Call for Education Systems to Respond to the Climate Crisis
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IT IS GETTING HOT CALL FOR EDUCATION SYSTEMS TO RESPOND TO THE CLIMATE CRISIS Perspectives from East Asia and the Pacific © UNICEF\UN055820\Sokhin IT IS GETTING HOT CALL FOR EDUCATION SYSTEMS TO RESPOND TO THE CLIMATE CRISIS Perspectives from East Asia and the Pacific The designation of geographical entities in this paper do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNICEF concerning the legal status of any country, territory, or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of UNICEF. Published by: UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office Copyright: © 2019 UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office 19 Phra Atit Road Bangkok 10200 Thailand Email: [email protected] www.unicef.org/eapro © UNICEF\UN077824\Llaurado FOREWORD Climate change is both a reality and a crisis. Children and adolescents around the world are aware of it and are desperately calling for action. School strikes are now becoming a common phenomenon in many countries, with students not attending classes on Fridays as an act of protest. They are concerned that governments and adults are failing them to the extent that they have filed serious legal complaints to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child to protest against the lack of government action on the climate crisis. These young activists are right! Their future, our future, is jeopardized! The effects of the climate crisis are already being felt across the globe and especially in East Asia and the Pacific. The region is one of the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, with 1 billion people affected by floods, droughts and storms every year. The scientific evidence is clear: the frequency, intensity and duration of climate-related extreme events and the slow onset of changes will only escalate if the current path of inaction continues, affecting in particular the most vulnerable and marginalized of the region’s children. This will exacerbate current inequalities and threatens to undermine the progress achieved in promoting education over the last years. The region is also particularly susceptible to climate change due to the trend of rapid urbanization. Most of this population growth is projected to occur in coastal areas, which are highly vulnerable to the impacts of floods, tropical storms and sea level rise. Governments are already taking action, with some governments having moved or planning to move their capital cities away from their current locations. As we mark 30 years of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, UNICEF in East Asia and the Pacific is committed to supporting children, governments, communities, families and schools to act and be ready to manage climate change-related risks, and to ensure children continue their education and learning process. IT IS GETTING HOT Call for education systems to respond to the climate crisis iii Perspectives from East Asia & the Pacific Education is a crucial component of climate change mitigation and adaptation. Increasing environmental awareness and education on the climate crisis can contribute to the effective reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and in adapting to a changing climate in both the short- and long-term. Education systems need to acquire the knowledge, skills, tools and adequate financing to prevent and manage risks associated with climate change. Thus, education systems urgently require a strong voice and presence in climate change discussions, as well as need to be prepared to respond to current and future challenges associated with the climate crisis. Against this background, the UNICEF East Asia and the Pacific Regional Office (EAPRO) has undertaken this regional analysis It is Getting Hot: Call for education systems to respond to the climate crisis to gather available evidence on the impacts of climate change on the education sector. The report aims to help improve national and regional stakeholders’ understanding on the links between climate change and education systems. The study also aims to promote the sharing of good practices and lessons learned on the integration of climate change actions into the education sector and preparing education stakeholders to be climate-ready, making a case for greater investment in climate-resilient education systems. UNICEF strongly believes that every girl and boy has the right to thrive and to pursue a high-quality education. In the East Asia-Pacific region, UNICEF will do its best to make this a reality by addressing the challenges that the climate crisis creates for education systems. Children and adolescents cannot miss school; they cannot miss their future. It is getting hot, we need responses, we need to change. Let’s learn how and act together now! Karin Hulshof Regional Director UNICEF East Asia and the Pacific IT IS GETTING HOT iv Call for education systems to respond to the climate crisis © UNICEF\UN055824\Sokhin ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This paper was written by Krishna Krishnamurthy, Regional Climate Change Consultant, Seonmi Choi, Regional Climate Change and Environment Advisor, Francisco Benavides, Regional Education Advisor and Juliana Suarez Cortes, Regional Education Consultant at the UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office. Significant inputs were received from UNICEF staff in the Country Offices in Cambodia, Mongolia and Viet Nam. Cambodia Country Office: Katheryn Bennet, Channra Chum, Nhean Sroeung, Sam Treglown, Etienne Poirot, Natascha Paddison Mongolia Country Office: Tserennadmid Nyamkhuu, Tsendsuren Tumee, Speciose Hakizimana, Alex Heikens Viet Nam Country Office: Simone Vis, Anh Lan Le, Giang Nguyen, Mizuho Okimoto-Kaewtathip, Nguyen Thanh Tu, Ly Phat Viet Linh Furthermore, the work draws on consultations with the ministries of education, disaster management and climate change authorities, development partners, non-governmental organizations, as well as education authorities, teachers, students and parents in Cambodia, Mongolia and Viet Nam. IT IS GETTING HOT Call for education systems to respond to the climate crisis v © UNICEF Viet Nam\Truong Viet Hung (Viet Nam) Viet Nam\Truong © UNICEF EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The climate crisis is a reality in East Asia and the Pacific. The region is already one of the most vulnerable to climate-related disasters, with half of the population directly affected every year by floods, droughts and storms (UNISDR, 2019). Increasing temperatures, changing rainfall patterns and rising sea levels will add to current vulnerabilities. Scientific evidence shows that the frequency, intensity and duration of extreme events will increase – it will, therefore, be important to ‘climate-proof’ the education sector to ensure that it can adapt to a changing climate and protect its hard-earned gains in children’s education and learning. Urbanization will intensify climate risks. The rapid movement from rural to urban areas is increasing vulnerabilities in the region. By 2040, population projections suggest that urban areas will house an additional 1 billion people (GFDRR, 2019). In the region, most of this population growth is projected to occur in coastal areas, which are highly vulnerable to the impacts of floods, tropical storms and sea level rise. The climate crisis will affect the most vulnerable children and adolescents, exacerbating current inequalities and undermining the progress achieved in promoting development over the last few decades. Particularly vulnerable populations, such as those under the poverty level in both urban and rural settlements, children or adolescents with disabilities, young girls or boys, or minority and migrant groups, are often less able to manage climate-related risks and are least represented in decision-making processes (Barros et al., 2014; UNICEF, 2015). Governments need to identify these groups and prioritize support for them. Education is part of the answer. Increasing environmental awareness and education on climate change can contribute to effective adaptation and mitigation. The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Article 6 on education, training and public awareness states that countries shall develop and implement educational and public awareness programmes on climate change and its effects. The Paris Climate Agreement (UNFCCC COP 21, 2015) Article 12 also reiterates the importance of the role of education in enhancing climate actions. Governments and IT IS GETTING HOT vi Call for education systems to respond to the climate crisis Executive summary communities need to acquire the knowledge and tools to both understand the climate crisis (and its causes) as well as possible approaches to manage risks associated with climate change. However, education needs are invisible in most key climate change discussions; and the voice of education is almost silent. Countries are not including educational issues in national priorities for climate mitigation and adaptation actions through the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), which are a core element of the Paris Agreement. Out of the 196 Parties to the UNFCCC, only 32 per cent of the Parties mention education (YOUNGO, 2018). Education systems’ participation in climate change discussion is usually marginal. Urgent actions are needed to ‘climate-proof’ the education sector and to accelerate climate- resilient and climate-smart education investments and actions. In this regard, the present study contributes to understanding how climate