Explainer: why is climate finance important?

Climate change is damaging schools and disrupting education, particularly in low-income nations, requiring urgent investment in adaptation – yet despite this, only 2.4 per cent of climate finance from key multilateral funds supported child-responsive activities between March 2006 and March 2023. Indeed, only one of nearly 600 projects supported by major climate funds between 2006 and 2023 placed education at its core.  

Yet, without access to climate finance, countries often lack the funds to upgrade, retrofit, and maintain school buildings so they can withstand hazards such as cyclones, floods, and earthquakes. This reduces damage, protects students and teachers, and prevents costly rebuilding after disasters. By embedding education resilience into national climate and development planning, countries can increase access to international climate funds (such as adaptation or resilience finance) that traditionally have not focused on education.  

The initiative helps position education as a legitimate climate adaptation priority. Ultimately, investing climate finance in preventive resilience measures, such as maintenance, safer construction standards, and risk-informed planning, reduces the repeated costs of rebuilding schools after disasters and limits disruptions to learning. The Climate Smart Education System Initiative supports government ministries throughout the process of accessing climate finance. This includes equipping ministries with the tools and expertise needed to design “bankable” projects that meet funders’ requirements.  

In short, climate finance enables countries to build safer schools, strengthen education systems, and maintain learning during climate shocks, transforming education systems from reactive recovery to long-term climate resilience.