Climate Change and Classroom: The Power of Weather to Interfere with Global Education

Abstract

Climate change research has focused on the economic and health impacts of changes in temperature and precipitation. This paper represents an early formal review of the likely impacts of climate change on education and the educability of primary and secondary children. Climate is likely to impact on education through three principle pathways: through the impact on the economy and health, and directly, either by impeding students' ability to attend school, or through biometeorological or psychometeorological impacts on either children or teachers. This study reviews existing evidence suggesting that climate will also impact on education through a number of other less immediately obvious pathways. Finally, the paper suggests a model that predicts that climate change will differentially impact on poor, rural, female students and teachers.