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Each summer, climate educator Nikhil Sharma's classroom in a school in Ahmedabad would be vacant. "It was the intolerable heat that drove the children away from classrooms," recalls Sharma who taught science and social science at the school as a Teach For India fellow in 2018. He especially remembered one girl, Zainab, who had not reported to school for days. Alarmed, he went to her small tenement in a makeshift camp. He noticed that she had the whole body and face covered with heat rashes. "She got sick due to the heat wave. Her picture somehow lingered in my mind," he remembered.

Years on, heat continues to exclude children such as Zainab from the schoolroom. Climate effects, especially extreme weather conditions in 2024 interfered with the education of 250 million children across 85 nations. Ironically, it is such schooling in school which contributes significantly to equipping children for the coming years of a world that is warming.

Emphasizing the importance of climate education to better prepare the vulnerable children and the future generation, UNICEF's Executive Director Catherine Russell, refers in a UNICEF analysis, "Education is one of the services most often disrupted by climate hazards. But it is too often neglected in policy debates, even though it helps prepare children for climate adaptation."

This shortfall has provided opportunities for climate educators and civil societies to re-conceptualize climate education and provide it as experiential activities for the students.

Global warming or climate change is no kids' concept; even the adults sometimes struggle to grasp it, observes Sharma, founder now of Ahmedabad's ElemenTree Education Foundation. Having seen the impact of heat waves on the children and their school attendance, he changed his way of teaching about the environment and worked upon how to discuss climate in terms the children could identify.

"We understood that our approach had to be local and in local languages. Government or school big words like sequestration or mitigation don't resonate. But when we relate climate to their world — discussing the Sabarmati river rather than polar bears, or street heat waves rather than far-away floods — it evokes meaningful conversations. The children participate intensely because it becomes tangible to them," Sharma states.

The climate education situation

In a 2022 report, the updated and rewritten Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) of 166 nations were analyzed, with the report concluding that most nations were not improving the climate education system as part of their national climate plan. The inaction is mainly due to the limited climate finance instruments available in education.

India is one of the handful of nations in the world that has added environmental education officially into the school system following the Supreme Court instruction in 1991. The subject was officially included in primary schooling by the NCERT in the National Curriculum Framework of 2005. Further, India's National Action Plan on Climate Change (2008) fails to make education a central area of attention, while the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, despite being supportive of learning for the environment, is lacking in addressing climate threats to the education sector.

The NEP 2020 focuses on learning through experiences, building community interactions, and studying climate change from various angles, such as waste management, biodiversity, pollution, etc. But equipping teachers with training and capability building to implement the subject in their curriculum, hasn't been given high priority, opine experts.

Consequently, the pace of incorporating environmental education into the mainstream has been slow, although having created a strong 'Eco Schools' programme at the primary level around the implementation of sustainable practices and teacher training. The reach of the programme is claimed to have changed more than 250 schools in India in 18 states and trained about 12,500 teachers. But the numbers pale compared to 2024-25 Economic Survey facts which observe that "India's school education system serves 24.8 crore (2,480 lakhs) students across 14.72 lakh schools with 98 lakh teachers."

While US-based Climate Lit has an open-source library of climate resources and the UK's Carbon Literacy Project offers accredited training and certification to increase climate awareness among individuals and organisations, there is a big role to play and a lot of space for innovation and experimentation in India. And that is what Indian teachers, civil society organisations, and climate activists are starting to do — from ground zero.

Constructing a learning environment with regional orientation

Climate Educators' Network (CEN) was initiated when a group of academics at Azim Premji University saw the lack of appropriate teaching resources on pedagogy for climate. To look up for references in the classroom, they had to draw examples from case studies in the U.S., China or Europe. That gap prompted the vision of initiating an online repository of resources. In their search, they chanced upon TROP ICSU (Trans-disciplinary Research Oriented Pedagogy for Improving Climate Studies and Understanding) — a repository of detailed lesson plans and teaching materials from India and worldwide. TROP ICSU is now CEN's education and training partner. And along the way, they encountered Asar — a social impact advisory — that onboarded as a strategic partner to collaborate on climate action, justice and resilience.

