LocationsClimate Action in Classroom: Living the SDGs Through Education
January 29, 2026
Climate change is no longer a distant threat—it is part of everyday life. From unpredictable weather to rising air pollution, its impacts are increasingly felt by communities across Thailand and around the world.
Responding to this reality can begin with education.
Developed by the United Nations Development Programme, Climate Box is a set of interactive climate learning tools that creates a dynamic classroom experience through games, quizzes, and practical activities—connecting global challenges to daily life.
At Bodindecha (Sing Singhaseni) School in Thailand’s Samut Prakan province, one teacher and his students are using Climate Box not only to learn about climate change, but to turn that knowledge into real-world solutions that save water, reduce pollution, and live the Sustainable Development Goals in action.
Making Climate Learning Real
Mr. Prawit Harnuparb, a physics teacher, has been teaching at the school for over two years with a clear intention: to place environmental issues at the heart of the classroom. This approach is increasingly urgent as Thailand faces multiple environmental challenges—from flooding and drought to worsening air pollution.
He believes that knowledge, when placed in the hands of young people, can drive real change. That belief led him to Climate Box, a set of practical climate education tools introduced to schools nationwide in 2025 through a collaboration between UNDP and Thailand’s Office of the Basic Education Commission.
Seeing how well the materials aligned with the existing curriculum, Mr. Prawit began integrating Climate Box into his lessons. Inside the toolkit are games, posters, and learning materials covering climate change, clean energy, and environmental issues from both local and global perspectives. He uses them particularly in physical science classes, especially when teaching topics related to renewable energy, through interactive and activity-based learning.
By turning complex climate concepts into hands-on experiences, Climate Box helps students see climate change as something connected to their daily lives—something they can understand, care about, and act on. Instead of passively listening, students are encouraged to play, discuss, and work through problems together, creating a classroom environment where engagement and curiosity thrive.
From Climate Knowledge to Innovation
As students began connecting classroom lessons to real challenges around them, climate education moved from theory to purpose. That shift opened the door to innovation.
Inspired by Climate Box, four students—Wirat Kladcay, Natnicha Sanitkum, Rinlada Muensoontorn, and Chotiga Rueangkaeo—developed a project called BDS Smart Farm, a solar-powered smart irrigation system designed to save water. The idea emerged from their observations of farmers who struggle with limited water for cultivation.
The system uses soil-moisture sensors to automatically regulate irrigation, ensuring crops receive the right amount of water without waste. Powered entirely by solar energy, it operates independently from household electricity, demonstrating how clean energy can be applied in practical, community-focused solutions.
Scaling Ideas to New Challenges
The students continued to build on their innovation by responding to another pressing issue: air pollution. Adapting the same core system, they developed BDS Dust Free Zone, an automated mist-spraying system designed to reduce PM2.5 dust in shared spaces.
By replacing soil-moisture sensors with air-quality sensors and adjusting the code accordingly, the system now detects pollution levels and automatically sprays fine mist to trap airborne dust particles. Like the original project, it runs on solar energy. Installed in a school pavilion, the system helps create a cleaner and safer space for students and the surrounding community.
Teachers as Multipliers of Change
For Mr. Prawit, these outcomes highlight the powerful role teachers play in responding to climate challenges. When students are equipped with the right knowledge and tools, learning does not stop at the classroom door. Understanding gained by one student can ripple outward—into families, communities, and future careers.
More than a teaching resource, Climate Box serves as a bridge between knowledge and action. It enables teachers to nurture critical thinking, problem-solving, and responsibility among young people, while empowering students to see themselves as part of the solution. Through education that inspires curiosity and innovation, climate action becomes not only possible—but personal.
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