XVIII World Congress of Comparative Education Societies

In response to the overall conference theme of ‘Fostering Inclusive Ecologies of Knowledge: Education for Equitable and Sustainable Futures’, this panel focuses on existing evidence, novel data and analysis, as well as research designs and methods which interrogate how climate change and education are interlinked; while reflecting on how international agendas around sustainable development and climate change have implications for learning in real-life contexts. 

The existential threat of climate change is only intensifying over time. Education – formal, non-formal or informal – is key to all climate change adaptation and mitigation solutions. Education can improve knowledge, improve attitudes and capacities for climate change action amongst young people and adults in ways that can improve sustainable consumption and production activities. However, despite receiving some policy attention in the globally agreed frameworks for climate action (UNFCCC, Paris Agreement, Sendai Framework, Sustainable Development Goals), education remains largely underemphasized in broader climate change policy discussions. 

This panel highlights different contributions that advance the necessary research and practice agendas to ensure education fulfills its potential for sustainable development. 

Dr. Priyadarshani Joshi highlights key messages and recommendations resulting from evidence and data analysis on the association between education outcomes and climate literacy, awareness, policy preferences and climate outcomes. In doing so, she provides a broad framing and evidence assessment for understanding the interlinkages between education and climate change, and how education and knowledge can be harnessed for policy impact.

Professor Aaron Benavot (with Dr. Aaron Redman and Dr. Kristen Hargis) focus on the latest progress on monitoring patterns of climate change education. They highlight key findings from analyses of two unique databases – one consisting of national curricular frameworks and the other science and social science syllabi in primary and secondary education -- to explicate climate change education prioritization, how it is monitored globally, and implications for improvements given existing limitations. 

Dr. Radhika Iyengar reflects on the state of education for sustainable development, given its original objectives and visions, and argues that overt emphasis on climate change education reduces the broad approach of sustainable development to its detriment. Additionally, she highlights the need for focus on implementation and how education for sustainable development is practiced in real-life contexts. She uses the case of the United States to highlight these critical observations and gaps.

Ms Anvi Anand, a high school student from New Jersey, a nation-leading state on integrating climate change education, discusses experiences with holistic sustainable development learning in schools and in other experiences. The presentation highlights the value of incorporating global citizenship education and advocacy in order to understand how to build skills relevant for climate change action.