We have green and eco clubs in the schools but no discussion on building systems-level awareness of climate change and adaptation and resilience for children and youth," Pallavi Phatak, Asar Director, Climate and Education, said to Mongabay India.

Also, what we need to do is incorporate climate learning, not make a whole subject of it. Climate has to enter history, geography — into all of it. We're big believers in that method," she says.

During the CEN's inaugural climate summit in January 2025, the group recognised the importance of developing regional centers to introduce local context in climate learning. They have begun creating projects together in Maharashtra, Bengaluru, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. It appears differently across regions, districts, and communities, based on where individuals are situated in society. That's why we are conceiving in regional hubs, rather than centralised solutions.". We must get together as a community to sort this out," emphasizes Sunayana Ganguly, co-founder of the Climate Educators Network. 

For example, the Bengaluru hub is an ecosystem of organisations that are coming together to build a non-formal education program around the priorities described in the Bengaluru Climate Action Plan. In another effort, CEN and Asar are joined by a couple of other organizations such as WRI-India, Children's Movement for Civic Awareness (CMCA), and Thicket Tales in partnering with the city's climate action cell to formulate a non-formal, activity-based curriculum that will empower students to interact meaningfully with climate resilience through their schools.

In Maharashtra, CEN has opted to approach the effort from the ground level. The staff of teachers is organizing a "listening activity" with zila parishad schools in districts like Beed and Raigad. The activity is centered on listening to teachers' perceptions of climate change — what they think, what they sense they need to know, and the questions they have regarding teaching action on climate. Phatak further contributes that in West Bengal, the hub has also been interested in synthesizing indigenous knowledge of adaptation and mitigation, while the discussions in Tamil Nadu are still getting underway.

"Tamil Nadu is the country's first state to make an iconic budgetary allocation of ₹ 24 crores for climate literacy. Our plan here is not only to facilitate grassroots-level conversations, but also to make sure this financial outlay isn't wasted," Phatak says.

India's food culture is built on tradition, sustainability, and coexisting with nature. There exist traditional practices that have helped bring seasonally and climatically motivated consumption of local food to the region, thereby creating ecological balance and well-being. From organic millet cultivation to the age-old ways of preservation and energy food amla and sattu, the traditional Indian cuisine educates us on how to make the world and our body healthy. This cuisine philosophy educates us on how to cultivate well-being with love for the planet and tradition.

" Sustaining the Roots: Celebrating India's Food Heritage " is a revolution where India's sustainable and healthy food cultures like consuming food seasonally, and fermentation of food are promoted. 

In the same way, ginger and garlic are anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial and are usually used to reduce respiratory infections and gastrointestinal disease. Fenugreek (Methi), which is used in the management of blood sugar as well as heart disease, is also used to support lactation in nursing mothers. These foods not only constitute the foundation of conventional Indian diet, but also embrace a philosophy of overall well-being based on diet, prevention, and nature cure. In all these senses, food is not just sustenance; it is space within health, building health and vigor in the entire system, and thereby immense respect for the healing power of nature.

The objective of this campaign is to evoke awareness about the 'very importance' of indigenous Indian food habits as a health and ecologically innocuous method. By linking them with practices, we can learn more about their nutritional and ecological value. This movement gives all of us a platform to look back, remember, and avail ourselves of the values of food practices of the past on the basis of our thousand-year-old civilizations, giving power to the future generations so that everyone can take advantage of this for a healthier and greener future. They will be compensated with incentives along with being promoted on The Energy & Resources Institute(TERI) social media pages.

