Climate change and education systems in Mexico: impacts and policy priorities

This paper examines the relationship between climate risks and education through a systems lens, combining evidence on impacts with an analysis of policy frameworks and implementation constraints. Climate change is increasingly shaping education outcomes in Mexico, while education systems remain central to enabling climate adaptation and mitigation. Drawing on administrative data, geospatial analysis, and existing empirical studies, it shows that hydrometeorological shocks such as floods and extreme rainfall disrupt schooling continuity, damage infrastructure, and generate persistent learning losses, with disproportionate effects in high-marginality regions.

Despite a comprehensive policy framework linking climate change, disaster risk management, and education, implementation remains uneven. Climate-related disruptions are often treated as administrative issues rather than systemic risks, and coordination across institutions remains partial. Constraints related to institutional fragmentation, financing, alignment of skills systems with labor market demand, and limited implementation capacity reduce the effectiveness of policy efforts. The paper identifies priority pathways to strengthen climate-responsive education systems, focusing on risk-informed planning, teacher capacity, curriculum integration, and alignment of green skills with regional demand. Strengthening these system functions can improve the resilience of education systems while enhancing their contribution to long-term climate adaptation and low-carbon development.