From 23 to 24 April 2026, the Climate Change Education Forum of Shanghai Climate Week 2026 was convened in Shanghai. The UNESCO International Research and Training Centre for Rural Education (INRULED) participated as a co-organiser. Dr. Qi Xinjian, Assistant Director of INRULED, attended and delivered a thematic report.
Hosted by East China Normal University and organised by the Shanghai Municipal Institute for Lifelong Education, the forum was co-organised by UNESCO INRULED alongside the Shanghai Climate Week Executive Committee, the Institute of Lifelong Learning and Education for Sustainable Development at the Beijing Academy of Educational Sciences, Save the Children International (China Country Office), University of Phayao (Thailand), and over ten other domestic and international institutions. Under the theme“Climate Change Education for Green Development: Building Practice and Knowledge Systems and Advancing International Cooperation”, the forum brought together experts and representatives from educational institutions across China, Brazil, India, Kazakhstan, Australia, South Africa, Uzbekistan, Thailand, Malaysia, Cuba, Viet Nam, Germany, and beyond to explore theoretical frameworks and pathways for global collaboration in climate change education.
In his afternoon presentation on 23 April, Dr. Qi Xinjian delivered a speech entitled “Skills for Rural Transformation and Sustainable Development”, sharing INRULED's approaches and practices in Education for Sustainable Rural Development (ESRD). He emphasised that sustainable development education in rural areas goes beyond fostering environmental awareness. It is fundamentally linked to livelihood improvement, community development, and cultural continuity, and serves as a key pathway for holistic rural transformation. Drawing on case studies including community-based waste sorting education in Deqing, Zhejiang, and the livelihood transition project by Green Xinjiang in Xinjiang, Dr. Qi demonstrated how non-formal education can integrate indigenous knowledge with modern sustainability concepts to achieve the goals of ecological restoration, cultural continuity, and economic empowerment. He further noted that INRULED is advancing rural ESD through capacity-building initiatives, international dialogues, youth engagement programmes, and network development, aiming to scale up localised practices into systemic approaches and generate transferable solutions for the Global South.
During the forum, the Shanghai Municipal Institute for Lifelong Education launched a series of publications, including the Guidelines for Climate Change Education (AI Edition), Curriculum Plan for Climate Change Education for Older Adults, the Top Ten Initiatives for Green Households, and the Top Ten Initiatives for Green Communities. The launch ceremony for a BRICS+ Joint Laboratory Initiative on Climate Change Education and Green Development was also held.
Following the forum, delegates visited Shanghai Jing’an Community College for field observation and discussion of community-level climate change education practices.
The successful convening of the forum further strengthened international exchange and cooperation in climate change education. INRULED will build on this opportunity to deepen its work in sustainable rural development education and expand global partnerships, in addressing climate change and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals.