Eggi Triyadi | Rich countries must follow island nations’ lead on climate education

I GREW up in Indonesia, the world’s largest island nation, where nature is an incredibly dominant force in daily life. With rainforests, coral reefs, and beaches, Indonesia has some of the most ecologically diverse locations on the planet.

But more than just its beautiful nature, Indonesia is also deeply cultural, with traditions and beliefs closely tied to everyone being active stewards of the environment.

Raised by Sundanese parents, I learned from them that the way we treat nature is the way nature will treat us. My grandmother always reminded me of this in the guise of a Sundanese saying: Silih asih, silih asah, silih asuh —to love, to help, and to take care of one another. Caring for nature in her mind was more than about not dropping trash, but it was about putting us on a harmonious footing with the natural world. It is critical in shaping how I see our relationship with the environment today.

This wisdom feels more urgent than ever as climate change threatens the harmony my grandmother taught me to cherish. The Indonesia I know is changing, coastal villages are vanishing, extreme weather is increasing, farmers are experiencing a bitter impact on their crops, Indonesia’s fisheries are at huge risk, and Jakarta, the nation’s capital, is slowly being swallowed up by the sea. For island nations like my own, climate change isn’t a future threat; it’s here and now.

Indonesia is not alone in this crisis. As the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) notes, “Small island nations are extremely susceptible to the impacts of climate change,” and this vulnerability extends across dozens of island countries facing equally grave issues.

WORST EFFECTS

Although they are the least blameworthy, island countries are facing the worst effects of rising sea levels, severe weather, and crumbling coastlines. In the Caribbean, we are seeing more frequent and powerful hurricanes, coral reef loss, and freshwater shortages, despite contributing a minuscule share of global emissions. Jamaica, has already experienced sea level rise of 1.2 millimetres per year over the last three decades.

Nevertheless, it is island nations that are taking the lead in addressing the impacts of a changing climate. For instance, the Maldives is a pioneer in climate resilience, championing the Early Warnings for All (EW4All) groundbreaking initiative. Samoa, Fiji, Tonga and the Solomon Islands have each pledged to transition to 100 per cent renewable electricity in the next 10 to 15 years through the United Nations Development Programme Climate Promise Initiative. But one of the most powerful tools to address climate change is education through our schools.

Climate education gives students and their communities the knowledge and skills to adapt, to advocate for mitigating policies, and to apply solutions where they exist. This sort of education is not just about awareness; it is about survival.

We can see this message is spreading throughout island nations rapidly. The Jamaican Government, in collaboration with local NGOs, has launched educational campaigns that promote climate resilience and disaster preparedness in schools and rural communities.

As part of its Vision 2030 strategy, Jamaica is integrating climate education across many sectors, from agriculture to tourism, empowering young people with both knowledge and purpose. These efforts prove that even with limited resources, small nations can lead boldly.

CLIMATE EDUCATION

Recognising this, several island nations have already integrated climate education into their Paris Agreement Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). NDCs outline a country’s plan to address the climate crisis and knowledge truly is power.

By integrating climate change into every topic we learn in school, be it math or art, we are preparing students for future climate-related careers, whether working in reforestation projects, renewable energy, planet friendly construction solutions, or much more.

Learning the truth about our changing climate and extreme weather patterns also eases student anxiety and encourages more planet-friendly behaviours organically.

The island nations of the Dominican Republic, St. Lucia, Maldives, and Antigua and Barbuda have all committed to integrating climate change into their school curricula, teaching adaptation practices and building a new generation of climate leaders.

While island nations are at the forefront of finding ways to adapt to a changing climate, they cannot do it by themselves. The truth is, the majority of countries that are emitting the most greenhouse gases are not the ones experiencing the worst impacts of it. Rich countries have the resources to act, yet a lot of them still don’t have climate education in their national policy. Why not?

This imbalance is not just a policy failure; it is a moral failure. Wealthier nations must follow the lead of island states by embedding climate education in national curricula. Climate education is not a luxury; it’s a necessity, especially in the face of a crisis that is already displacing millions, threatening biodiversity, and upending the economies of the most vulnerable.

As we head to COP30 in November of this year, it is vital that every nation, not just those most affected, step up and make climate education a priority component of their NDCs. The responsibility to act rests on all of us, not solely with those who are suffering the worst consequences of climate change. If COP30 is to be the most consequential, as it’s already being billed, climate education needs to be at the heart of all the discussion there and on every agenda. All of our futures depend on it.

Eggi Triyadi is a campaign specialist (Earth Day Schools) at EARTHDAY.ORG. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com