Why Education Matters for a Climate-Resilient Africa

Abstract

Given the quest for a climate-resilient Africa, education emerges as a cornerstone in equipping individuals with climate literacy and a deeper understanding of climate change. However, current educational models on the continent, which are products of colonial legacies and subjugate Indigenous knowledge and local realities are inadequate for contributing effective solutions to the continent’s climate-related crises. There is therefore a need for a transformative pedagogical shift for climate change education, underpinned by an appropriate framework. We draw on the New Green Learning Agenda Framework to underscore the urgent need for a transformational model of education that fosters climate justice in Africa. Central to this are the crucial roles of place-based, decolonised, experiential, and holistic pedagogies. It is only through the implementation of these approaches for climate justice through education that a climate-resilient future can be guaranteed for the continent.