Climate Action Fellows showcase action plans

PESHAWAR: The Aga Khan University Institute for Educational Development (AKUIED) honoured its climate action fellows and showcased their action plans at an event in Chitral.

A press release said the top 10 plans would receive funding for implementation, a step towards creating a more sustainable and resilient future.Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is inhabited by over 40 million people and is categorized by hot summers and mild winters in the southern part and extreme cold climate in the northern part.

The climate change has intensified extreme events like forest fires, water scarcity, sanitation issues, and urban flooding in the province.The rapid melting of ice and snow caps, along with erratic weather events, is severely impacting agriculture and livelihoods.

The project, running from September 2023 to October 2024, aims to equip educators in KP with the knowledge and skills necessary to nurture a culture of environmental stewardship.Through scholarship and inquiry-based learning, teachers are implementing action projects within their schools and communities, encouraging hands-on approaches to environmental education.

“When I envisioned a long-term action fellowship for the climate crisis through the training of teachers, I had little knowledge of the degree of awareness teachers held,” said Dr Fozia Parveen, an assistant professor and Project Lead at Aga Khan University Institute for Educational Development.

The fellowship received an overwhelming response with 500 applications, out of which 50 exceptional educators were selected. The programme commenced with a series of workshops in Chitral and Peshawar, training teachers to lead climate change education and sustainability efforts.

These workshops laid the foundation for ongoing mentorship and support as fellows developed and implemented their action plans.US Consul General Peshawar Shante Moore said the Aga Khan University Institute for Educational Development partnership underscores the US commitment to environmental protection and education in KP.

One of the key elements of the project is the engagement of main stakeholders and policymakers in KP to support and promote climate change education.Additional Secretary of Education, Government of KP, Abdul Akram, remarked: “Teachers in our country hold the key to unlocking knowledge and a sustainable future. Through climate change education, they can motivate the next generation to act, innovate, and solve pressing environmental issues.”