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Citation: Bangay, C. and Blum, N. (2010) Education Responses to Climate Change and Quality: Two
Parts of the Same Agenda? International Journal of Educational Development 30(4): 335-450.
Education Responses to Climate Change and Quality: Two Parts of the Same
Agenda?
Colin Bangay, UK Department for International Development
Nicole Blum, Institute of Education, University of London
Abstract
Increasing attention to climate change and the current global economic crisis have
underscored the need for approaches to education that equip and empower people of all
ages to deal with uncertain environmental, economic and political futures. A range of
educational research and initiatives already exist which could support this aim, however,
policy and discussion continue to focus on technical solutions or „knowledge transfer’ without
seriously engaging with education. This paper suggests that education responses are
needed which attend to provision of both appropriate educational infrastructure and relevant
knowledge and skills. It also explores the connections between education for sustainable
development (ESD) and education quality, and argues that these frameworks already
support potentially effective education responses to climate change.
Keywords: climate change, education for sustainable development, quality
1. Introduction
In a recent speech, John Beddington, the UK government’s chief scientist, warned of the
potential for a „perfect storm’ in which mutually reinforcing drivers of population growth and
the increased consumption of food, water and energy exacerbated by the impact of climate
change led to famine, civil unrest and mass migration (BBC 2009a). The potential impact of
the population growth, consumption, climate change nexus on the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs) was brought into stark focus in the 2008 UN Human Development Report:
„Climate change is hampering efforts to deliver the MDG promise. Looking to the
future, the danger is that it will stall and then reverse progress built-up over
generations not just in cutting extreme poverty, but in health, nutrition, education and
other areas.’ (UNDP 2007: 1)
In the UK, the government’s White Paper on development has presented climate change as
a current challenge - not a future threat - and establishes climate change as one of the
three priorities that will frame the UK development effort (DFID 2009). The influential Stern
Report also identified three key elements in response to climate change, of which two -
technological transfer and behavioural change - have clear implications for education (see
Stern 2007: xviii)1.
This paper details the possible impacts of climate change and associated environmental
degradation on education provision and demand, and also sets out associated responses. It
argues that although the role of education in addressing the challenges of climate change is
being increasingly recognised2, the capacity of education to contribute to adaptation and
mitigation measures has yet to penetrate mainstream development thinking. In order for this
to happen it is argued firstly that the potential of the full range of educational channels -
formal and non-formal, and from primary through tertiary and adult education - must be
highlighted. Secondly, educationists must recognise the dangers of labelling and the
preconceptions/ misconceptions that often arise when using terms such as „environmental
1 See also Carter et al (2006) for a thorough critique of Stern.
2 For example, see recent statements from the G8: http://www.g8italia2009.it/G8/Home/G8-
G8 Layout locale-1199882116809 Atti.htm.