Adaptation planning is at the heart of a country’s response to climate change, forging a path to resilient development to help deal with the setbacks of frequent climate-related hazards.

Key sectors such as infrastructure, water and health are often prioritized in adaptation planning, recognizing their key role in climate resilience. Education is also central to a thriving society and is impacted by climate shocks, but has been almost entirely overlooked when it comes to climate adaptation planning.

But that’s changing. The NAP Global Network and Save the Children’s latest research ‘Education in National Adaptation Plan Processes’ explores how countries are starting to prioritize the education sector in their national adaptation plan (NAP) process.

By integrating adaptation into national planning and budgeting systems, the NAP process enables governments to:

• assess risk
• prioritize and implement targeted actions
• track, measure and learn from progress
• coordinate climate finance access.

Integrating education within this process is an invaluable opportunity to coordinate, implement and finance climate adaptation across the education sector.

What do national adaptation plans say about education?

Here are our findings:

1. 84% of national adaptation plans include an education priority or action, whereas only 40% consider education in climate risk assessments.

This shows a growing focus on education in national adaptation planning, but there is still an evidence gap when it comes to understanding the impact of climate change on the sector.

2. 71% of national adaptation plans prioritize curriculum change, but they often overlook resilient school infrastructure and school safety.

This highlights the need to consider the adaptation needs of the education system holistically, recognizing that the success of curriculum initiatives depends on resilient classrooms and school continuity planning.

To enable this, some countries invest in education sector adaptation plans.

In Saint Lucia, the country expanded on education adaptation measures across the areas of school infrastructure, school safety, curriculum change and teacher training through their Education Sectoral Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan.

Additionally, few national adaptation plans consider gender equity and social inclusion when it comes to education adaptation priorities—another key area to strengthen to ensure all children are supported by climate-resilient schools.

3. Most national adaptation plans mention children and youth, and over half acknowledge their capacity as agents of change.

However, only 27% consulted with children and youth, or their representative organizations, in the development of the NAP.

Involving children and youth in NAP processes helps ensure their unique priorities are addressed.

4. Education ministries need to be engaged throughout the national adaptation plan process.

Our report found that 58% of national adaptation plans include the education ministry in an implementing role, however only 11% mention education ministries being consulted on planning.

With a high percentage of national adaptation plans including an education priority or action, this suggests a disconnect between those developing education priorities in a country’s national adaptation plan and those responsible for implementing them.

Strengthening this link is essential to fully integrate the education sector in the national adaptation plan process.

5. There is a gap when it comes to costing education priorities.

Only 27% of NAPs have costed education priorities or actions. With international funders increasingly interested in financing climate resilient education strategies, NAP processes present a strategic opportunity for the education sector to access climate finance, with accurate costings an important step.

How can you support the education sector to engage in the national adaptation plan process?

Whether you’re a member of an education ministry, local education group, civil society organization or other key education stakeholder, you can:

1. Find out where your country is in its national adaptation plan process.
2. Get involved! Share relevant education plans and data with national adaptation plan teams.
3. Learn from other countries (and read the ‘Education in NAP processes’ report for examples of good practice).

This blog is based on the ‘Education in NAP Processes’ report which analyzed 62 multisectoral national adaptation plan (NAP) documents submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) before June 30^th, 2025. Developed by Save the Children and the NAP Global Network, the report was made possible through generous funding provided by GPE and Irish Aid.