Article 22/12/2022

EDT expertise supports FCDO paper on climate crisis and girls’ education

Insights by Helen West and Rachael Fitzpatrick, members of the EDT research team are credited in the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office’s recent policy paper, ‘Addressing the climate, environment, and biodiversity crises in and through girls’ education’.

This strong piece places the climate emergency at the heart of decision-making relating to girls’ education, with a plea for the climate, environment and biodiversity crises to be considered throughout education programmes. It sets out the stark need for more funding and attention on the role of education in this area.

These EDT colleagues actively supported the development of this paper, producing the background papers for FCDO’s Wilton Park conference on the climate emergency and bringing their expertise to the conference with key players from global multilaterals and ministries of education. Along with other experts from across the climate and education sector, EDT reviewed early drafts of the policy paper and colleagues were invited by FCDO to attend its launch in London.

Speakers at the event included Selina Nkoile, Global Partnership for Education’s climate youth advocate, Dr Shireen Chaya, who is Director of Programs at Dubai Cares, and Dr Ehtasham Anwar, Secretary of Education for South Punjab.  

FCDO’s thinking aligns closely with EDT’s own public research portfolio on climate change and education. Ongoing projects include: 

Investigation into the connection between climate and environmental change and education in Kenya and Rwanda (two separate country studies), with a case study on Turkana, Kenya, soon to be published. 
A documentary on climate change and education in Kenya, currently being edited by filmmakers in Kenya. The documentary aims to present a form of dignified storytelling from the perspectives of Kenyans most affected by climate change across five counties, with narration from our own Donvan Amenya (Senior Research Officer) and Vollan Ochieng (Research Officer). 
Desk review on thinking around evidence into policy to support decision making for climate and environmental change and education.

To find out more about any of the above research projects, please contact rfitzpatrick@edt.org.

Click here for more insights and research into girls’ education.

Click here to read the policy paper 'Addressing the climate, environment, and biodiversity crises in and through girls’ education’.

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