Back to school now rhymes with heatwave: the impact of climate change on education
The start of the school year is a key time of the year when children return to school after a relaxing summer period. However, in recent years, the start of the school year has become synonymous with heatwaves in many countries.
Indeed, global warming is accelerating and increasingly affects our environment, including the school calendar. The summer of 2022 was marked by an extreme heat wave in many regions of the world, particularly in France where the start of the school year took place in unusually hot weather conditions for the month of September.
This situation highlights the challenges that education must face in a changing climate context. The consequences of global warming are multiple, ranging from the deterioration of school infrastructure to increased health risks for students and teaching staff.
To illustrate this reality, the French press cartoonist Sanaga has produced several poignant drawings, highlighting the impact of climate change on the start of the school year. His drawings, shared on social networks and published in online magazines, are part of the “Cartooning for Peace” initiative, an international network of cartoonists committed to freedom of expression and human rights.
This awareness is essential to raise public awareness of the urgency of the situation and encourage stakeholders in the education sector to take appropriate measures to deal with the consequences of climate change.
It is therefore essential to rethink the organization of the start of the school year in order to guarantee optimal learning conditions for children while taking into account climatic constraints. This could include implementing efficient cooling systems in schools, adjusting timetables to avoid the hottest times of the day and raising students’ awareness of eco-responsible actions to reduce their impact on the environment. .
Faced with this major challenge, it is essential to act collectively and take concrete measures to mitigate the effects of climate change on education. Education authorities, teachers, parents and students must all play an active role in finding sustainable solutions to ensure a better future for future generations.
In conclusion, the start of the school year has become a reflection of the climate changes we are facing. There is an urgent need to rethink our approach to education to face these new climate realities and prepare children for a sustainable future. Sanaga’s drawings and the “Cartooning for Peace” initiative remind us of the importance of commitment and awareness to face this major challenge.