London, United Kingdom, December 8, 2023 — Emma Gremley, Senior Director for Education at the International Rescue Committee, says,
"Climate change continues to impact the education of children around the world. It can limit – or even block – educational opportunities that keep children safe and prevent them from learning the necessary skills they need to survive and thrive.
A new, innovative approach to cope with climate change-induced school closures and the detrimental effect on children and communities is needed.
We are delighted that a new £3 million partnership with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) was announced at COP28 and will help to reduce the impact of climate-related disruptions to schools, students and communities.
The Climate Resilient Education Systems Trial (CREST) will use community-driven approaches, combined with innovative finance to ensure that support reaches schools and families when and where it is needed when a climate-related crisis hits. The trial will help to build an evidence base that can be scaled in countries that are at a greater risk of climate disasters, to improve the resilience of schools and education systems and support children to learn.
We thank the UK Government for its support and the funds provided to help tackle this issue."