Editing IPCC:AR6/WGII/Chapter-9 (section)

==== 9.11.1.2 Human Capital Development and Education ====

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Investments in human capital, particularly education, are critical for socioeconomic development and poverty reduction providing valuable skills and expanding labour market opportunities. Much progress has been made in improving education access, however, in sub-Saharan Africa, 32% of children, adolescents and youth (~97 million people) remain out of school ( [[#UNESCO%20Institute%20of%20Statistics--2018|UNESCO Institute of Statistics, 2018]] ). Climate variability and change can undermine educational attainment with negative impacts on later life earning potential and adaptive capacity to future climate change (Figure 9.11; [[#Lutz--2014|Lutz et al., 2014]] ).

Several studies indicate that experiencing low rainfall, warming temperatures or extreme weather events reduce education attainment and that future climate change may reduce children’s school participation, particularly for agriculturally dependent and poor urban households. In west and central Africa, experiencing lower-than-average rainfall during early life is associated with up to 1.8 fewer years of completed schooling in adolescence, while more rainfall and milder temperatures during the main agricultural season are positively associated with educational attainment for boys and girls in rural Ethiopia ( [[#Randell--2016|Randell and Gray, 2016]] ; [[#Randell--2019|Randell and Gray, 2019]] ). In Uganda, low rainfall reduced primary school enrolment by 5% for girls ( [[#Björkman-Nyqvist--2013|Björkman-Nyqvist, 2013]] ), and in Malawi, ''in utero'' drought exposure was associated with delayed school entry among boys ( [[#Abiona--2017|Abiona, 2017]] ). In rural Zimbabwe, experiencing drought conditions during the first few years of life was associated with fewer grades of completed schooling in adolescence, which translates into a 14% reduction in lifetime earnings ( [[#Alderman--2006|Alderman et al., 2006]] ). In Cameroon, warming temperatures have negatively affected plantain yields, which in turn is linked to lower educational attainment ( [[#Fuller--2018|Fuller et al., 2018]] ). One suggested mechanism underlying the relationship between climate and schooling is that adverse climatic conditions can reduce income among farming households, leading them to pull children out of school ( [[#Randell--2016|Randell and Gray, 2016]] ; [[#Marchetta--2019|Marchetta et al., 2019]] ). Other potential mechanisms are poor harvests from droughts or supply interruptions from extreme weather events leading to undernutrition among young children, negatively affecting cognitive development and schooling potential ( [[#Alderman--2006|Alderman et al., 2006]] ; [[#Bartlett--2008|Bartlett, 2008]] ).

More research is needed on climate change impacts on education in Africa. This information can help ensure families keep children in school amid climate-related income shocks. For example, in Mexico, a conditional cash transfer programme mitigated the negative effect of natural disasters on school attendance ( [[#de%20Janvry--2006|de Janvry et al., 2006]] ).

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