Climate Resilience & School Safety
As climate change increasingly impacts communities around the globe, educational establishments face new challenges in providing consistent and quality education, which is essential for the wellbeing of educators and students. Children are particularly vulnerable to the risks associated with climate change, such as temperature change and extreme weather events.
We have designed a handbook with school safety and climate resilience in mind, intending to prepare every student with the skills and knowledge for a changing world. School safety and resilience involves not only protecting infrastructure and buildings but also ensuring that children's mental wellbeing is a priority. Awareness of the emotional challenges that climate issues can create is imperative, as research shows that many young people experience climate anxiety and stress related to climate concerns.
Climate Resilience & School Safety (CRSS) Handbook
This Eco-Schools handbook provides a clear and practical framework for addressing immediate school safety and climate resilience using the established Seven Steps methodology. Schools will be able to systemically identify their vulnerabilities to natural hazards, develop and implement effective action plans, monitor and evaluate their progress and actively involve their communities in climate risk and management. The handbook aims to support Eco-Schools to integrate the three key pillars of the Comprehensive School Safety Framework (CSSF) led by the Global Alliance for Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience in the Education Sector (GADRRRES).
New handout for teachers: keeping learners safe during El Niño heatwaves and floodS
El Niño is already a reality in many contexts. It is expected to peak towards the end of 2026, with impacts likely to continue into 2027. Extreme heat, heavy rain and floods are putting children’s lives and learning at risk. We continue to champion preparedness and adaptation at system level through the Comprehensive School Safety Framework, but we know these measures can take time to put in place.
That is why GADRRRES members have developed “El Niño: keeping learners safe during heatwaves and floods”, a practical handout giving teachers the essential information they need before, during and after a heatwave or flood:
Six preparedness actions every teacher can take now
How to recognise and respond to heat stress, including medical emergencies
Safe flood evacuation and handover of learners to authorised caregivers
Psychological first aid and ongoing support for learners, with attention to learners with disabilities, girls and other learners at higher risk
ONline Event: Strengthening Climate Resilience & School SafetY
This online event united experts and schools to exchange knowledge and experience on strengthening climate resilience and school safety. It highlighted the collaborative work of the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) and the GADRRRES, along with high-level partners such as CDRI, ARUP, and Alana. The discussion focused on practical measures, governance, and partnerships that help create safer and more prepared learning environments. Participants explored how schools can move from awareness and concern towards coordinated and effective action, drawing on international examples, new guidance, and shared resources developed through continued collaboration.
Resources referenced to strengthen CRSS:
In Partnership with:
GADRRRES is a global alliance of UN agencies, international humanitarian and development NGOs and networks, donors, and organisations that advocate for child rights and resilience in the education sector. They work to achieve this through collective impact, and with the all-hazards, all-risks approach achieved by operationalising the Comprehensive School Safety Framework.
FEE is part of the GADRRRES alliance aiming to build momentum to make schools safer and more climate-resilient.
FEE also thanks our partner PPG for their generous support in making this CRSS handbook possible. We acknowledge Lucie Burianová (on the right), Pedro Perez, Scott Krall and Diego Fernandez-Martos Alcón for their valuable input during its development.
Our funding partner PPG