Africa’s green economy is hampered by a lack of public awareness among the young around climate issues.

• The overdue solution is a major investment in climate education that's unlike anything Africa has seen before.

• No new tech or innovation is needed, just the will (and funds) to teach the bottom two-thirds of the age pyramid.

Stunning fact: Average climate literacy – just knowing there is an issue – stands at 37% in Africa.

• In Europe and North America the number is 80%. 

Education levels: Rates vary by country depending on attention to climate in schools. 

• Awareness in Mauritius, which teaches green subjects, stands at 66% while Tunisia, which doesn't, is at 19%. 

• The same applies within countries. Impoverished Kano state in Nigeria has a climate literacy rate of 5%. 

• Meanwhile, the rate is 71% in better-off and less densely populated Kwara state.  

Age dynamics: Climate illiteracy is a solvable problem. Schooling is a powerful tool when a large part of the population is in it, given Africa’s youth bulge. 

• Climate education could transform public attitudes within one generation. 

• But without it, economic & ecological benefits for the continent may remain elusive. 

The opportunity: Three reasons explain why Africa needs a major investment in climate education.

• First, it opens up paths to specific skills for future employees in the green economy. 

• Second, better-informed young voters would provide political support for tough climate measures. 

• Third, awareness is the first step towards changing consumer behaviour around buying climate-positive products.

Good news: A growing number of African countries are stepping up public teaching.

• Zambia is launching a major climate change project that seeks to transform its education system as a driver for green growth.

• Kenya's Institute of Curriculum Development aims to use technology and digital learning to address the climate crisis.

Yes but: Even where the right policies exist and funds are allocated, many schools still hold on to old curricula as teachers lack relevant knowledge.

• Teaching teachers is often a necessary first step. Non-profit Teach For All is trying.  

• Fundisa for Change, a South African organisation, wants to enhance professional learning for teachers in the area of sustainability.

International support: UN agencies have provided resources to nudge governments in this direction. 

• With UN support, Ghana has trained over 600 primary school teachers, and prepared learning materials for new curricula. 

• Unicef created the Generation Unlimited project as a public-private youth partnership to deliver innovative solutions to global challenges.

Tiny start: These programmes are worthwhile but much more is needed to shift the needle. 

• African governments could follow Italy’s example and make climate a compulsory subject in national curricula.

At scale: Africa has 11 million teachers engaged in primary and secondary education. 

• Ideally, governments would increase that number to boost outcomes. 

• Yet even just giving climate training to 10% of them could be transformative.

Modest funding: Such efforts may be more affordable than many assume.

• In Ethiopia, the cost of training 200 volunteer teachers during the covid pandemic to create new subject materials was $12,000 or $60 per teacher.

2. Cheat sheet: Four solutions at the climate-education nexus

(i) Planet-friendly school meals: Ensure nutrition boosts learning and local economies while reducing carbon footprints.

(ii) Teaching as a green profession: Empower educators to be agents of environmental action and orient children to seek green opportunities.