effectively plan for and respond to the multifaceted climate change crisis. A system-wide approach to climate change mitigation and adaptation in the education sector needs to be developed and anchored within national and sub-national education systems under the leadership of the Ministry of Education in each country.
The Nairobi Work Programme partner UNICEF, has been working to generate evidence on the impacts of climate change in the education sector as we need to shift our focus from a narrow assessment of climate impacts on education infrastructure and on student’s attendance, towards a systemic approach on the fundamental role that education systems can – and must – play in the climate change agenda.
The climate change and education tool “Towards Climate Resilient Education Systems: A Tool for Reflection, Dialogue and Progress Assessment for Ministries of Education and its Partners” was designed to raise awareness and promote reflection, dialogue and assessment of progress among national and sub-national level education authorities and their partners about structures and processes to make the education system more climate resilient.
The tool provides incremental indicators for self-assessment by Ministries of Education and partners along seven key education systems components:
- Policies, plans and strategies
- Finance
- Curriculum, teaching and learning
- Teacher capacity development
- Communication, coordination and partnership
- School and community student participation platforms
- Monitoring, evaluation and accountability
The tool was designed to be used periodically by Ministry of Education personnel and their partners to discuss and assess whether the education system is moving in the direction of increased climate change responsiveness and therefor making progress towards climate change mitigation and adaptation goals.
For more information about the tool contact Reis Lopez Rello, UNICEF Climate Change Advisor at rlopezrello@unicef.org, or visit the UNICEF web page on the tool and resources.
Access the tool on the Nairobi Work Programme - Adaptation Knowledge Portal.
<< BACK TO NEWSLIST
