Disaster and Climate Education (DCE). Reflections from the 2025 European Symposium of the Disaster and Climate Education Network
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| Title: | Disaster and Climate Education (DCE). Reflections from the 2025 European Symposium of the Disaster and Climate Education Network |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | José Pastrana Huguet (ORCID |
| Source: | Online Submission. 2026. |
| Peer Reviewed: | N |
| Page Count: | 43 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Reports - Descriptive |
| Education Level: | Elementary Secondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Climate, Natural Disasters, Ecology, Environmental Education, Foreign Countries, Risk Management, Conferences (Gatherings), Research, Knowledge Level, Research Needs, Legal Responsibility, Cultural Differences, Legislation, Elementary Secondary Education, Crisis Management, Role of Education, Barriers |
| Geographic Terms: | Germany, Spain, United Kingdom (England) |
| Abstract: | This report presents findings from the 2025 European Symposium of the Disaster and Climate Education Network (DCEN), held at the University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, Germany. The DCEN is an international research and cooperation network founded by researchers from Germany, Spain, and England, dedicated to linking education, climate change, and disaster risk reduction (DRR). Against the backdrop of accelerating climate impacts -- including rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and the European Environment Agency's warning that Europe is insufficiently prepared for climate risks -- the symposium brought together twelve participants (researchers and guest experts) to examine the current state of Disaster and Climate Education (DCE) across the three participating countries. Through structured discussions, expert presentations, and working group sessions, the symposium addressed three core questions: what DCE is, what is currently missing from it, and how it can be better integrated into educational systems. Findings reveal that while Germany, Spain, and England have each developed relevant legal and policy frameworks, substantial gaps remain in translating these into effective, systematic educational practice. Key challenges identified include insufficient teacher training, limited hands-on preparation, a lack of community-centered and bottom-up approaches, and the persistent gap between scientific knowledge and public awareness. Spain's 2024 Valencia floods served as a prominent case study illustrating the real-world consequences of these educational shortcomings. The report concludes that effective DCE requires a holistic approach integrating formal and informal learning across all age groups, with particular attention to vulnerable populations. It calls for stronger interdisciplinary research, intergenerational learning strategies, and cross-national collaboration to build societally resilient communities capable of anticipating and responding to the growing challenges of climate change and disaster risk. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | ED680169 |
| Database: | ERIC |
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