Fair Comment – Transforming education for climate change
The urgency of the global climate crisis requires a whole-of-government approach to education systems transformation. Such an approach also needs a firm commitment from the top to create an enabling environment for all necessary downstream and cross-stream activities and facilitate resource allocation. Wherever possible, incentives could also be provided to help nudge behavioural change in the short term.
There are three pathways by which we can ensure resilience through mainstreaming climate change action across Commonwealth governments. First, there has to be greater policy coherence and coordination around a system of education solutions for climate action. We should seek a clear mandate that includes comprehensive actions such as; greening the education system’s physical infrastructure, operating procedures, organisational structures, delivery approaches and human resources that can strengthen the overall climate resilience of the education system. The mandate must also focus on implementing the New Green Learning Agenda; published recently by the Commonwealth of Learning with the endorsement from policymakers.
The second pathway is creating more climate change education champions within the government so that the continuity of climate actions will remain regardless of changes to the government.
The third pathway is mobilising climate financing and developing partnerships to strengthen education systems. “Strengthening financial inputs to Commonwealth education systems, especially for small island developing states and climate-vulnerable countries, is mission critical for their existence.” Policymakers should send clear signals to international and multilateral donors, climate financing facilities, and the private sector that countries are ready to address the climate crisis through education and training of present and future generations.
For The Maldives, addressing climate change is crucial and essential to its very existence as a nation. Our lives and livelihoods in The Maldives crucially depend on the health of our ocean. Simply put, the impacts of climate change could make small islands like The Maldives uninhabitable.
As one of the Small Island Developing States (SIDS), the Maldives faces multiple challenges arising from smallness, remoteness, ecological fragility, vulnerability to external shock and susceptibility to natural hazards. The education sector has a critical role to play in protecting children and preparing present and future generations to face the full consequences of the climate crisis and in helping them to proactively take part in finding solutions.
Our government is implementing a number of actions to enhance climate resilience and reduce vulnerabilities, including building capacity of communities, strengthening the legal framework, and implementing sustainability measures for our fisheries, agriculture, accessibility to safe water, coral reefs, biodiversity, livelihood, costal management and tourism sectors.
In The Maldives there has been significant investment in improvement of school infrastructure and facilities in recent years. After the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, schools were rebuilt and relocated to address safety concerns. However, a majority of schools are still located very close to the shoreline and therefore are at high risk of inundation.
Through our ‘Fehi Madharusa’ Project, we are promoting the integration of climate change education across all levels, while ensuring climate change education is grounded in science, is gender-responsive, and fosters civic engagement, climate action and an awareness of climate justice.
To build green skills for jobs in the green and blue economy, we have planned to place a greater focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects. In addition, teachers are being trained to use project-based learning so students can learn skills that are required for jobs in the green and blue economy, while also meeting their development goals through innovation and design.
