Demand 09
Climate Education
Increasing knowledge about Climate Change remains the pillar for all actions.
Therefore, stakeholders and governments should recognize the adverse impact of climate change is a serious threat that needs strategic knowledge and skill to solve the ripple effects it triggers. However, Nigeria’s educational policies are yet to integrate climate education³⁰ as a prerequisite to building climate-conscious citizens³¹ and a climate-smart future for all.
While it is pertinent to promote environmental sustainability and build more resilient communities across the country for the general public and the next generation, Climate Education should be integrated into the Nigerian culture and educational system to give room for more research-based innovation, create more institutional capacity and strengthen existing agencies or institutions to achieve the NDC mandates. Most importantly, it will help to strengthen ESG concerns to lead corporations as well as government MDAs to draft climate education policies across the federation.
Call to Action
Strengthen existing partnerships between the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Education to prioritise the development of climate-focused curricula to meet the current demands at all levels of the education system.
Commit to assessing and fully integrating climate education in primary schools with an emphasis on building civic skills, entrepreneurship and jobs into the national curricula.
State and local governments must invest in school-based programs aimed at equipping students to respond to climate change risks and threats. This should include national/state essay and innovation competitions as well as community-based initiatives like tree planting, food composting and recycling.
Governments at all levels must embark on massive and sustained public awareness campaigns and education on climate change risks and adaptation options. This should include broadcast and programming on TV, radio and print media.
Create more climate-driven research institutes or strengthen existing ones including tertiary institutions to produce leading academic research in partnership with international institutions to address climate change.
Enhance educator capacity-building and provide accessible, relevant and transparent science-based climate change information, facts and data that are connected to the specific needs and concerns of people.
Dissemination and explanation of scientific results, climate policies, climate programs and projects, ensuring that information is fact-based, engaging and accessible to all including rural communities and Persons with Disabilities.
Fund tertiary institutions to develop research and innovations to aid government efforts to address climate change and adaptation measures.
Fund and create climate-related academic exchange programmes for academics to give room for more innovation and partnership through learning.
Document and harmonise all climate education programmes through an easy-to-access database to track climate education progress from national to sub-national level.
Collaborate with Organisations of persons with disabilities to develop inclusive and accessible climate change educational resources, and engage in partnerships that leverage their expertise and knowledge in disability inclusion, ensuring that the unique perspectives and needs of persons with disabilities are addressed in climate change education initiatives.