August 31, 2024 
3 min read 
On August 28, 2024, CAPS Unlock convened a two-day international conference in Almaty to explore the role of education in building climate resilience across Central Asia.
The two-day event gathered educators, researchers, policymakers, and representatives of international organizations to discuss how teaching and learning can support sustainable futures in a region facing acute environmental pressures.
The conference opened with a keynote speech from a leading thinkers in global climate discourse: Peter Frankopan, professor of global history at Oxford University and author of The Earth Transformed: An Untold History, drew connections between past climate disruptions and patterns of human adaptation, migration, and conflict.
Another speaker of note, Harvard political scientist Dustin Tingley, contributed insights on the policy dimensions of climate education and its role in shaping informed, responsive governance.
Over the course of two days, participants engaged in panel discussions, interactive workshops, and informal evening dialogues. Sessions explored a wide array of themes, including curriculum development, public awareness, teacher training, and the challenges of incorporating climate science into national education strategies.
The conference aligned its aims with global frameworks such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 4 (the ensuring of inclusive and equitable quality education for all) and Goal 13 (the adoption of urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts), as well as Article 12 of the Paris Agreement (a commitment to implement climate change education) and UNESCO’s Education for Sustainable Development program.
A common refrain throughout the event was that education must be treated not as a side issue, but as a cornerstone of climate action.
And the conclusion, regrettably, is that Central Asia has much work to do on this front.
“In all the countries of our region, there is a limited understanding and acceptance of climate education as a concept and a central issue in educational practice,” Saule Kalikova, CAPS Unlock’s resident specialist on education policy, told the conference.”
A key announcement during the conference was the launch of a joint initiative between CAPS Unlock and TsAKO (Central Asian Climate Education Alliance), a coalition formed by environmental organizations across the region in 2023, to produce a regional “climate education ambition report”, which will assess the state of climate literacy policy in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
Also, representatives from the Regional Environmental Center for Central Asia (CAREC) presented on their work facilitating regional environmental dialogue and implementing cross-border education initiatives in areas such as sustainable water management and renewable energy.
Participants in the conference emphasized the need for stronger national strategies, more localized curricula, and greater institutional support for educators. Proposals included the formation of a Central Asian working group on climate change education and mechanisms to increase ministerial-level engagement.
The conference closed with a forward-looking forum dedicated to cooperation in climate learning, highlighting the importance of both top-down policy and grassroots community initiatives.
Speakers underlined that building a climate-resilient Central Asia will require not only structural reform but also a culture of lifelong learning, curiosity, and open dialogue.
The entire first day of proceedings can be viewed here.
