Every year, each country must determine the type of damage caused to the education system in various disasters in disaster-affected countries and pay compensation accordingly
The Movement for World Education Rights (MWER) has demanded an assessment of the type and extent of damage done to the education sector due to climate change and compensation for students.
In this regard, the organisation has written to the president of the Conference of the Parties (COP29) and Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan Mukhtar Babayev, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres.
MWER Convener Farooq Ahmad Arif and Co-Convenor Enayet Ullah Kaushik on Tuesday sent the letter to the Azerbaijani president and the UN chief, says a press release issued on Wednesday.
The letter states that disasters are constantly increasing in different countries of the world due to climate change. “People are losing everything due to these disasters. The education sector is being particularly affected by natural disasters among other sectors. Therefore, the type of damage caused to the education sector in different countries of the world every year should be determined and students should be compensated.”
The letter further states that natural disasters are increasing in different parts of the world due to the increase in global temperatures every year. In the current year 2024, 25 districts of Bangladesh were hit by floods in 9 phases for 17 days for 57 days. As a result, students had to face problems going to school for an average of about two and a half months. Many schools were also closed.
“Apart from this, numerous types of natural disasters, including cold waves and heat waves, are increasing. These disasters are not only in Bangladesh but also in low-lying and less developed and developing countries including India, Pakistan, Nepal, Myanmar and Bhutan,” it adds.
The root of the situation is carbon emissions of industrialised countries, rising sea levels due to greenhouse gas emissions, extreme weather conditions and, most recently, climate change, according to the letter.
Per the Paris Agreement and the Loss and Damage Commitment, the MWER says, the commitment of industrialised countries to compensate countries affected by climate change must specifically include the issue of damage to education.
“Every year, each country must determine the type of damage caused to the education system in various disasters in disaster-affected countries and pay compensation accordingly. As the chair of the organising committee for the current COP29 conference, I am drawing your attention to discuss and take action on the issue. In addition, the UN Secretary-General is also requested to take a strong position in this regard,” the letter adds.
It calls on the heads of state, prime ministers, and education ministers of various affected countries around the world to strongly demand compensation.