The rate of climate change since the mid-20th century is unrivalled in over a millennium. Climate change is the “biggest modern threat that humans have ever faced” (Eckstein et al., 2021). Since 1850, there has been a 1.1°C increase in global average temperatures due to human activities such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and the exploitation of natural resources, leaving permanent scars on the planet (IPCC, 2021). Even a modest 1.5°C temperature increase has led to extreme weather conditions, biodiversity loss, food insecurity, and the displacement of communities (Heshmati, 2021). While these catastrophic impacts are global, the vulnerabilities are exacerbated in developing and impoverished nations (Taconet et al., 2020). In 2019, eight of the ten nations most affected by climate change were low- or lower-middle-income countries. Southeast and South Asian nations are particularly susceptible due to their distinct socio-economic, political, and geographic contexts (IPCC, 2021).

Given this context, creating structures that respond effectively to the climate crisis must include the voices and leadership of the Global South. Although international frameworks such as the Kyoto Protocol (1997) and the Paris Agreement (2015) attempt to address power asymmetries, they continue to privilege the Global North (Uddin, 2017). For instance, the role of transnational corporations in exploiting human and natural resources in the Global South was absent from the Rio Summit (1992), even as it purported to advance global equity. At COP29 in Azerbaijan, 1,773 fossil-fuel lobbyists were granted access—outnumbering the 1,033 delegates from the ten most climate-vulnerable nations (Global Witness, 2024). Similarly, the United States’ withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and its ripple effects have shifted the financial burden of mitigation to developing countries, revealing that accountability often remains rhetorical (Pullins & Knijnenburg, 2025).

Amidst the exigencies of the climate emergency, the importance of cultivating a citizenry that is politically informed and capable of demanding climate justice from their governments cannot be overstated. In this regard, Climate Change Education (CCE) becomes a vital tool for mobilizing both state and civil society toward a sustainable and equitable future (Education International Asia-Pacific Region, Forging the Education-Climate Justice Connection: A Regional Consultation and Baseline Assessment of Asia-Pacific Educators’ Knowledge Gaps and Advocacy Needs for Advancing Climate Justice in Education, 2013).

By democratizing knowledge, CCE can enhance disaster preparedness and address vulnerabilities by equipping communities to make adaptive decisions through well-designed curricula, climate-sensitive pedagogy, and contextualized learning tools (Pan et al., 2023). The UNFCCC’s Article 6 outlines six priority areas for climate empowerment: international collaboration, education, training, public awareness, public engagement, and access to information (UNESCO & UNFCCC, 2016). Likewise, Article 12 of the Paris Agreement identifies climate education as a key mechanism to strengthen resilience, while SDG Target 13.3 calls for enhancing education, awareness, and institutional capacities in mitigation, adaptation, and early warning systems. Target 4.7 of the SDGs also emphasizes “education for sustainable development” (UNESCO, 2023).

Although CCE has been part of academic curricula since the 1980s, there remains a need to re-examine how it is pedagogically implemented. This includes reassessing the role and agency of teachers and change agents in effectively executing climate policies (Facer et al., 2020). A critical approach to CCE must be anchored in climate justice—recognizing that climate change is fundamentally about equity, power, and historical responsibility. Education is not merely about knowledge dissemination; it is a transformative space where national unions, educators, policymakers, and students can bridge the gap between climate science, justice, and policy. Through quality CCE, teachers and learners can collectively make informed decisions and take meaningful action for a sustainable future.

However, analysis reveals a persistent gap between CCE policy ambitions and their implementation. While many national curricula reference climate education, in practice, educators face challenges such as lack of funding, inadequate training, and high student-to-teacher ratios (McKenzie, 2021). For example, Ethiopia’s Climate Change Education Strategy (2017–2030) received USD 2 million for teacher training, curriculum materials, and program monitoring, but progress stalled due to poor resource mobilization and insufficient budget allocation by the environment ministry (Ibid, 2021). Globally, only 30% of nations have publicly available funding dedicated to CCE (UNESCO, 2023). Similarly, the midterm assessment of the 2015 Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction reports that “risk levels are increasing far more quickly than the resilience of education systems in most countries” (GADRRRES, 2023).

To make CCE truly effective, it must be mainstreamed across subjects and disciplines. Studies have shown that integrating students’ local culture, environment, and lived experiences into climate education deepens understanding and fosters engagement. For instance, a quasi-experimental study of community-based environmental education (CBEE) in 12 Nigerian primary schools found that experiential learning activities—such as environmental clean-ups, tree planting, and waste management—enhanced collaboration among students, teachers, and communities, improving critical thinking and problem-solving skills. In South Africa, the Keep it Cool Project trained 300 secondary school teachers to form professional learning communities (PLCs), exchange best practices, and co-develop interdisciplinary lesson plans. This collaborative model led to professional growth and more effective CCE implementation (Kabir et al., 2022).

Education International’s Manifesto on Quality Climate Change Education for All emphasizes the need for robust educational systems that prioritize teacher training, climate-resilient infrastructure, and sufficient funding. It also stresses the principle of a Just Transition—ensuring that workers, including educators, are supported in the shift toward a green economy (EI, 2023). Retraining teachers with new knowledge and pedagogical tools is crucial not only for adapting to evolving curricula but also for mitigating job losses in industries affected by decarbonization. Furthermore, this approach ensures that marginalized communities—those most impacted by climate change—have equitable access to quality education. Education International advocates for stronger collaboration between policymakers, educators, and trade unions to integrate CCE into national education and climate strategies (Ibid, 2023).

Building upon these discussions, this research project seeks to critically analyze climate change education policies and their implementation in two climate-vulnerable South Asian nations—the Philippines and India. Given the magnitude of climate-related challenges in these contexts, it is essential to assess how national education frameworks have incorporated CCE and to what extent these policies are operational in schools. More importantly, this study will map the role of education unions in advancing quality climate education grounded in the principles of climate justice and a just transition.