The impact of climate change and displacement on the right to education: a UNESCO initiative

What is our aim?

Given the increasing impact of climate change on human mobility, UNESCO launched in 2020 a global initiative to investigate the barriers to education posed by climate change directly, as well as climate-driven displacement, taking into account the policy implications thereon.

The aim of this initiative is to provide operational policy recommendations for policy makers globally which help ensure the right to education in national and regional systems for persons affected by climate change, followed by capacity building and technical support to States.

The context

In 2019, 24.9 million people were internally displaced as a result of disasters. In 2020, the number jumped to 30.7 million. The catastrophic effects of climate change are no longer isolated emergencies but have become the new global norm – a reality that is only intensifying each year.

How is UNESCO addressing this challenge?

To investigate the barriers to education resulting from climate change and displacement and help build resilient, inclusive, and rights-based education systems, UNESCO’s initiative takes a three-step approach:

Some findings

• Climate change exacerbates existing educational inequalities for the most vulnerable, including those in 
poverty, women & girls, refugees, ethnic minorities, the disabled, etc.
• Climate-induced poverty, particularly in rural areas and the agricultural sector, leads to dropout for economic 
pursuit. 
• Much of what is thought to be economic migration is actually climate-driven migration.
• Disaster risk reduction policies/legislation do not take into account educational continuity in post-disaster 
responses. 
• Even upon internal displacement, children can face language barriers and administrative discrimination.
• Climate displaced persons remain politically invisible and absent in national policies