The edited book will contain a collection of chapters that unveil the dynamic effects of climate change, particularly, on the lives of vulnerable and marginalised communities and, concomitantly, discuss the role of climate change education as agency for mitigation. The book is a timely response to the increasing frequency and severity of climate change-related environmental disasters, which disproportionately affect marginalised communities in the Global South (Stein & Stein, 2022). For example, the devastating floods that occurred, particularly, from 2016 to 2024 in certain parts of South Africa and the prolonged droughts interspersed with heavy floods between 2020 and 2024 in parts of East Africa are all attributed to the effects of climate change. Likewise, the deadly cyclones that impacted Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe in 2019 and 2023 and extreme heat waves of 2024 in parts of India were also ascribed to global warming and climate change. These disasters have a myriad of severe impacts on the lives and livelihoods of people such as agriculture, housing, and the provision of valuable services including health care and quality education. As noted in a report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) education is “rarely a core focus in emergency responses” (UNOCHA, 2019). This situation is, arguably, worse for the marginalized and people with special needs. The book emphasises that disability, among other vulnerabilities, is often invisible in disaster management policies and programs, especially, concerning education.
Additionally, most resource-constrained regions in the global South do not have the necessary resources to cater for the educational needs of individuals with disabilities and other marginalized groups during and after environmental disasters. This situation calls for inclusive and sustainable disaster management (Kosanic et al., 2022) and educational planning that uphold the right to quality education for all (UNESCO - International Institute for Educational Planning). Against this background, this book offers a collection of insights that showcase the sustained and broad efforts invested in disability studies refugee and displaced population studies, women studies and climate change education. The book unpacks the vulnerabilities, impacts, strategies, evidence-based best practices and futuristic developments on marginalised populations and, significantly, the role of climate change and education in the Global South. It examines various environmental, social, biological, economic and cultural factors as well as their intersectionality in influencing education delivery, access to and participation in education. The book adopts a multi-disciplinary approach to incorporate a wide variety of topics from different fields including environmental, marginalisation, education, justice and many others. It encourages different portrayals of marginalisation in relation to climate change education, with space for futuristic thinking that explores realities, imaginaries, expectations and pathways for success. An important element of the book is the exploration of whether the voices and educational needs of marginalised communities are considered during the advent of environmental disasters. It aims to contribute towards the creation of an inclusive and sustainable environment where everyone can access quality education (Sustainable Development Goal 4). More importantly, the book seeks to solicit inclusive pathways that address climate change education, making it an indispensable reference for teachers, policymakers and activists committed to inclusive education and climate change resilience.
We welcome papers that address, but not limited to the following sub-themes;
• Vulnerabilities of marginalised populations in the face of climate change
• Mitigation strategies through inclusive education
• Inclusive management in educational and disaster planning
• Agency and activism among marginalised individuals in climate change response
• Marginality regarding access to and participation in education in times of environmental disasters
• Futuristic pathways for marginalised communities and inclusive education amid climate change
• Environmental justice and educational equity for marginalised populations
• Representations of marginality in climate change education discourse
• Voices and experiences of marginalised individuals during environmental disasters
• Best practices for inclusive environmental education delivery in times of environmental disasters
• Historical perspectives on marginalisation and climate change in the context of education
The edited book will be co-edited by Ndakaitei Manase, Sindile Ngubane, Nonkanyiso Shabalala and Headman Hebe. It will be published by Springer. Email a 250-300 word abstract with 4-6 key words and a biographical note by 10 September 2024 to manasn@unisa.ac.za. The deadline for the submission of the full manuscripts of 5 000–7 000 words including references is 30 March 2025.