Odette Showed Necessity of Teaching Climate Change in Schools to Help Filipinos Adapt in the Face of Stronger Storms
WWF and Globe aim to fill gaps in environmental education with new digital partnership, Camp Kalikasan
In the face of increasing threats from typhoons that are growing stronger, education and learning are some of the best ways to effectively prepare the next generation of Filipinos for calamities, says the World Wide Fund for Nature-Philippines (WWF-Philippines).
According to HSBC’s 2018 Fragile Planet Report, the Philippines is the 3rd most vulnerable country in the world to climate change. Destruction caused by Typhoon Odette in December 2021 showed the urgent need for everyone to have a strong foundation in environmental education, especially teachers.
Typhoon Odette (International Name: Rai) caused extensive damage to several provinces, with 1.4 million houses destroyed and 514 cities and towns suffering from damaged infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and power and water lines. The World Food Programme said in its January 2022 assessment that “the impact of Odette is comparable to Super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda),” the deadly storm that struck central Philippines in 2013.
WWF-Philippines’ Education for Sustainable Development Project Manager Dino Calderon said, “As typhoons are seen to become stronger due to climate change, environmental education can be a permanent, long-term, and low-cost solution to the climate crisis.”
To address this, one of WWF-Philippines’ projects in partnership with Globe is to create an easy-to-access online platform with learning modules that cover climate change, biodiversity, and environmental education.
Launched in November 2021, the Camp Kalikasan free education platform helps teachers integrate climate change into their lesson plans. It has intuitive and easy-to-use educational materials such as videos, training materials, and even interactive games.
Globe has been actively advocating for climate action over the past few years. The digital solutions group became the first Philippine company to commit to science-based targets and net-zero emissions by 2050, in line with the Paris Agreement and the global #RacetoZero Campaign.
“We understand that in order to truly make a difference in the fight against climate change, we all have a role to play in caring for the environment,” said Apple Evangelista, Globe’s Head of Sustainability and Social Responsibility.
She added, “This is why we believe Camp Kalikasan helps address the gaps in climate education, as more Filipinos can develop a deeper understanding of how their actions – small or big – can contribute to the bigger picture of creating a sustainable, livable environment for all.”
The program helps fill the climate change information gap in schools, which in vulnerable parts of the Philippines could prove life-saving.L
As Calderon said: “Providing the correct information about climate change to young people, who will be the future leaders of the country, can make a big difference in the future direction of the Philippines’ environment. There is already so much knowledge about the science and effects of climate change and we need to urgently update our teaching curriculum as cited in a recent UNESCO study.”
The 2021 UNESCO study reviewed the national curriculum frameworks of 100 countries, including the Philippines, and found that “nearly half (47%) had no reference to climate change. The rest mentioned climate change in their documents but the depth of inclusion was usually very minimal.”
The study also included a survey of teachers which found that “nearly 95% of teachers believed that it is important or very important to teach about the severity of climate change and its effects but fewer than 40% were confident in teaching it and only about one-third felt able to explain well the effects of climate change on their region or locality.”
Everyone can access Camp Kalikasan. The platform is continuously updated with the latest information on climate education. Access the Camp Kalikasan app by logging on to Campkalikasan.com or emailcampkalikasan@wwf.org.ph.
PHOTO CAPTION: Odette slammed into the islands in the Visayas with full force causing massive destruction across multiple provinces and municipalities. Photo shows houses on Kanihaan Island, part of the Dinagat group of islands, severely damaged by the strong winds. Kanihaan Island is a project site of WWF-Philippines’ SMILE (Solar CoMmunity-based Island Tourism and Livelihood Energizer) energy transition project. Photo: Joeffrey Maglinte/WWF-Philippines
