Education + Climate Resilience

Changes in climate and biodiversity loss affect everyone, with children and youth of school age experiencing its effects quite acutely. Extreme weather events may damage schools and teaching and learning materials, making it even more difficult for children to continue learning. Many indirect effects on education such as increased risks of malnutrition and disruption of livelihoods due to crop loss further inhibit children from attending school. 

Furthermore, so much change and depletion can occur in a single lifetime. Three quarters of the carbon dioxide emissions driven by humans have occurred since 1950. There has been a nearly 70% average decline of birds, amphibians, mammals, fish and reptiles since just 1970. Mitigation of these effects means underlining efforts at resilience both in education and in climate action. 

EdIntersect is listening to educators and caregivers, to local organizations and government counterparts, and to children and youth who are describing these growing effects on ecosystems and education systems. 

EdIntersect brings the firm’s skills in research and evaluation, in curriculum and training, and in design across the board to ensure that these diverse voices shape the future of educational and environmental resilience. 

Some important areas of inquiry in education and climate resilience that EdIntersect is committed to investigating include: 

• Parents struggling with loss of livelihood and reduced income who may expect their children, especially girls, to supplement family income and/or take on more household duties, thus forfeiting their child’s education. 
• Families resorting to child marriage, child labor and child trafficking, leading to school dropout.
• Student health and well-being impaired by lack of sufficient and nutritious food at home and/or at school, which reduces student ability to attend school and learn. 
• Children with disabilities and special needs who experience increased discrimination under these circumstances, including specifically girls with disabilities who may have less access to essential services such as education and health compared with their peers.

Quality education can encourage pathways to understanding what is happening around you, to change your attitudes and behavior in response, and to take action.  

EdIntersect also sees environmental education and education for sustainable development as critical investments, particularly if we are to deliver on the Global Goals.