A classroom out door./ PHOTO; from Pexel
A new initiative has been launched to set global standards for environmentally responsible temporary learning spaces in crisis settings.
Education Cannot Wait (ECW) has awarded a US$650,000 Acceleration Facility grant to Save the Children, in consortium with Arup and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), to develop practical guidance and tools that integrate sustainability, resilience, and inclusivity into emergency education.
The announcement comes as world leaders meet at COP30 to accelerate climate action and sustainable development, highlighting the critical link between education and environmental responsibility.
Temporary learning spaces provide vital lifelines for children caught in emergencies, offering continuity of education amid disruption.
From refugee camps in Bangladesh to flood zones in South Sudan, these structures offer not only learning opportunities but a sense of stability and hope for displaced communities.
Yet, the sector lacks comprehensive guidance on environmentally sustainable design and management.
Without clear standards, temporary learning spaces can contribute to waste, environmental degradation, and unsafe conditions, further affecting children’s education and well-being.
The new initiative brings together Save the Children’s leadership in children’s rights and emergency response, Arup’s technical and engineering expertise, and WWF’s deep environmental knowledge.
The collaboration is designed to bridge humanitarian response, engineering, and ecological sustainability in an innovative partnership that addresses urgent gaps in the design and operation of temporary learning spaces.
Marian Hodgkin, Global Head of Education, Learn Breakthrough at Save the Children, highlighted the importance of integrating children’s voices into the design of these spaces.
“Our temporary learning spaces offer stability and hope during crisis, hope that needs to extend beyond the immediate and support sustained stability, which requires us to pair technical expertise with children’s voices.”
“When children help shape these spaces, we make them safer, more relevant, and inclusive. And by ensuring these learning spaces are environmentally responsible and resilient, we show children that we are investing in their future.”
The initiative aims to develop practical, user-friendly tools for education actors working in crisis areas.
These tools will guide the full lifecycle of temporary learning spaces, from planning and design to material sourcing, maintenance, and eventual decommissioning.
A strong emphasis will be placed on low-impact construction, resource efficiency, and local adaptation to ensure that the solutions are contextually relevant and feasible in diverse emergency settings.
Hayley Gryc, Associate Director and UKIMEA Education Business Leader at Arup, described the importance of the partnership in shaping the future of education in emergencies.
“This initiative is a vital step in reimagining how education and climate action come together, ensuring that even in the world’s most challenging settings, temporary learning spaces support both human dignity and environmental responsibility.”
The consortium will also focus on inclusivity, ensuring that children with disabilities and those facing gender-based barriers are not left behind.
The tools will guide inclusive design, enabling learning spaces to accommodate diverse needs and promote safe participation for all children.
Anita van Breda, Senior Director of Environment and Disaster Management at WWF, emphasized the environmental urgency of the initiative.
“Temporary learning spaces are havens that help children regain a sense of normalcy following disasters. But if they are not designed with the environment in mind, we risk compounding the very challenges communities face from extreme events such as floods, earthquakes, and fires.”
As part of the initiative, a global framework for greening temporary learning spaces will be created in consultation with local and international partners.
This framework will include practical guidance, costing tools, and case studies tested in diverse crisis contexts, ensuring that the standards are adaptable and effective under different conditions.
All outputs will be shared openly through education, climate, and humanitarian networks, promoting wide adoption and maximizing impact.
This grant forms part of ECW’s broader strategic commitment to climate-smart education in emergencies.
It also aligns with the calls to action from COP30, reinforcing the need for collective investment in education systems that can withstand escalating climate and humanitarian risks while supporting children’s right to learn safely.
With climate-related crises intensifying globally, the initiative reflects a growing recognition that education cannot be separated from environmental and social considerations.
By setting new standards for temporary learning spaces, ECW, Save the Children, Arup, and WWF aim to ensure that children in emergencies not only continue learning but do so in safe, inclusive, and environmentally responsible environments.
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