The recent budget allocation of Rs 24 crores for climate literacy in Tamil Nadu is more than just an item in the state budget. It is a powerful statement of intent. Without budget allocation, even well-meaning policies have the risk of being mere ink on paper, failing to reach classrooms, students, and communities that they could empower.

Take Kerala’s Pothuvidyabyasa Samrakshana Yajnam (Public Education Rejuvenation Campaign or Education Mission) for example. Backed by a substantial investment of Rs 500 crore in the 2016-17 budget, the campaign upgraded over 1,000 schools to international standards, sparking a surge in enrollment. An estimated 9.34 lakh children enrolled additionally in public schools from classes 1 to 10 during the 2021-22 academic year.

Similarly, Tamil Nadu too has shown that the investment in education yields results. The ₹200 crore allocated in 2021 to tackle Covid-induced learning loss paved the way for Illam Thedi Kalvi (Education at the Doorstep), reaching 3 million children across 2 lakh centres. The impact is undeniable: according to an assessment report of the scheme by the state planning commission, 85% of parents report improved learning outcomes, and 74.1% said their children are happier learners. The scheme also created  employment for 2 lakh women, 91% from SC, ST, BC, and MBC communities, who gained skills and recognition through training and honorariums. 

If Tamil Nadu’s climate literacy drive is to succeed, it will need this same budgetary commitment to turn policy on paper into action on the ground.

Why Does Climate Education Matter

Tamil Nadu has consistently demonstrated its commitment to tackling the climate crisis, with initiatives like the Tamil Nadu Climate Change Mission, the Green Tamil Nadu Mission, and the Tamil Nadu Wetland Mission. The state’s leadership in renewable energy is equally impressive, harnessing 800,000 MW of wind and over 47 MW of solar power.

For all these policy level efforts to be fruitful, it’s important that they resonate with the common public. Climate education could act as a bridge between policy and action. According to UNESCO’s State of Education Report 2023, climate education is defined as a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach that teaches students and youths about climate change, including its causes, impacts, solutions, and how to live sustainably and reduce environmental impacts. A robust climate education approach should equip students with the understanding of the climate crisis (knowledge), encourage them to reflect their own context (values), ask questions and ultimately empower them to engage with the communities and relevant officials to take collective actions (skills).

A baseline study by the Tamil Nadu Climate Change Mission found that while half of the students had heard of climate change, over 73% lacked a scientific understanding of the concept. Another survey revealed that while 82% of first-time voters recalled learning something new about climate change in school, much of this education was superficial, focusing on facts rather than solutions.

This is why the recent ₹24 crore budget allocation for climate literacy is significant. However, as it evolves the next step is to deepen, go beyond awareness and expand this into climate education. 

Challenges in Implementation

One key challenge is teachers’ capacity to teach climate change. Training needs to go beyond one-off workshops or sticking to textbooks. Teachers should be able to link climate change to their students’ local realities, weave it into topics like water, waste, energy, and social justice, and make it relevant across subjects. They should also help students move from awareness to action, building both knowledge and emotional resilience. This demands continuous, collaborative support.

Another challenge is bridging the gap between school and higher education, especially from a research perspective. Universities and research institutions produce valuable studies on climate risks and solutions, but this knowledge often remains in academic circles. Schools rarely tap into it. Bridging this gap could involve partnerships where researchers help teachers translate complex findings into engaging, hands-on projects.

For example, a project on water scarcity might combine science, social justice, and data analysis, making learning meaningful and rooted in students’ experiences.

The third challenge is coordination among  different departments. While the environment department allocated the budget, implementation involves SCERT, Samagra Shiksha and other directorates of the school education department. With the fund, a coordination committee can be formed with deputed staff from each department where they can meet regularly, co-plan and take decisions.

This Fund Helps Reimagine Climate Education

This fund creates an opportunity to seed a regional and a teacher-led ‘networked’ model for climate education. It can be used to  build a regional collective of diverse experts – school teachers, climate practitioners, NGOs, academics in science and social science, communicators, writers and storytellers – who could co-design resources and curriculum, pilot context-based curriculum in schools, and mentor teachers continuously. 

This network could help in addressing the three challenges: support teachers in building their expertise in climate change to interpret locally, integrate it across subjects and guide students; bridge the gap between school education and evolving climate knowledge from higher education institutions as the network itself should have academics from higher education institutions; and work across departments to coordinate efforts. 

For example, Nagapattinam, one of the most vulnerable districts on climate risks in the state as per the report by Anna University’s Climate Studio, could develop a student-led mangrove restoration project. Initially, a regional climate education network could be formed comprising school teachers, a representative from NGO/CSO working on environmental conservation, a professor from higher education space and a government official from TN Coastal Restoration Mission. The network could design the project to ensure it is relevant, place-based and fun for children. It would also monitor the project’s impact on children’s knowledge, skills and values, and mentor teachers on guiding them.  

The current budget allocation could establish this ‘collective’ into a vibrant ecosystem that not only builds capacity but also promotes innovation, collaboration, and long-term ownership, reimagining how climate change is taught and acted upon in Tamil Nadu schools.