Climate change

Climate change poses one of the biggest threats to children’s right to safe, quality education.

One billion children live in countries affected by extreme weather, destroying properties, schools and businesses.

The costs of extreme weather damage to education are colossal. Cyclones alone represent $4 billion in annual losses to the education sector.

Yet education continues to be largely absent from the global climate policy agenda. Investing in education is the missing link to tackle climate change.

64% of GPE grants
since 2021 support climate resilience
$2.5 billion saved
by partner countries in potential damages from climate disasters thanks to GPE investments in climate-resilient schools

Through grants, technical assistance and climate partnerships, GPE helps countries integrate climate change into their education strategies. This helps build climate-smart systems that reinforce school resilience, develop students' green skills, and support students as agents of change.

  • To accelerate climate adaptation in education, GPE announced a $65 million investment with the Green Climate Fund and Save the Children to build climate-resilient schools in vulnerable countries.
  • GPE is partnering with UNESCO, Save the Children and UNESCO IIEP to support 35 of the hardest hit countries. This support will reinforce their capacity for climate-responsive strategies in education planning, budgeting and collaboration across sectors.

Learn more: