Climate change could have devastating impacts on nutrition, economies, and public health throughout Africa. However, with an increasingly young population, the continent could leverage its youth to drive sustainable practices through education. A new HSRC paper presents a transformative approach that could empower young people to become climate leaders, influence policy and implement local solutions for a more resilient future.

Children picking tomatoes in a school garden. Photo: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rawpixel

In June 2025, more than 100 people lost their lives in extreme floods in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. “During winter, we expect cold as well as snow here in the Eastern Cape. Now that we are confronting floods, this goes to show the severity of the issue of climate change,” said South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa while meeting with survivors. His words highlight a growing reality: Africa is on the frontlines of climate disruption.

Droughts, floods, and rising temperatures have been widely documented as consequences of climate change across the continent. Combined with resource scarcity, fragile economies, poverty, and limited infrastructure, these impacts threaten to overwhelm already vulnerable communities. Long-term sustainability will depend not only on adaptation measures but also on preparing the next generation to meet these challenges.

By the year 2050, it is expected that more than half of Africa’s population will be under 25 years of age, with a workforce exceeding 1 billion people. “However, if Africa does not increase its investments in education, it will face difficulties in tackling the climate crisis effectively,” HSRC researchers wrote in a recent paper published in the journal Sustainability. 

The HSRC team, Samantha Tshabalala, Dr Wilfred Lunga and Caiphus Baloyi, explored gaps in education, youth awareness, technological opportunities, and innovative strategies to embed climate change education into African education systems. Their central argument is that education can empower young people to drive climate action, build community resilience, and contribute to sustainable development.

Climate impacts on health, food, and livelihoods

The effects of climate change in Africa extend far beyond rising temperatures. Shifting weather patterns alter the distribution of organisms that carry diseases, increasing cases of malaria and waterborne illnesses, especially in flood-prone and degraded areas. Food security is also affected by extreme weather that threatens rain-fed agriculture, reducing crop yields and increasing malnutrition. These stresses fuel forced migration, leading to poverty, loss of GDP, and the disruption of cultural systems. Figure 1 shows the impact of climate change on learning environments and intersections with vulnerable populations.

Figure 1. The interconnectedness of climate change, vulnerability, and education

Source: Global Center on Adaptation. State and Trends in Adaptation Report 2022

Why climate education?

Surveys reinforce the strong link between education and climate awareness. In 2019, the Afrobarometer showed that 63% of South Africans with post-secondary school education had heard of climate change, while only 35% of those with no formal education had. “This difference underscores the impact of education on climate change awareness,” wrote the HSRC researchers.

Young people in Africa are often co-opted to endorse policies rather than being empowered to shape them. This results in tokenistic, symbolic roles with no real influence, rather than meaningful participation. Using case studies, the researchers identified several successful educational programmes on the continent that combined classroom learning with community engagement and empowered students to become active participants in climate action.

Schools and communities as laboratories of change

Ghana offers a strong example. In 2016, the country held a forum to assess climate change knowledge among school children and teachers from 45 schools. Since then, over 2,000 primary school teachers have been trained in climate change education. The forum also sparked national awareness events like Climate Change and Green Economy Weeks in 2016 and 2023, which mobilised radio, television, school quizzes, and youth dialogues to raise awareness and encourage participation.

The Integrated Climate Risk Management Project in Ghana revealed that participation in climate workshops, family labour, and access to agricultural insurance encouraged the adoption of climate-smart practices among farmers. In contrast, long distances to water and health services and high levels of income from activities outside of agricultural production were barriers to adoption.

In Rwanda, national initiatives such as the Eco-Schools Programme and Greening of Schools Project have successfully embedded environmental and climate education within a competence-based curriculum, while encouraging active participation from parents and communities. These programmes have improved teaching strategies, increased confidence and environmental awareness among students, and encouraged the adoption of sustainable practices such as tree planting, gardening, and waste management at homes and on the farms of over 30,000 parents and community members. The Greening of Schools Project also led to over 10,000 students across 10 schools engaging in environmental conservation, resulting in over 42,000 trees being planted nationally.

Structural barriers

Considering resource scarcity, limited institutional capacity, and underinvestment in education, climate change education in African countries could face significant challenges. For example, Ethiopia’s Climate-Resilient Green Economy strategy was launched in 2011 with the dual goal of bolstering the economy while maintaining low greenhouse gas emissions and building resilience to climate change. However, the project remains in its infancy because of limited teacher qualifications, an overcrowded curriculum, and shortages of climate-specific instructional materials and scientific expertise.

Researchers consider technology an important aspect in enhancing climate education and adaptation. However, Africa has the lowest internet usage rate in the world and a significant digital divide. “Several factors drive this digital divide, including the high cost of accessing the internet, a lack of digital skills and literacy, and poor internet infrastructure, especially in more remote communities,” wrote the HSRC researchers.

Small-scale farmers struggle to access digital farming tools due to the cost of mobile phones and data, as well as low awareness of ICT applications. Furthermore, many African countries lack the in-country capacity to deploy and maintain climate technologies. According to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, countries like Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa identified inadequate local skills and technical expertise as key barriers, particularly in the water, energy, and aviation sectors.

A transformative approach

The HSRC researchers compiled a chart proposing a transformative approach to climate change empowerment (Figure 2). This model follows a progressive pathway with different components of education leading to increasing levels of impact and empowerment. Knowledge and awareness serve as the foundation, ensuring that young people understand climate science, environmental literacy, and indigenous knowledge.

Figure 2. A transformative approach to climate change empowerment

Source: Tshabalala et al., 2025

Skills development would build on this knowledge, equipping youth with critical thinking, problem-solving, and digital competencies. Innovation and action would encourage students to apply their skills in real-world situations, engaging in community projects, green entrepreneurship, and climate advocacy.

At the highest level of empowerment lies policy and governance, where young leaders could influence policies, participate in decision-making, and drive systemic change. As the HSRC researchers write: “Education must move beyond theory to practical, action-driven learning. This approach ensures that youth are not just informed about climate change but also actively engaged in creating solutions and shaping policies for a sustainable future.”.

Research contacts and acknowledgements

This article was summarised by Jessie-Lee Smith. It was based on the paper Climate Change Education: Preparing African Youth for Future Challenges by Samantha Tshabalala (PhD research trainee), Dr Wilfred Lunga (chief research specialist), and Caiphus Baloyi (PhD research trainee) in the HSRC’s Developmental, Capable, and Ethical State Division. For more information about this work, contact Lunga at WLunga@hsrc.ac.za.

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