On the 14th of July, 2023, the Climate Education Drive Conversation, a part of the DEAN Initiative’s Climate Education development activities, took place, with representatives from various organizations participating in the event. Among the attendees were two climate change leaders from the Sydani Group, Elona Erezi, and Israel Olaniyan. The event organized by DEAN Initiative was hosted by the US Embassy’s American Corner, Abuja.
The main focus of the Climate Education Conversation was to emphasize the pressing need to integrate climate education into school curriculums. Experts and participants engaged in open discussions to share their perspectives, ideas, and experiences related to the implementation of climate education in educational settings. DEAN Initiative has been at the forefront of school-based climate education, having successfully introduced it in 50 schools across 10 states in Nigeria. They have worked with 100 trained Climate Educators to conduct 600 workshop sessions, reaching out to 2500 students. Through these efforts, the DEAN team has gathered valuable field-based insights and data.
The key topics explored during the Climate Education Conversation included:
- The significance of climate education in fostering environmental consciousness and sustainability.
- Identifying the challenges and barriers in implementing climate education in school curriculums.
- Strategies to overcome these challenges and effectively integrate climate education.
- Sharing success stories and best practices from schools and educational institutions.
The conversation also revolved around several themes, such as:
- Enlisting climate education into Nigeria’s global commitment at COP 28, including the procedure, benefits, and potential challenges.
- Stakeholder engagement processes and possible outcomes.
- Government institutions responsible for leading climate education efforts and the strategies they should employ to mainstream it into the school curriculum.
- The role of teachers, their existing challenges, and potential solutions to ensure effective climate education delivery in schools.
- The importance of legislation in establishing sustainable climate education laws and policies.
Despite ongoing efforts in Nigeria to advance climate education, the Climate Education Drive Conversations series raised concerns about the lack of active involvement from key government offices responsible for championing this cause and scaling it to a global level. Participants expressed disappointment that, despite attending several COP conferences, Nigeria has not elevated its commitment to include the Climate Education Drive, leaving the country absent from the list of nations leading climate action through education.
Looking ahead to COP28, the DEAN Initiative aims to gather evidence-based perspectives and expertise through its Climate Education Conversations series. The goal is to facilitate actionable debates and recommendations for the timely and effective delivery of Climate Education in Nigeria’s schools. A significant milestone in this effort is a proposed engagement and strategic advocacy with the National Council on Climate Change to ensure that Climate Education becomes part of Nigeria’s commitment at COP28.
The event brought together representatives from various organizations, including the DEAN Initiative, Federal Ministry of Education (Department of Education Support Services), FCT-UBEB, Susty Vibes, Education as a Vaccine (EVA), Education Research Council, CleanTechHub, Project Karanta, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Sydani Group, National Council on Climate Change, Department of Climate Change (FME), YASIF, EcoBarter, National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), AACJ, CODE, and Trust Tv.
Ultimately, the Climate Education Drive Conversation served as a vital platform for fostering collaboration among stakeholders and raising awareness about the urgent need to prioritize climate education in Nigerian schools. By bringing together experts and leaders from various fields, the event aimed to inspire concrete actions and commitment towards a sustainable future.
