Mexico's Coastal Schools Turn Climate Threats Into Hands-On Learning with UNESCO

UNESCO and Eni México developed the educational initiative through a participatory approach that brings together scientific knowledge, local experiences and practical classroom activities.

More than 700 primary school students in Mexico's coastal region of Tabasco are learning how to recognise climate threats, protect their communities and prepare for natural disasters through an educational initiative supported by UNESCO and Eni México. The programme connects everyday classroom lessons with environmental challenges such as coastal erosion, extreme weather and the degradation of natural ecosystems that directly affect families living near the sea. Working with teachers and local education authorities, the initiative encourages children to explore their surroundings, understand environmental changes and develop practical ideas for making their communities safer.

The findings were presented in UNESCO's 2026 educational guide titled "Educación en situaciones de emergencia: adaptarse al cambio climático y reducir el riesgo de desastres en ecosistemas costeros" (Education in Emergency Situations: Adapting to Climate Change and Reducing Disaster Risks in Coastal Ecosystems). Developed by Víctor Francisco Avendaño Trujillo, Anna-Emilia Hietanen and Sandra Itzel López Zepeda through UNESCO's Office in Mexico City, the publication provides teaching activities and project ideas designed around the environmental challenges experienced by coastal communities.

Between May 2025 and September 2026, teachers and education authorities from 13 primary schools in Andrés Sánchez Magallanes carried out observation, research and learning activities with technical guidance from UNESCO. These experiences helped shape a teaching guide that allows schools to connect existing curriculum topics with real environmental problems affecting children's homes, neighbourhoods and local ecosystems. The programme demonstrates how learning about climate change can become more meaningful when students investigate familiar places and participate in activities that encourage environmental awareness and disaster preparedness.

Coastal Schools Connect Classroom Learning with Real Climate Challenges

Coastal communities in Sánchez Magallanes face growing environmental difficulties linked to shoreline erosion, extreme weather events and damage to surrounding ecosystems. These challenges affect homes, public infrastructure, livelihoods and educational facilities, creating a need for young people to understand the risks present in their communities. UNESCO and Eni México developed the educational initiative through a participatory approach that brings together scientific knowledge, local experiences and practical classroom activities.

Before developing the teaching materials, UNESCO examined Mexico's official primary education curriculum and reviewed 36 free school textbooks to understand how environmental topics were being taught. The review found that sustainability, climate change and disaster prevention were already included in school subjects, but stronger connections between these topics and local environmental conditions could improve students' understanding. This finding encouraged the development of lessons that allow children to connect scientific concepts with the changes they observe in their surroundings.

Students participated in observation walks, community interviews, photography, documentary research and collaborative activities designed to help them identify environmental risks. Learning directly from their surroundings encouraged children to ask questions about coastal changes, explore the experiences of older community members and consider ways to reduce disaster-related dangers. Teachers reported that these practical activities supported active learning and made classroom discussions more relevant to the everyday experiences of students and their families.

Students Explore Coastal Erosion and Map Disaster Risks

At Don Venustiano Carranza Primary School, second-grade students investigated coastal erosion through observation walks and conversations with older residents who shared memories of environmental changes in the area. The children used this information to create drawings, record changes in their surroundings, and develop a risk map identifying vulnerable locations around their school and community. Their work carried particular importance because some families had already lost their homes to the advancing sea, and the school itself had previously been relocated because of coastal erosion.

The activities helped children understand that environmental risks are not distant problems described only in textbooks but challenges affecting places they know and people they care about. Teacher Olivia del Rosario Reyes Quiroz highlighted the importance of recognising community hazards, preparing risk maps and understanding the actions needed during emergencies. These lessons encouraged students to think about personal safety, family preparedness and the importance of having clear plans before natural disasters occur.

Sixth-grade students at General Francisco Villa Primary School examined environmental risks affecting homes, local biodiversity and economic activities in the coastal region. Their research identified vulnerable locations, including schools, beaches, lagoons and mangroves, helping them understand how environmental damage can affect both people and natural habitats. Using their findings, students created information leaflets, a community mural and proposals for disaster prevention and ecosystem conservation that could encourage greater public awareness.

Teachers Highlight the Need for Stronger Climate Education

Teachers involved in the initiative reported that the educational guide provided useful activities for connecting school subjects with climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction. Their assessments also identified the need for additional professional training, continued technical support and clearer teaching guidance on climate change and comprehensive disaster risk management. These findings highlight the importance of supporting educators with practical resources and specialised knowledge so that environmental education becomes a regular part of classroom learning.

The educational approach supports UNESCO's broader principles of Education for Sustainable Development and Education in Emergencies, which encourage schools to prepare students for environmental challenges and unexpected disruptions. Integrating disaster preparedness into everyday education can help children develop problem-solving skills, strengthen community awareness and understand how their actions contribute to protecting local environments. Teachers can use these activities to encourage cooperation between students, families and community members, creating opportunities for shared learning beyond school boundaries.

The School Zone 46 Supervision Office, led by Candy Victoria Virgilio de la Cruz, continues to promote the guide and encourage participating schools to document their experiences. The office plans to collect stories and observations from students, teachers and families about climate adaptation, disaster preparedness and coastal ecosystem protection. These experiences will also be connected with reading and writing activities, helping children develop communication skills through subjects that reflect their own lives and communities.

UNESCO and Eni México Expand Efforts to Build Resilient Communities

The educational initiative forms part of a broader partnership between UNESCO and Eni México to improve disaster preparedness, strengthen environmental protection and support sustainable development in Tabasco. The partnership includes technical assistance for the Water Security Plan covering the Mezcalapa-Samaria Sub-basin, efforts to strengthen Tabasco's Early Warning System and community projects focused on protecting natural and cultural heritage. These activities recognise that improving coastal resilience requires cooperation across education, environmental management, emergency preparedness and local economic development.

Community-based tourism is another area being explored through initiatives that encourage residents to protect and manage their cultural and natural heritage. Strengthening local livelihoods alongside environmental protection can help communities respond more effectively to climate-related pressures and reduce their vulnerability to disasters. The combination of educational activities, disaster warning improvements and local development initiatives provides a broader foundation for building safer and more resilient coastal communities.

UNESCO believes the teaching guide could offer valuable lessons for primary schools in other coastal regions of Mexico facing similar environmental risks. Successful adaptation would require schools to consider local geography, available resources, cultural traditions and the social and economic conditions that shape community experiences. The initiative shows how practical environmental education can help children become more aware of climate risks and better prepared to contribute to protecting their families, schools and surroundings.