Education, Girls’ Education and Climate Change

This Emerging Issue Report (EIR) explores research and evidence on the relationship between education, girls’ education and climate change. Climate change, environmental degradation and climate vulnerability are closely linked. There is high confidence that people living in areas affected by environmental degradation are experiencing an increase in the negative effects of climate change.

Gender, alongside other drivers of vulnerability and exclusion, is a key determinant of an individual’s vulnerability to the effects of climate change and environmental degradation and influences how climate change is experienced. It is estimated that at least 200 million adolescent girls living in the poorest communities face a heightened risk from the effects of climate change.

This EIR identifies and summarizes the evidence and key commentary around the following themes: links between education, particularly girls’ education, and climate change; how climate and environment matter for achieving gender equality; and why securing girls’ education is an important strategy in addressing climate change.