In the News

"Denmark makes the connection and we hope all climate change partners will follow. This generous contribution reaffirms that climate change and education are two sides of the same coin. It will catalyze our global efforts to scale-up quality learning opportunities on the frontlines of the climate crisis and deliver on the promises outlined in the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals. As world leaders converge at the Climate Talks in Dubai, we must follow the visionary leadership of Denmark to act right here, right now, to connect the dots between climate action and education action. Together, we can now mitigate the human consequences of climate change, empower the most vulnerable children bearing the brunt of climate shocks, and ensure they are equipped with the skills to adapt to -- and manage -- the changing environment. Only then can we succeed in creating a climate friendly and thus more humane future," said Yasmine Sherif, Executive Director of Education Cannot Wait, the global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises.

"Denmark makes the connection and we hope all climate change partners will follow. This generous contribution reaffirms that climate change and education are two sides of the same coin. It will catalyze our global efforts to scale-up quality learning opportunities on the frontlines of the climate crisis and deliver on the promises outlined in the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals. As world leaders converge at the Climate Talks in Dubai, we must follow the visionary leadership of Denmark to act right here, right now, to connect the dots between climate action and education action. Together, we can now mitigate the human consequences of climate change, empower the most vulnerable children bearing the brunt of climate shocks, and ensure they are equipped with the skills to adapt to – and manage – the changing environment. Only then can we succeed in creating a climate friendly and thus more humane future," said Yasmine Sherif, Executive Director of Education Cannot Wait, the global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises.

UN News spoke to Yasmine Sherif, Executive Director of Education Cannot Wait, the UN global fund for education in emergencies, which recently issued an appeal for $150 million to scale up efforts in response to the climate crisis.

“Climate change has proven to be one of the largest causes for displacement after conflict,” she said, adding that displacement affects the education of children and youth, and eventually their futures.

A new ‘Education Cannot Wait’ survey shows that the education of 62 million children and adolescents has been disrupted as an immediate and direct consequence of climate change.

Rt. Hon. Gordon Brown, the United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education and former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, said:“Dubai Cares, under the leadership of Tariq Al Gurg, has played a critical role in furthering the cause of education through the RewirEd Summit, and it is to Dubai Cares credit that they are leading worldwide, in their concern about the connection between climate change that we are facing and the denial of educational opportunity. An understanding that unless we act through Education Cannot Wait, and other educational agencies, droughts, floods, firestorms, cyclones, and other climate events are going to forcibly displace many more millions of children and adults, and in particular, deny children their right to education.”

"Denmark makes the connection and we hope all climate change partners will follow. This generous contribution reaffirms that climate change and education are two sides of the same coin. It will catalyze our global efforts to scale-up quality learning opportunities on the frontlines of the climate crisis and deliver on the promises outlined in the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals. As world leaders converge at the Climate Talks in Dubai, we must follow the visionary leadership of Denmark to act right here, right now, to connect the dots between climate action and education action. Together, we can now mitigate the human consequences of climate change, empower the most vulnerable children bearing the brunt of climate shocks, and ensure they are equipped with the skills to adapt to ? and manage ? the changing environment. Only then can we succeed in creating a climate friendly and thus more humane future," said Yasmine Sherif, Executive Director of Education Cannot Wait, the global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises.

"Denmark makes the connection and we hope all climate change partners will follow. This generous contribution reaffirms that climate change and education are two sides of the same coin. It will catalyze our global efforts to scale-up quality learning opportunities on the frontlines of the climate crisis and deliver on the promises outlined in the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals. As world leaders converge at the Climate Talks in Dubai, we must follow the visionary leadership of Denmark to act right here, right now, to connect the dots between climate action and education action. Together, we can now mitigate the human consequences of climate change, empower the most vulnerable children bearing the brunt of climate shocks, and ensure they are equipped with the skills to adapt to – and manage – the changing environment. Only then can we succeed in creating a climate friendly and thus more humane future," said Yasmine Sherif, Executive Director of Education Cannot Wait, the global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises.

"Denmark makes the connection and we hope all climate change partners will follow. This generous contribution reaffirms that climate change and education are two sides of the same coin. It will catalyze our global efforts to scale-up quality learning opportunities on the frontlines of the climate crisis and deliver on the promises outlined in the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals. As world leaders converge at the Climate Talks in Dubai, we must follow the visionary leadership of Denmark to act right here, right now, to connect the dots between climate action and education action. Together, we can now mitigate the human consequences of climate change, empower the most vulnerable children bearing the brunt of climate shocks, and ensure they are equipped with the skills to adapt to – and manage – the changing environment. Only then can we succeed in creating a climate friendly and thus more humane future," said Yasmine Sherif, Executive Director of Education Cannot Wait, the global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises.

Membership includes organizations such as INEE, Dubai Cares, UNESCO and the International Institute for Education Planning (IIEP), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), Education Cannot Wait (ECW) and the Center for Global Development (CGD).

The new commitment from Denmark's Ministry of Foreign Affairs brings Denmark's total contributions to Education Cannot Wait to approximately US$155 million to date. With the new funding, ECW and its global partners will provide fast-acting support to ensure learning continuity by rebuilding schools and learning infrastructure after disasters strike; ensure children receive holistic education supports including access to school meals, psychosocial support, and water and sanitation facilities; enhance disaster risk reduction; and support efforts to protect children against gender-based violence and other grave violations of their human rights.

Today, there are more than 224 million crisis-impacted children worldwide who urgently need education support. New analysis by Education Cannot Wait, the global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises, hosted by UNICEF, has found that 62 million of these children have been impacted by climate hazards such as droughts, floods, cyclones and other extreme weather events since 2020. That’s close to the total populations of several G7 nations such as the United Kingdom, France or Italy. 

While these children have contributed least to the issue of climate change, they have the most to lose. Furthermore, over the last ten years, 31 million school-aged children have been displaced by the climate crisis, with 13 million in the last three years alone. 

Aujourd’hui, plus de 224 millions d’enfants touchés par des crises ont besoin d’un soutien en matière d’éducation de toute urgence. Une nouvelle analyse réalisée par Éducation sans délai, le fonds mondial pour l’éducation en situation d’urgence et de crise prolongée qui est hébergé par l’Unicef, révèle que 62 millions de ces enfants ont été affectés par des aléas climatiques comme les sécheresses, les inondations, les cyclones et autres phénomènes météorologiques extrêmes depuis 2020. C’est presque la population de plusieurs pays du G7 tels que le Royaume-Uni, la France ou encore l’Italie.

Alors même que ces enfants ont le moins contribué aux changements climatiques, ce sont eux qui ont le plus à y perdre. Par ailleurs, 31 millions d’enfants en âge d’être scolarisés ont été déplacés au cours des 10 dernières années en raison de la crise climatique, dont 13 millions au cours de ces trois dernières années.

Today, there are more than 224 million crisis-impacted children worldwide who urgently need education support. New analysis by Education Cannot Wait (ECW), the global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises, hosted by UNICEF, has found that 62 million of these children have been impacted by climate hazards such as droughts, floods, cyclones and other extreme weather events since 2020. That’s close to the total populations of several G7 nations such as the United Kingdom, France and Italy.

While these children have contributed least to the issue of climate change, they have the most to lose. Furthermore, over the last 10 years, 31 million school-aged children have been displaced by the climate crisis, with 13 million in the last three years alone.