Climate Finance Explainer: A Guide for the Education Sector

Climate change is increasingly disrupting children’s education, with 242 million learners affected by climate-related school closures in 2024 alone. Yet despite the growing impacts of climate change on education systems, education receives only a small fraction of global climate finance. This explainer outlines how climate finance works, why education should be considered a climate adaptation and resilience priority, and the key mechanisms through which governments and partners can access funding. Drawing on lessons from the Climate-Smart Education Systems Initiative (CSESI), it highlights practical actions to strengthen capacity, embed education in national climate policies, build evidence-based investment cases, and develop fundable climate adaptation initiatives. The resource demonstrates that investing in climate-resilient education systems is essential not only for protecting learning, but also for strengthening long-term community resilience and climate action.