Green education can create new generation of eco-leaders

Countries across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region can overcome major shared environmental challenges such as water scarcity and air pollution by harnessing the power of ‘green education’ to nurture a new generation of eco-leaders, a new study reveals.

Teaching environmental issues in schools will guarantee that sustainability is not an afterthought of education. This will enable future generations to make sound decisions about the environment and take sufficient action in their daily lives.

The MENA region faces major environmental issues including arable land depletion, insufficient waste management, biodiversity loss, and coastal ecosystem degradation. Climate change threatens to worsen these issues, with rising temperatures, variable rainfall, and sea-level rise posing additional threats.

Publishing their findings in Sustainable Development, experts from the University of Birmingham and Adeyemi Federal University of Education, Nigeria, have created a blueprint for green education across the MENA region.

Co-author Dr Helen Onyeaka, from the University of Birmingham, commented: “The MENA region faces major environmental issues, but green education can provide the key to unlock solutions to these challenges. Properly resourced and implemented, green education could provide MENA countries across the region with the means to achieve significant progress in creating and nurturing a responsible generation of young people who can build a sustainable future for the region.

The researchers also identified barriers to successfully implementing green education in the region. These include significant curriculum gaps in the region’s educational systems, made worse by highly centralised education structures, hindering the integration of green education. They also found insufficient funding for green education initiatives as many countries in the region allocate only a small proportion of GDP to education, with even less directed towards green initiatives.

Co-author Dr Adenike Akinsemolu, from Adeyemi Federal University of Education, commented: “In an era of environmental consciousness, the need to promote ecological awareness to enable sustainable development has never been more demanding in various regions like the MENA region.

“We must see increased investment and strategic allocation of resources to support the development of green education programmes. Teaching environmental issues as part of general curricula guarantees that sustainability is not an afterthought, but a standard component of education.”

The study not only highlights the challenges but also provides a roadmap for the future. The researchers note that by investing in green education today, MENA countries can empower the leaders of tomorrow to tackle climate change and create a more sustainable world.