Read the summary blog from the convenors of this theme:

Where do we go from here? Opportunities for justice in education in climate, environmental and political crises

Webinar

A webinar series followed the UKFIET September 2025 conference. These one-hour sessions on each of the seven conference sub-themes aim to give a flavour of discussions and amplify sparks ignited at the conference.

Convenors:

  • Fernanda Gándara, Room to Read
  • Rachel Wilder, University of Bath

Panellists:

  • Tooba Rauf, UCL
  • Frans Kruger, University of Nottingham
  • Jen Hobbs, independent consultant

Rachel Wilder introduces the webinar. Its aims are to recap some of the discussions relating to the conference theme, and engage all in thinking about where we go from here. Rachel and Fernanda were very excited by the conversations that happened around the formal presentations during the conference, and impressed by the energy and engagement of participants. Together, everyone was reimagining education around climate issues, specifically in relation to two questions:

  • How can we protect and prioritise education in climate-affected crises?
  • How can education change hearts and minds in terms of how we value education?

Rachel discusses what can justice approaches bring, as well as the different definitions of the concept of justice.

Tooba Rauf shares highlights from her research on how school teachers in climate vulnerable and remote regions of Pakistan connect climate impact in their lives and the role they assign to education in promoting adaptability for mitigation and future survival.

Frans Kruger shares some initial thoughts from his research relating to community ecological knowledge cultures and place-responsive pedagogies in outdoor environmental and sustainability education.

Jen Hobbs explores challenges and opportunities for education systems in relation to her role as negotiator for climate change education and on the Loss and Damage Fund. In the lead up to COP30, she outlines three recommendations for the education community:

  • Apply lessons from existing education finance (GPE, ECW, bilateral aid)
  • Identify ways for education actors to engage in UNFCCC processes
  • Investigate nexus of climate change, displacement and education

After a lively discussion, Fernanda Gándara concludes by discussing some possible ways forward to create scale through collaboration in climate justice education. The challenges and programmes are a heterogenous set with diverse goals, approaches, geographies, people, etc. So we need to connect seemingly fragmented projects into holistic yet local narratives.