New Primer: Advancing Rights-Based Climate Education in Asia-Pacific HEIs
As part of the Regional Asia Pacific Programme (RAPP2): Advancing Just Transitions to Climate-Resilient and Nature-Positive Societies (2024–2026), the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (RWI) has developed a new resource:
From Concept to Curriculum: Advancing Rights-Based Climate Education in Asia-Pacific HEIs.
This Primer supports higher education institutions (HEIs) in integrating a human rights-based approach (HRBA) into climate change education and research. It is designed to build the conceptual and practical foundation for educators and institutions seeking to embed rights-based principles into their academic work on climate action and sustainability transitions.
About the Primer
The Primer was developed as part of RWI’s ongoing collaboration with universities across the Asia-Pacific and draws from internal conceptual development work, past experience in education programming, and emerging literature on climate justice, just transitions, and human rights governance.
It provides:
- A clear explanation of HRBA and its relevance to climate change teaching
- Conceptual foundations on climate justice, just transitions, and intergenerational equity
- Practical ideas on how to apply these concepts across disciplines, whether in law, development studies, environmental science, or social work
- A visual roadmap that links program-level and institutional-level changes, including curriculum design, pedagogy, and policy alignment
The resource is intended for faculty members, academic administrators, curriculum designers, and students, and aims to serve both as an introductory guide and a reflective tool for advancing transformative climate education.
Download the Primer: Integrating Rights and Equality in Climate Change, Disasters, and Human Mobility: A Primer for Higher Education Institutions
Part of a Broader RAPP2 Series
This Primer complements RWI’s broader portfolio of publications under the RAPP2 programme, including:
- Empowering NHRIs to Advance Rights-Based Climate Action (Gap Analysis Report)
- Climate Mobility and Human Rights: A Monitoring Toolkit for NHRIs
Together, these tools aim to strengthen the capacity of both academic and institutional actors to implement human rights-based approaches in addressing the impacts of climate change across the Asia-Pacific region.
Explore all RAPP2 resources here