Innovative Solutions for Sustainable Learning Spaces in Crisis Situations
In a world increasingly affected by the impacts of climate change, the urgency to establish sustainable learning spaces during crises has never been more pronounced. The collaboration between Education Cannot Wait (ECW), Save the Children, Arup, and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) marks a significant step towards redefining how temporary educational environments are approached in emergency situations. On November 20, 2025, ECW announced a generous grant of $650,000 to Save the Children to expedite the creation of greener, more resilient temporary learning facilities.
The initiative stems from the recognition that children caught in humanitarian crises often rely on temporary learning spaces as lifelines—whether in refugee camps like those in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, or flood-impacted areas in South Sudan. However, the sector has long suffered from a lack of clear guidelines on how to sustainably design, construct, and manage these spaces, leading to environmental degradation rather than improvement.
By harnessing Save the Children's expertise in children's rights and emergency response, Arup's engineering prowess, and WWF's environmental knowledge, this project seeks to fill that gap. As Marian Hodgkin, Save the Children’s Global Education Director, articulated, “Our temporary learning spaces provide stability and hope in times of crisis. We must transcend immediate needs to foster lasting stability, which requires merging technical expertise with children's voices. When children help shape these spaces, we make them safer, more relevant, inclusive, and environmentally responsible.”
Hayley Gryc, Associate Director at Arup, echoed these sentiments, expressing pride in collaborating with the leading organizations to create safe, sustainable, and climate-resilient environments for children. “This initiative is a crucial step in reimagining the intersection of education and climate action; even in the most challenging contexts, temporary learning spaces must uphold both human dignity and environmental responsibility,” Gryc said.
Anita van Breda, WWF's Principal Director for Environment and Disaster Management, brought attention to the critical link between temporary learning spaces and environmental design. “These spaces are refuges that help children regain a sense of normalcy following disasters. However, if their design overlooks environmental considerations, we risk exacerbating the challenges these communities face during extraordinary events like floods or earthquakes.”
The funding will support the development, piloting, and dissemination of user-friendly tools for educational stakeholders working in crisis areas. Guidance will encompass the entire lifecycle of temporary learning spaces—from design and material procurement to maintenance and decommissioning—focusing on low-impact construction and local adaptations. Integration policies for differently-abled children and those facing gender-based barriers will also be emphasized.
An international framework will be established to transform temporary learning environments into greener locales, with input from local and international partners. Practical guidelines and cost-calculation tools will be tested across various crisis contexts to ensure their applicability in emergency situations. These resources will be shared openly through educational, climate, and humanitarian networks to promote widespread adoption and impact.
This grant aligns with ECW’s strategic commitment to climate-sensitive education in emergencies, underlining the urgent need for collective investment in education as a fundamental pillar of climate action. It resonates with the call to action from COP30 and contributes to universal efforts aimed at making education systems more resilient, sustainable, and inclusive amid escalating climate risks and humanitarian crises.
In conclusion, the collaboration among ECW, Save the Children, Arup, and WWF raises the bar for what can be achieved in temporary learning spaces during crises, steering the conversation towards sustainability in education and ensuring that the needs of our most vulnerable children are proactively met.
The innovative approach and commitment to environmental stewardship showcase a pathway forward that integrates education and climate action, promising a more resilient future for our children, even in the face of adversity.
The initiative stems from the recognition that children caught in humanitarian crises often rely on temporary learning spaces as lifelines—whether in refugee camps like those in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, or flood-impacted areas in South Sudan. However, the sector has long suffered from a lack of clear guidelines on how to sustainably design, construct, and manage these spaces, leading to environmental degradation rather than improvement.
By harnessing Save the Children's expertise in children's rights and emergency response, Arup's engineering prowess, and WWF's environmental knowledge, this project seeks to fill that gap. As Marian Hodgkin, Save the Children’s Global Education Director, articulated, “Our temporary learning spaces provide stability and hope in times of crisis. We must transcend immediate needs to foster lasting stability, which requires merging technical expertise with children's voices. When children help shape these spaces, we make them safer, more relevant, inclusive, and environmentally responsible.”
Hayley Gryc, Associate Director at Arup, echoed these sentiments, expressing pride in collaborating with the leading organizations to create safe, sustainable, and climate-resilient environments for children. “This initiative is a crucial step in reimagining the intersection of education and climate action; even in the most challenging contexts, temporary learning spaces must uphold both human dignity and environmental responsibility,” Gryc said.
Anita van Breda, WWF's Principal Director for Environment and Disaster Management, brought attention to the critical link between temporary learning spaces and environmental design. “These spaces are refuges that help children regain a sense of normalcy following disasters. However, if their design overlooks environmental considerations, we risk exacerbating the challenges these communities face during extraordinary events like floods or earthquakes.”
The funding will support the development, piloting, and dissemination of user-friendly tools for educational stakeholders working in crisis areas. Guidance will encompass the entire lifecycle of temporary learning spaces—from design and material procurement to maintenance and decommissioning—focusing on low-impact construction and local adaptations. Integration policies for differently-abled children and those facing gender-based barriers will also be emphasized.
An international framework will be established to transform temporary learning environments into greener locales, with input from local and international partners. Practical guidelines and cost-calculation tools will be tested across various crisis contexts to ensure their applicability in emergency situations. These resources will be shared openly through educational, climate, and humanitarian networks to promote widespread adoption and impact.
This grant aligns with ECW’s strategic commitment to climate-sensitive education in emergencies, underlining the urgent need for collective investment in education as a fundamental pillar of climate action. It resonates with the call to action from COP30 and contributes to universal efforts aimed at making education systems more resilient, sustainable, and inclusive amid escalating climate risks and humanitarian crises.
In conclusion, the collaboration among ECW, Save the Children, Arup, and WWF raises the bar for what can be achieved in temporary learning spaces during crises, steering the conversation towards sustainability in education and ensuring that the needs of our most vulnerable children are proactively met.
The innovative approach and commitment to environmental stewardship showcase a pathway forward that integrates education and climate action, promising a more resilient future for our children, even in the face of adversity.
Topics Other）
【About Using Articles】
You can freely use the title and article content by linking to the page where the article is posted.
※ Images cannot be used.
【About Links】
Links are free to use.