London : May 21 ,2024 : During a session on Climate Education at Education World Forum (EWF) 2024 being held at London, Pakistan’s Federal Education Minister Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui emphasized the urgent need for climate education in the country. Pakistan, the world’s 5th largest nation by population with 252 million people, faces significant educational challenges. Currently, 54.2 million children are in school, but 26.2 million are not, prompting the Prime Minister to declare an Education Emergency. Despite contributing less than 1% to global climate change, Pakistan is the 8th most affected country, with severe natural disasters like the catastrophic floods of 2022 disrupting education for 3.5 million children.
Dr. Siddiqui highlighted several innovative initiatives to combat climate challenges through education. The Clean Green School Program aims to enhance climate literacy, while Punjab Province has introduced climate change as a separate subject with the expert-developed Green Book. Sindh Province launched the Climate Crisis Education Data Initiative to use data for informed decision-making. These efforts underscore Pakistan’s commitment to integrating climate education and fostering resilience, calling on the global community to join in addressing this critical issue through collective action.
