Harnessing Education for Effective Climate Action

Hello everyone, and welcome to our event, “Harnessing Education for Effective Climate Action.” We'll start the event in a few minutes. Please stay tuned and submit your comments and questions using the live chat.

You can join the conversation on social media using the main hashtag #ClimateActionWBG and the secondary one #InvestInPeople.

While we wait for the event to begin, learn more about our latest flyer Education and Climate Change flyer - November 2022 ((https://bit.ly/3A2HTRX) Do you know? Education is key to addressing climate change. Indeed, education is critical for achieving effective, sustained climate action. At the same time, climate change is adversely impacting education outcomes. As the largest financier of education and the largest multilateral funder of climate action in the developing world, the World Bank seeks to harness the power of education for climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Stefano De Cupis 

Also for more information about the learning crisis, we invite you to have a look at our World Bank’s immersive story: “Prioritizing education & effective policies to recover lost learning” ((https://bit.ly/3Tr65Eu)
Stefano De Cupis 

Welcome everyone! I’m Stefano De Cupis, Strategic Communications Specialist, with the Education Global Practice of the World Bank, and I will be moderating today’s live chat. I am supported by my colleagues Kristyn Schrader-King and David Paul Moore with the World Bank’s Human Development Communications / External Relations team as well as Diego Ambasz Senior Economist and Global Lead for Education and Climate Change, and Sergio Venegas Marin, Economist, in the Education Global Practice at the World Bank.
Stefano De Cupis 

Let's see who is part of this great panel: Moderator: Alberto Rodriguez, Director Strategy and Operations Human Development Practice, World Bank

Speakers:

1) Durlabh Ashok (Pakistan), climate advocate and social innovator.

2) Inés Yábar (Peru), a young activist and Global Youth Power Manager for Restless Development.

3) Temilade Salami (Nigeria), Founder and Executive Director of EcoChampions.
Stefano De Cupis 

In this dynamic hybrid World Bank session at COP27, three young activists will share a condensed “TED” style talk, focused on their personal experience of the effects that climate change is having on students and education systems, and on the ways that education can, and must, be harnessed as part of the solution.

Durlabh Ashok (Pakistan), a climate advocate and social innovator will discuss the devastating effect of recent floods and heatwaves on education outcomes in Pakistan, and the role that education can play in changing attitudes and behavior. Temilade Salami (Nigeria), the founder and Executive Director of EcoChampions, will share on her experience leading one of the largest networks of young environmentalists in Africa.

Inés Yábar (Peru), a young activist and Global Youth Power Manager for Restless Development, will reflect on the effects of climate change on the Peruvian education system and her journey in climate activism. To conclude, Alberto Rodriguez (Director Strategy and Operations Human Development Practice, World Bank) will moderate a discussion among the speakers.
Stefano De Cupis 

Inés Yábar (Peru)
Young activist and Global Youth Power Manager for Restless Development.
Inés Yábar is a young activist from Peru who’s been actively working towards a more sustainable future since she was 15. By volunteering in beach cleanups in the coastline of Peru, she helped collect data and organise thousands of volunteers to help inform policies in Peru: leading to the country banning single use plastic bags. During the pandemic the government shared some of her work in the public education system called "Aprendo en Casa" broadcasted on national radio and tv stations to educate people on environmental issues.

She is currently the Global Youth Power Manager for Restless Development helping young people achieve a more just and sustainable world and sits on the leadership team. In 2021, she led the Youth Power Hacks helping young people find solutions to the issues in their communities. She now mentors two teams who found solutions for education issues in Nigeria and India.


Inés is on the board of L.O.O.P. (a grassroots women led Peruvian social impact company conserving the marine ecosystem) and of Ensemble pour TECHO which she co-founded (an organisation seeking to overcome poverty in Latin America). Through this work she has helped raise funds for building a school in Haiti and implementing an after school programme in Nicaragua. Her previous experiences include working with organisations in France, Lebanon and Japan to reach the 2030 agenda.
She was a part of the Peruvian delegation in COP25 following the topic of deforestation and represented the Missing Majority at COP26. Inés is also a Global Shaper (Lima Hub), a Plastic Action Champion, a Next Generation Fellow and sits on the Global Plastic Action Partnership Advisory committee.
Stefano De Cupis 

We are now listening to Inés Yábar!
Stefano De Cupis 

Alberto Rodriguez is now introducing our second speaker Duralbh Ashok from Pakistan
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Durlabh Ashok (Pakistan)
Climate advocate and social innovator.
Durlabh Ashok is a community organizer, a published author, and a climate action advocate. He is a seasoned youth engagement specialist and is engaged in climate action in national and international spaces. Durlabh has represented Pakistan at the COP26 and has been working with Pakistan's National Assembly Standing Committee on Climate Change since 2020, where he helped draft the agenda for the 26th UN Conference of Parties (COP) in the United Kingdom.

