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Establishing Eco-Friendly Educational Spaces in Crisis

In a world increasingly affected by climate change, the need for resilient and environmentally friendly educational facilities has never been more critical. Recognizing the urgency of this issue, the Education Cannot Wait (ECW) fund has announced a significant grant of $650,000 to Save the Children, in collaboration with the consulting firm Arup and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). This partnership aims to establish new standards for temporary educational spaces that are both eco-friendly and sustainable in crisis situations.

The Context of Climate Change and Education

As climate change escalates, it leads to more frequent and severe crises globally, affecting millions of children who require access to education in the aftermath of disasters. Temporary educational spaces, found in refugee camps and disaster-stricken areas, serve as lifelines for children to regain stability and hope. However, the design and management of these facilities often lack guidelines that prioritize environmental sustainability and inclusivity.

Without proper standards, temporary educational setups can contribute to waste and environmental degradation, further impacting learning conditions. The initiative launched by ECW addresses this gap by integrating the expertise of Save the Children in child rights and crisis response, Arup’s engineering know-how, and WWF’s deep understanding of environmental sustainability.

The Partnership's Goals

The collaboration's primary objective is to produce practical, user-friendly tools for educational institutions operating in crisis areas. These tools will address the entire life cycle of temporary educational spaces, from design and material sourcing to maintenance and eventual decommissioning. Crucially, they will emphasize eco-friendly building practices tailored to local conditions while also focusing on the inclusion of children with disabilities and those facing gender-related barriers.

Marian Hodgkin, the global director for education at Save the Children, emphasizes the need for these spaces: “Temporary educational settings provide stability and hope during crises—hope that must extend beyond the present and support lasting stability.” By actively involving children in the design process, the initiative ensures these spaces are safer, more appropriate, and inclusively designed.

Operational Framework for Ecological Standards

The project will also develop a global framework aimed at greening temporary educational environments. This framework will be built with input from both local and international partners and will include practical guidelines and cost-calculation tools tested in various crisis scenarios. The resulting tools will be publicly available through networks associated with education, climate, and humanitarian aid, enhancing accessibility and impact.

Hayley Gryc, deputy director and head of education at Arup in the UKIMEA region, stated, “This initiative takes an important step towards changing how we view education in relation to climate action, ensuring that even in the most challenging contexts, temporary educational spaces provide not just a sense of human dignity but also an environmentally friendly atmosphere.”

A Call for Action

As world leaders convene at COP30 to accelerate the implementation of sustainable solutions, this initiative underscores the essential link between climate action and education. It answers calls for collective investment in education, a fundamental pillar of climate action, and contributes to global efforts to enhance resilience, sustainability, and inclusiveness in educational systems amid escalating climate threats.

This partnership is not merely about creating temporary educational facilities; it is about investing in the future of children in crisis, granting them safe, sustainable environments where they can learn, grow, and dream amidst adversity.