Sri Sri University, Odisha, is hosting the first-ever International Osteopathy Convention (IOC 2025) in November  from 7th-9th at the SSU campus  This event marks a decade of osteopathy education in India and will bring together leading osteopaths, researchers, educators, and healthcare practitioners from across the globe for three days of knowledge exchange, innovation, and collaborative growth.

The IOC 2025 at Sri Sri University honours the incredible accomplishments of osteopathy in India, highlighting integrative methods of healthcare and holistic healing. Attendees will gain invaluable insights and get opportunities to engage directly with world-renowned experts, all under the auspices of Pujya Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Ji, heralding a future of holistic health in India.

Highlights of the convention include:

• Presentation of internationally known osteopathic practitioners and teachers of innovations and discoveries in the field of osteopathy.
• Scientific committee-led peer review of research presentations with best paper and poster awards.
• Prospective research and practise networking and collaboration with delegates of other countries.
• The exposure to the traditional and modern philosophy of osteopathy combining health and wellness.
• Specialised osteopathy training, clinical skills training, and evidence-based practise.

Sri Sri University’s pioneering osteopathy programs, which blend Eastern holistic wisdom with Western clinical science, provide an ideal platform for such an international gathering. The multidisciplinary and value-based education characterises the university and is reflected in this event of global interest, further making Odisha a major centre of osteopathy in Asia.

Esteemed speakers include Prof. Rajita Kulkarni, President of Sri Sri University, Prof. Renzo Molinari (DO FESO MROF GOsC), Dr. Krishnendu Mukhopadhaya, and several global experts renowned for their contributions to osteopathy education and clinical practice. The convention’s sessions will cover a wide range of topics such as integrative healthcare models combining traditional and modern osteopathic methods, advances in clinical skills training, evidence-based osteopathy research, pediatric and reproductive wellness, workplace ergonomics, and global healthcare policy frameworks.

The convention welcomes a diverse range of healthcare professionals spanning conventional and alternative disciplines, including doctors, dentists, physiotherapists, Ayurveda and homeopathy practitioners, naturopaths, and specialists in Craniosacral Therapy (CST), Meru Chikitsa, Marma therapy, and other holistic healing modalities. 

With over 500 delegates expected from around the globe, IOC 2025 offers a unique interdisciplinary platform to explore and deepen knowledge in integrative healthcare, structural balance, and osteopathic innovations. 

IOC 2025 registration is open with early bird discounts available till 31st of October 2025. Delegates will enjoy conference materials, meals, social events, and certification opportunities.

Through the unification of a diverse community of osteopathy practitioners, IOC 2025 at Sri Sri University will enhance the levels of osteopathic education, clinical excellence, and research in India and beyond.

For more information and registration details, visit Sri Sri University’s official website or their social media channels.

https://apply.srisriuniversity.edu.in/utm_source=digital&utm_medium=digital&utm_campaign=7546745&utm_id=website&utm_term=fr43kif0jecewfcew4ij403u&utm_content=digital 

The Green School project 2.0 is an innovative joint initiative of the Tata Steel Foundation (TSF) and TERI. Its mission is to encourage critical thinking, inter-disciplinary learnings, and hard-core appreciation of environment conservation values among students studying in schools that are running in Tata Steel operational areas. By integrating such challenges as energy, water, forest & biodiversity, and waste into climate change and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), The Green School project encourages young people to fight in the interest of the welfare of our planet through the acceptance of behaviour changes.

At present, the program has direct impact on students and teachers of selected schools in six Indian states- Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. The project further reaches the lives of partner parent-teacher associations (PTAs), school administration members and local communities. It works towards enhancing the skills of middle school students through activity-based teaching-learning programs with a view to generate awareness about environment and sustainable development issues.

