Millions of children are on the frontlines of the climate crisis, and their future is at stake. But here's where it gets controversial: while the world debates solutions, an entire generation’s education and food security hang in the balance. This is the urgent message from Adenike Titilope Oladosu, a Nigerian ecofeminist and Pan-African climate activist, who is advocating for climate-resilient food and education systems at the Belém Talks in Brazil. Her call to action is clear: The future starts now, and education must be at the core of climate resilience.
Oladosu, founder of the 'I Lead Climate Action Initiative,' a grassroots Pan-African movement, is no stranger to the devastating impacts of climate change. Her activism was born out of personal experiences growing up in a food-rich region of Nigeria, where she witnessed firsthand how extreme weather—floods, heatwaves, and erratic rainfall—disrupted both food production and education. And this is the part most people miss: during floods, schools became inaccessible, and hunger forced students to skip classes, creating a cycle of disrupted learning with lifelong consequences. Families dependent on agriculture often prioritized work over education, further exacerbating the issue. When climate crises collided with food systems, tensions flared between farmers and pastoralist communities, highlighting the interconnectedness of these challenges.
In 2018, Oladosu’s resolve deepened after reading an IPCC report that warned of the escalating climate crisis. Today, that crisis is no longer a threat—it’s a reality. Since then, she has mobilized thousands globally, particularly in Nigeria and Africa, to champion climate justice. Her efforts focus on empowering climate-focused youth, students, and communities to drive change. Currently, she is a fellow at the Research Institute for Sustainability in Potsdam, Germany, and serves as an Education Cannot Wait Climate Champion, advocating for education in emergencies.
The stakes are staggering. Research shows that hungry children are 50% more likely to drop out of school, and in 2024 alone, extreme weather disrupted the education of 242 million students worldwide. Brazil, for instance, saw 1.17 million students affected by floods, droughts, and heavy smoke. That same year, 85 countries experienced climate-related school disruptions, with 23 facing multiple rounds of closures. Here’s the bold question: Are world leaders doing enough to address this dual crisis of education and climate change?
At COP30, there’s a glimmer of hope. During a High-Level discussion, participating nations prioritized investing in young people’s preparedness to cope with and mitigate climate impacts. Alice Vogas, Program Director at the COP30 Presidency, emphasized the need for coordinated efforts and investment to make education a pillar of climate action. But is this enough? Oladosu argues that we must also educate young people about the multifaceted nature of climate change, ensuring they understand climate justice and are inspired to innovate solutions. Controversially, she suggests: What if we reframe climate education not just as a necessity, but as a catalyst for systemic change?
Initiatives like the OECD’s PISA 2029 Climate Literacy Framework aim to assess students’ climate knowledge globally, starting with trials in Brazil’s Pará state. While students there showed a solid grasp of local environmental issues like the Amazon Forest, broader climate literacy remains limited. This raises another provocative question: Are we teaching the right things, or are we missing the bigger picture?
As Oladosu aptly puts it, ‘We need to protect the future of the millions of boys and girls on the frontlines of the climate crises around the world.’ But to do that, we must act now—and boldly. What’s your take? Do you think education should be at the heart of climate resilience, or is there another approach we’re overlooking? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
