Building Resilience to Climate Vulnerabilities Through Education: Supporting Schools, Educators and Students in Pakistan

• In Event: Resilience as Response: Educational Navigation for Peaceful Coexistence Among Marginalized Youth in Pakistan

Proposal

Recent global evidence underscores the urgency of addressing climate change as a critical barrier to achieving equity in access and learning outcomes. Rising global temperatures and climate-induced displacements further compound the existing inequalities, particularly for children. In Pakistan, the 2022 floods and the most recent flood in 2025 have vividly illustrated the devastating impact of climate change (MPDSI, 2022, 51). Current, high-quality research in global contexts shows that without urgent action, climate change will make it increasingly challenging to achieve a quality education, especially for disadvantaged populations. Young Lives research has shown how childhood exposure to climate shocks such as droughts and floods can have an unequal impact on children’s long term development and especially for girls and young women.
This paper explores how climate-related incidents have affected education outcomes for learners in Pakistan. It examines the adequacy of school and teacher resources and support to face climate-related challenges and the implications of this for teacher professional development. It investigates equity aspects in education by examining the differential effects on marginalised groups (e.g. girls). The paper also aims to identify effective and scalable strategies to enhance the resilience of schools, teachers, and learners.
The paper fits within the overarching conference theme of ‘Re-examining education and peace in a divided world’ as there is evidence to show that climate change can impact peace and security by exacerbating existing vulnerabilities and tensions. Displacement of populations, rising food prices, intense competition for resources, economic instability and the disproportionate effect on girls and other vulnerable groups increase exposure to violence and negation of peace-building efforts in a divided world. Typically, communities most at risk of climate change are also the most vulnerable to conflicts and social tensions. Resilient education systems help sustain, build and reinforce peace.
Using a mixed methods approach, it examines the extent to which school leaders, educators, and students are equipped to manage climate-related risks in Sindh province. The paper also considers implications for teacher professional development aiming to inform inclusive and context-responsive educational planning. Teachers are central to children’s learning, mediating the effects of school and wider environmental factors. In emergencies, they play a critical role in response efforts while also facing personal and professional burdens (Rose et al., forthcoming 2025). Teacher professional development (TPD), through pre-service and in-service training, offers a vital means to strengthen preparedness for climate-related emergencies. Yet, while evidence on education in emergencies is growing, research on climate-related crises—and specifically on the role of TPD—remains limited, with the gap particularly pronounced in Pakistan.
By integrating empirical insights with conceptual analysis, the findings generate actionable knowledge for strengthening climate resilience in education systems—particularly through informed, targeted teacher professional development. Climate-related incidents are on the rise across multiple contexts and, therefore, the research presented in this study has applicability for many low- and middle-income education systems.
This research is currently underway with findings and a paper due to be finalised by March 2026.

Authors

• Monazza Aslam, OPERA

• Saima Anwer, Oxford Policy Management (OPM)

• Shenila Rawal