Efforts to Mainstream Climate Change Education in Cameroon’s Public Universities
摘要
Climate change has far-reaching effects on academic institutions. However, dominant discourses on climate change sustainability seldom consider the role of universities in integrating climate change education (CCE) into policies, programmes and curricula as an urgent necessity to ensure a sustainable future. In Cameroon and other lower-middle-income countries, climate change remains controversial and often competes with other developmental priorities. In this chapter, we identify and document ways that public universities in Cameroon integrate CCE into their institutions. We extracted relevant data from the official websites of all eleven public universities in Cameroon, in addition to scientific publications and policy documents, focusing on policies, courses and programmes, as well as research initiatives and partnerships. After analysing the data, we concluded that integrating CCE in higher education is a critical necessity, considering the role of universities in fostering climate-oriented discourse and shaping future researchers, leaders and policymakers. We further argue that the near-absence of institutional policies and the lack of commitment by some universities to support integration of CCE into higher education in Cameroon may be a missed opportunity to equip students and staff, as well as their institutions, with the critical skills and infrastructure needed to create a sustainable future.