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The effect of education on determinants of climate change risks

Author

Listed:
  • Brian C. O’Neill

    (University of Denver)

  • Leiwen Jiang

    (Shanghai University
    Population Council)

  • Samir KC

    (Shanghai University
    International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis)

  • Regina Fuchs

    (Statistics Austria)

  • Shonali Pachauri

    (International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis)

  • Emily K. Laidlaw

    (International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis)

  • Tiantian Zhang

    (Zhejiang University)

  • Wei Zhou

    (Zhejiang University)

  • Xiaolin Ren

    (National Center for Atmospheric Research)

Abstract

Increased educational attainment is a sustainable development priority and has been posited to have benefits for other social and environmental issues, including climate change. However, links between education and climate change risks can involve both synergies and trade-offs, and the balance of these effects remains ambiguous. Increases in educational attainment could lead to faster economic growth and therefore higher emissions, more climate change and higher risks. At the same time, improved attainment would be associated with faster fertility decline in many countries, slower population growth and therefore lower emissions, and would also be likely to reduce vulnerability to climate impacts. We employ a multiregion, multisector model of the world economy, driven with country-specific projections of future population by level of education, to test the net effect of education on emissions and on the Human Development Index (HDI), an indicator that correlates with adaptive capacity to climate impacts. We find that improved educational attainment is associated with a modest net increase in emissions but substantial improvement in the HDI values in developing country regions. Avoiding stalled progress in educational attainment and achieving gains at least consistent with historical trends is especially important in reducing future vulnerability.

Suggested Citation

  • Brian C. O’Neill & Leiwen Jiang & Samir KC & Regina Fuchs & Shonali Pachauri & Emily K. Laidlaw & Tiantian Zhang & Wei Zhou & Xiaolin Ren, 2020. "The effect of education on determinants of climate change risks," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 3(7), pages 520-528, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natsus:v:3:y:2020:i:7:d:10.1038_s41893-020-0512-y
    DOI: 10.1038/s41893-020-0512-y
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    Cited by:

    1. Kedi Liu & Ranran Wang & Inge Schrijver & Rutger Hoekstra, 2024. "Can we project well-being? Towards integral well-being projections in climate models and beyond," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Romanova Nataliia, 2021. "Climate change education in different countries," Prosperitas, Budapest Business University, vol. 8(1), pages 73-86.
    3. Tao, Nan & Wu, Tiantian & Yan, Guo, 2024. "To the test of economic recovery: The swings in energy resource prices," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    4. Gültekin Ömer Faruk & Sayar Ramazan & Ari Yılmaz Onur, 2023. "Socio-economic determinants of environmental degradation: Empirical evidence for the Environmental Kuznets Curve," Economics and Business Review, Sciendo, vol. 9(3), pages 66-97, October.
    5. Zhang, Ling & Berk Saydaliev, Hayot & Ma, Xiaoyu, 2022. "Does green finance investment and technological innovation improve renewable energy efficiency and sustainable development goals," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 193(C), pages 991-1000.
    6. Imtiaz Alam Khan & Muhammad Rafiq & Sanaullah Panezai & Shahab E. Saqib & Raza Ullah & Muhammad Atiq, 2022. "How do farmers cope with climate change? An analysis of alternative adaptation strategies in drought-hit areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa—Pakistan," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 112(3), pages 2259-2275, July.
    7. Wei, Xiaobo & Mohsin, Muhammad & Zhang, Qiongxin, 2022. "Role of foreign direct investment and economic growth in renewable energy development," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 192(C), pages 828-837.

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