Impact of Climate Change on Education
Climate change is having a significant impact on education, potentially undoing the educational gains of recent decades. This is particularly evident through exposure to extreme heat and other climate-related stressors.
Key Findings from the Global Report
- Loss of Schooling: Children exposed early to extreme heat may lose up to 1.5 years of schooling.
- School Closures: Climate-related events such as heat, wildfires, storms, floods, droughts, diseases, and rising sea levels frequently lead to school closures, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
- Historical Impact: Over the past two decades, 75% of extreme weather events led to school closures, impacting over five million people.
Effects of Heat on Education
- Link to Fewer Years of Schooling: An analysis of 29 countries shows that prenatal and early life exposure to higher temperatures is linked to fewer years of schooling.
- Performance Impact:
- In China, high temperatures reduced test performance and affected graduation and college entrance rates.
- In the U.S., a 1°C rise in temperature lowered test scores by 1%, with minority groups affected disproportionately.
Climate Vulnerability among Marginalized Populations
- Distribution of Risk: Out of the 10 countries most affected by extreme weather in 2019, eight were low- or lower-middle-income countries.
- High-Risk Populations: Of the 33 countries with extremely high climate risks for children, where nearly one billion people live, 29 are fragile states.
- Health Concerns: In the U.S., low-income groups are more likely to experience increased childhood asthma diagnoses due to climate-driven air pollution.
Response and Mitigation Strategies
- Infrastructure Improvements: Half of U.S. public school districts need updates to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems.
- Disaster Management Plans: Schools with disaster management strategies were more effective during crises, such as the 2013 Jakarta floods.
