Girls’ education drives sustainable development

Impact

Emission Reductions

The climate benefits of investing in girls’ education are exceptionally powerful, as they accumulate over time.

The benefits unfold slowly at first, as marginalized communities in low-income countries tend to have very low carbon emissions. The transformational effects of education take time to manifest.

But year by year, these positive effects build and accumulate and eventually, this steady accumulation of avoided emissions creates a multiplying effect. What begins as a gradual shift becomes a powerful driver of both climate resilience and social progress, reaching across generations and creating broader systems change.

At Katla Carbon, we model this long-term impact over a 50-year period. Our approach captures the cumulative climate benefits of education as they grow over time — recognizing that real, lasting climate solutions are rooted not only in carbon quantification, but in equity, dignity, and human potential.

Human Rights

Ensuring education for marginalized girls in low-income countries can be a powerful act of advancing human rights, especially in impoverished communities where child marriage and unplanned teenage pregnancies are common. Education is the strongest tool we have to help girls avoid these outcomes.

In school, girls gain knowledge about their rights and learn about topics like sexual and reproductive health — often for the first time, as these subjects can be considered taboo in many communities. This knowledge gives them greater agency to make informed decisions about their bodies, their futures, and their lives.

Supporting girls’ education is one of the most effective ways to promote freedom, dignity, and lasting change.

The Sustainable Development Goals

TARGETS: 3.1, 3.2, 3.7.

Good health and well-being

Increasing the education levels girls greatly reduces rates of child marriage and teenage pregnancy, which has the effect of reducing the incidence of infant and maternal mortality. Childbirth and pregnancy-related complications are among leading causes of death for girls in low-income countries.

Mothers' education levels also affect their children. For example, children of mothers under the age of 18 have a higher risk of dying before the age of five and of being malnourished. Educated mothers tend to be more informed about nutrition and health, including the importance of vaccinations.

TARGETS: 5.1, 5.3, 5.6.

Gender equality

Education shapes girls' lives by reducing harmful practices rooted in gender inequality. Those who leave school early face higher risks of child marriage, early motherhood, and domestic violence, often lacking agency in household decisions. Educated girls, however, are more likely to have control over their futures and better sexual and reproductive health knowledge.

TARGETS: 10.3, 10.b.

Reduced inequalities

Education reduces inequalities within societies and between regions. The projects increase flow of capital from the Global North to the Global South, to communities where the need is greatest and where people are most vulnerable to the negative effects of climate change.

TARGETS: 4.1, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7

Quality education

Education opens up important opportunities for children, and for girls in low-income countries, who have even fewer opportunities than boys, education is crucial. Education provides girls with knowledge and awareness of their rights, which leads to their empowerment and ability to fulfill their ambitions and make decisions on important issues affecting their own lives.

Children of educated mothers are also more likely to do well in school than children of uneducated mothers.

TARGETS: 13.1, 13.3, 13.b.

Climate action

Not only do increased girls education levels reduce emissions in the long run, they are also a fundamental adaptation measure. As education levels increase, communities’ ability to cope with the negative consequences of climate change also increase (see ND-GAIN Index).

TARGETS: 8.6

Decent work and economic growth

Girls' education strengthens economies and reduces inequalities, as educated women are more likely to participate in the formal labor market. Poverty decreases with the increased level of education of women, as societies with increased resilience and less deprivation are more likely to give all individuals the opportunity to fulfill their potential.