A series of teacher training sessions and workshops were conducted, based on transformative learning and collective approach to develop ideas for green practices. Resource materials were prepared to guide the teachers in making learning and teaching environment-friendly, which led to behavior change and student engagement. Having had seven triumphant phases implemented in association with the Tata Steel Foundation, this initiative has built a strong foundation in the field of environmental awareness among school children. The achievement of the project brings an additional load where an amendment is suggested to upgrade the implementation to the empowerment level. The Green School project 2.0, is designed such that will increase the scope of influence by adopting green skills training under a sustainability vision. Some crucial elements of the previous versions shall also be preserved in the direction of consolidation and reinforcement of project footprint.

The Department of Psychology at Chandigarh University, part of the University Institute of Liberal Arts and Humanities, recently hosted a one-day seminar connected to World Mental Health Week 2025. The event was dedicated to using technology in mental health to positively influence its impact on people and bring students, faculty, and mental health advocates together in a day of learning and discussion.

Prof. (Dr.) Shubh Mohan Singh, a prominent psychiatrist of the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, was present at the seminar. Dr Singh is renowned as a community psychiatrician and a pioneer in brain stimulation treatment. His speech emphasised the increasing significance of digital devices like teletherapy services, mental health applications, and digital literacy programs in promoting emotional well-being and expanding access to mental health services.

Respondents addressed questions regarding the use of technology to build stigma-free spaces and encourage inclusive mental health treatment. The seminar closely corresponded with the mission of Chandigarh University of the comprehensive development and sustainability of students, with their mental health being one of the most important educational pillars in modern times.

Some of the points discussed were the advantages of tele-mental health in accessing remote communities, the role of mobile apps in providing emotional support in everyday life, and the effects of technology-based therapies in the clinical environment. This event promoted the discussion of mental health, breaking the old boundaries and emphasising the potential of modern technology.

This is an activity that is being done as Chandigarh University continues to help enlighten mental health awareness and offer practical resources and tools that help in taking care of emotions. The University remains on the leading edge of blending mental health education to modern solutions in a supportive campus atmosphere to both students and the staff.

With the challenges of mental health increasing worldwide, the initiative of Chandigarh University represents a progressive and timely solution in the quest to achieve improved mental health with technology being treated as an important partner.

The 7th International Conference on Sustainability Education (ICSE), organized by the Mobius Foundation, in association with UNESCO, NITI Aayog, and other co-operative organizations, concluded at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. Educators, policymakers, business leaders, and youth representatives from all over India and the world participated for two days of deliberation under the theme "Sustainability Education for Green Jobs.".

Session also evidenced that professional careers in sustainable renewable energy, agriculture, eco-tourism, biodiversity preservation, and circular economy require a break with conventional learning and training approaches. References also mentioned the blue economy with emphasis on skills and learning that will allow ocean resources to be used sustainably. The stakeholders were concerned to align education with India's National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and global priorities according to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), i.e. SDG 4 on quality education and SDG 8 on decent work. Issues of equity and inclusion were also raised, prioritizing provision of access to green job opportunities to the disadvantaged groups.

Dr. Benno Boer, Chief, UNESCO South-Asia, underlined: "It's crucial to have proper partnership between governments and private sector for developing and upscaling programmes which create new jobs. Green jobs lead to a more equitable and robust world."

Pradip Kumar Das, CMD, IREDA Limited, added: "India's 2070 net zero journey will necessitate decarbonisation with discipline and increased emphasis on green education. Empowering farmers and scaling up green energy are also part of the journey."

Amit Verma, Director, Green Transition, Environment and Climate Change, NITI Aayog, further added: "To equip a workforce for the green economy, one has to fill the gap between innovation and implementation via education and vocational training."

Prof. Prithvi Yadav, President & Vice Chancellor, Shri Padampat Singhania University, further stated: "Green jobs call not only for technical competency but stewardship."

Universities must create conscience global citizens. Kartikeya Sarabhai, Founder Director of CEE, stated: "Classrooms must be converted to sustainability laboratories.". "Experiential learning empowers youth for green jobs that count". Youth people representatives such as sustainability influencer Anuj Ramatri and Aalekh Kapoor spoke to masses with voices on the ground and climate action plans.