ISLAMABAD: Participants at a policy dialogue were of the view that with the global climate crisis intensifying, KP faces disproportionate risks due to its fragile ecosystems, frequent floods, and glacial melt. They noted that educators are uniquely positioned to mitigate these challenges through awareness and action.

They were participating in the final Policy Dialogue for the Climate Action Fellowship 2024at the dialogue hosted by Aga Khan University Institute for Educational Development (AKU-IED)at F-11 College, Islamabad.

“This fellowship enabled collective action through educators in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa” said Dr Fozia Parveen, Assistant Professor AKU-IED and Principal Investigator of the fellowship.

Held in collaboration with the US Embassy, the dialogue brought together policymakers, educational experts, and fellows to discuss integrating climate change education into provincial and national frameworks.

Senior representatives from the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Climate Change, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government attended the event, where two books published by the fellows, one fiction novel and another short story compilation as well as a student contribution from Chitral were also launched.

KP Elementary & Secondary Education Department Secretary Masood Ahmad said that the project had provided opportunities for teacher of KP about environment to drive local action and grassroots initiatives including reforestation and waste management campaigns.

The panel discussion included Pakistani Physicist and Scholar Dr A.H. Nayyer, WWF Manager Environment and Social Safeguarding Sarah Mehmood, Manager Research, National Institute of Disaster Management Dr Qaisar Imran, Professor and Dean, AKU-IED Dr Farid Panjwani and Assistant Professor and Head, Professional Development Centre Chitral, AKU-IED Dr Riaz Hussain.

The fellowship’s top 20 projects received incentives to promote scalability and sustainability. Fellows emphasised the urgent need for curriculum reforms, teacher training, and collaboration with local communities to advance climate education.

The Climate Action Fellowship 2024 is a joint initiative of AKU-IED and the US Mission in Pakistan. By building capacity and fostering collaboration, it underscores the key role of education in addressing the climate crisis and bridging the gap between policy and practice.

Published in Dawn, January 21st, 2025