New Delhi: Climate change is not just an environmental issue, it is a public health crisis that directly affects how communities live, learn, and thrive.
On September 24, the 9th NYC Green School Conference 2025 will host one of its most urgent sessions: “Climate, Environment, and Health – A Triple Nexus for Education.”
Co-hosted with Takeda Pharmaceuticals, the session will unite public health experts, climate scientists, and educators from across the globe, including Johanna Jobin (Takeda), Jennifer Macedonia (Project Green Schools), and Bob Perciasepe, former Deputy Administrator of the US EPA.
Their focus: how education systems must adapt to prepare students for the health risks of a warming planet.
Panelists are expected to explore how extreme heat, worsening air quality, and shifting disease patterns disrupt not just communities but classrooms. Schools in vulnerable regions are already experiencing learning losses linked to climate-related health impacts. By integrating planetary health into curricula, educators can empower students with knowledge and tools to both adapt and innovate.
Beyond theory, the session will highlight actionable models for schools and universities: climate-health literacy modules, interdisciplinary programs that link science with policy, and cross-sector collaborations between education, healthcare, and environmental organizations.
This triple nexus approach emphasizes that resilience must be taught alongside academics; students of today must learn how climate impacts their well-being and how they, in turn, can build healthier, sustainable communities.
Set during Climate Week NYC, the session reinforces a growing recognition: education cannot remain siloed. If societies are to prepare future generations for climate realities, classrooms must become incubators for both scientific understanding and public health leadership.
The discussion promises to send a clear message: climate education without health education is incomplete.