He is an award-winning youth leader recognized by the United Nations in 2019 for his grassroots climate action interventions. He has +6 years of experience in entrepreneurship, sustainability, and innovation. His work has been featured in various news organizations such as Deutsche Welle, The Independent, Times of India, and The News International, to name a few. He is passionate about supporting purpose-driven and inspired individuals to lead change in their communities.
Stefano De Cupis 

We are now listening to Duralbh Ashok!
Stefano De Cupis 

The moderator of the panel, Alberto Rodriguez, Director Strategy and Operations Human Development Practice with the World Bank is now introducing Temilade Salami (Nigeria)
Stefano De Cupis 

Temilade Salami (Nigeria)
Founder and Executive Director of EcoChampions.
Temilade Salami is the founder and Executive Director of “EcoChampions”, one of Africa’s largest networks of young environmentalists and activists, leading environmental change through climate education, leadership and advocacy. She has spent the past five years leading a group of over 200 young environmentalists across Africa.

In this capacity, she has designed and developed various Climate change programs and projects across 26 African countries. Her work supports the integration of Climate Education into Nigeria's education system and has authored two environmental books to bridge the climate education gap in Africa. She holds a master's degree in Environment, Development and Policy from the University of Sussex.

Earlier this year, she launched the Climate Education Leaders Fellowship in Africa, a program that combines knowledge, expertise, and mentorship to prepare and educate the next generation of climate leaders and activists. She has also assisted UNESCO ESD with the development of guidelines to assist policymakers in incorporating climate education into education policies and curricula for COP27.
Stefano De Cupis 

We are now listening to Temilade Salami!
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Remember to send your questions through the live chat on this page. Your questions will enter a moderation queue and our expert will be answering in this chat.
Stefano De Cupis 

Do you Know? Global warming is adversely impacting education outcome—especially for the poorest and most vulnerable.
• People living in hotter climates complete less formal schooling and score lower on standardized tests than those living in cooler climates.
• The impacts are disproportionately borne by poorer students.
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HERE IS THE WORLD BANK’S APPROACH TO EDUCATION & CLIMATE CHANGE:

(1) Mainstream climate education for mindset and behavior change, which will spur climate action and foster better preparedness and resilience to climate shocks.

(2) Foster Green skills for a transition to a more sustainable future, by building in-demand skills for a greener economy at all levels, but especially in upper secondary and post-secondary education.

(3) Support research and innovation, through dedicated research grants and training of graduate students and academic staff on technologies, processes or policies contributing to climate change mitigation and adaptation

(4) Invest in Greening Education Infrastructure, by building or rehabilitating for green designs, climate-resilient materials and energy efficiency.

(5) Strengthen community resilience to climate’s impacts on education, by empowering families to recover faster and with fewer impacts on their human capital when facing climate-related shocks
Stefano De Cupis 

Are schools providing the climate change education that is needed to address the critical issue?
Daniel C 

We do see very promising examples of countries integrating climate education into their curriculum, an example of this is Colombia. But the answer to the climate change challenge needs a broader response. Education can be a key vehicle for preparing the population of tomorrow - igniting mindset shifts, building green skills, promoting research. But at the core of all of this, there is the importance of foundational skills. Foundational skills make it easier to learn the new skills needed to qualify for green jobs. Schools should equip students with foundational skills to better prepare them for green transition.
Sergio Venegas Marin 

Do you know? Investments in education can play a huge role in building climate resilience and advancing climate adaptation and mitigation.
• Investments in education build resilience as people with high human capital have more tools to deal with shocks, and greater awareness of climate change can spur behavioral change.
• Climate-smart education systems also develop skills necessary for climate mitigation and adaptation.
• Technical and vocational education training can accelerate the green economic transformation fostering market-relevant green skills and innovation.
• Investing in the greening of education infrastructure can help improve learning outcomes by mitigating the impact of heat and pollution on learning. At the same time, it helps address climate change.
• Investments in climate education and research will reap strong dividends with the tremendous demand for green skills locally and globally.
• Several World Bank initiatives aim to increase girls’ and women’s STEM education, setting a foundation for accessing green jobs. These include programs In Nepal, Pakistan, and Côte d'Ivoire.
Stefano De Cupis 

Alberto Rodriguez highlighting the importance of tacking the learning poverty now! Indeed, "The State of Global Learning Poverty: 2022 Update", a new joint publication of the World Bank, UNICEF, FCDO, USAID, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and in partnership with UNESCO, stresses that even before the pandemic, there was already a learning crisis.
Check here: https://bit.ly/3hvxO9M
Stefano De Cupis 

“Education is critical for effective and sustained climate action.”
That concludes the discussion. Thank you to all who tuned in! Check back soon for a recording of the event, which will be made available on this page.
Stefano De Cupis