As part of the Educators for Sustainable Development programme (E4SD), Education International Asia-Pacific (EIAP) launched its Climate Justice Series in March 2023 with the goal of illuminating upon climate change issues and topics that are relevant to education unions in Asia and the Pacific.

At the first edition of the series titled “Why is it important to limit global warming to 1.5°C,” AP educators learned about the scientific consensus on the 1.5°C temperature rise threshold by 2100 and its importance in averting further cataclysmic climate impacts.

In 2015, the world passed the Paris Agreement, the landmark climate treaty that aims to address man-made climate change. The climate accord seeks to operationalise efforts to keep global temperature rise to well below 2°C by 2100. The scientific bases for this policy goal are the wide differences between temperature-rise scenarios. For instance, the frequency of once-a-decade intense heatwaves are 9.4 times more likely in a 4°C heating world; 5.6 times with 2°C; and 4.1 times with 1.5°C. Therefore, to minimize the deadly and destructive impacts of climate change, aligning climate mitigation and adaptation policies to meet the 1.5°C safety threshold will be crucial.

Notable leaders in the climate justice and trade union movements joined the event. Veteran Filipino climate negotiator, lawyer and educator Tony Laviña from the Manila Observatory spoke about the importance of scientific consensus in climate policymaking and how small island nations and civil society groups were crucial in pushing for this goal at the Paris Agreement. Bert de Wel, climate policy officer of the International Trade Union Confederation, discussed the centrality of 1.5°C in the campaign for a just transition. Hilary Kung, senior researcher at the Third World Network, explained why limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C is a matter of climate justice; and the equitable pathways to this goal. Finally, Rosalia Fatiaki, general secretary of the Association of The University of South Pacific Staff in Fiji, responded to the speakers by sharing the experience of Fijian educators regarding climate impacts and the ways forward for education unionists in advocating for a just transition.

Following the success of EIAP’s first-ever climate conference, Regional Director Anand Singh plans to strengthen the E4SD program so that it may serve the climate justice work of education unions in the Asia Pacific region, one of the most vulnerable regions in the world to climate change. “We want to mobilise educators to become more engaged and active advocates for climate justice and a just transition. It is vital to learn about the foundations of climate change, be it the science behind the phenomenon or the policies being proposed to solve it. I hope that through this initiative, educators will learn lessons about climate change that they can bring to their classrooms, unions and communities,” he said.

AP education unionists are encouraged to join the upcoming Climate Justice Series webinars, with the upcoming one on December 08 at 7pm Suva/ 2pm Bangkok time. It will present a recap of the climate justice and just transition conference in Fiji, where discussions featured climate science, the Paris Agreement, climate education and the centrality of indigenous knowledge in equitable climate action. Unionists are also encouraged to share their reflections on their unions’ work on climate action. If you’re interested, please SIGN UP HERE.

Education unions are also encouraged to request topics regarding climate change that they would like to be featured in the webinars. The EIAP team can also tailor a webinar dedicated to the specific needs and schedules of your union. To request a webinar, kindly email E4SD consultant and climate justice campaigner Alanah Torralba at alanah.torralba@ei-ie.org.