Education Responses to Climate Change and Quality: Two Parts of the Same Agenda?

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’ or „education for sustainable development’ - especially as such misconceptions
have tended to undermine the areas’ contribution to debate and discussion.

While recognising the importance of content-specific concepts such as ecology, we do not
see education’s response to climate change as simply the provision of new curriculum
inputs; rather, the challenges of climate change require all concerned to look to
fundamentals and examine the degree to which existing educational provision is adapted to
and prepares people for radically different futures. Furthermore, although the focus of this
paper is largely on potential education impacts and responses to climate change in
developing country contexts, we also recognise the central importance of the exploration of
these issues in industrialised countries. In essence, in the face of the daunting challenges of
climate change, we argue that an educational response to climate change must be integral
rather than additional to broader quality/ relevance debates and to any reform they generate.

2. Climate Change and Environment - Impact and Response

Climate change is a key priority for international development as its impact is likely to be
disproportionately felt in developing countries. This is because developing countries are
generally warmer, more prone to rainfall variability, more dependent on agriculture - the
most climate-sensitive of economic sectors - and as a result of low income have limited risk
mitigation infrastructure, both physical and financial (e.g. insurance) (Stern 2007: 93-97).
Increased instances of drought, flooding and severe weather events as well as incremental
environmental change through processes such as inundation, desertification and salination
are likely to exacerbate existing problems related to agricultural production, communicable
diseases, migration streams, poverty and conflict (cf. Smith and Vivekananda 2007; WHO
2008; UNICEF UK 2008). Consequences for the majority of people in Asia and Africa as well
as those living in small island developing states are likely to be particularly significant,
although the specific nature of climate threats will vary between countries (see Tables 1 &
2).

Table 1: Projected Impact of Climate Change in Asia, Africa & Small Island Developing States

2

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