From 30 November to 12 December 2023, UN CC:Learn engaged in a series of activities at and during the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Beyond the flagship Climate Classroom @ COP28 initiative, UN CC:Learn organized and contributed to a series of events that highlighted the importance of climate change education, training and public awareness.
Regional Declaration for Increased Financing Climate Change Education
In a dedicated session titled “Financing Climate Change Education: Challenges and Successes,” held on 4 December 2023, UN CC:Learn addressed the pivotal issue of financing initiatives aimed at strengthening climate change education, notably in West Africa.
The discussion was attended by high-level representatives and emphasized the importance of sustained financial support for climate change education to effect meaningful change. The opening panel drew on the expertise of UN CC:Learn and its partner countries in mobilizing resources for the implementation of their National Climate Change Learning Strategies.
The event continued with the presentation and launch of the “Regional Declaration on Strengthening Climate Change Education in West Africa that was signed on stage by the Ministers of Environments of Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, Senegal, and Togo.
A press conference after the event allowed the countries that led the development of this Regional Declaration to further highlight it and present it to the media.
In addition, The UNITAR Senior Advisor for West Africa also presented the Declaration during a Greening Education Partnership (GEP) concurrent session on Financing greening education, which was held on 8 December 2023, during a panel discussion on strengthening the global landscape on financing climate change and education.
M. Roger Baro, Minister of Environment of Burkina Faso, holding the Declaration.
Promoting Climate Literacy through the Postal Network
UN CC:Learn is very grateful to the Universal Postal Union (UPU) for the invitation to contribute to their event “Delivery for the future: The postal network as infrastructure for lifelong climate education”, also held on 4 December. This workshop, opened and animated by representatives from both institutions as well as the Emirates Post provided an opportunity to delve into and discuss with the public the potential of postal services as platforms for climate education, with a particular focus on the support to reaching the most remote and vulnerable communities.
Mr. Angus Mackay, Director, Division for Planet, UNITAR, and Head of the UN CC:Learn Secretariat at the “Delivery for the future: The Postal Network as infrastructure for Lifelong Climate Education’’ event.
Learning for a Just Low Carbon Transition
Organized by the Fondation Mohammed VI pour la protection de l’environnement, the side event “Mécanismes d’accompagnement pour une transition bas carbone juste” was held on 5 December 2023. Invited to participate in the rich panel discussion, a UN CC:Learn Secretariat representative highlighted the importance of building the right knowledge and skills to support this transition and presented a set of relevant learning interventions facilitated under the UN CC:Learn programme, ranging from the development of national climate change learning strategies in support of NDC implementation to the wide range of online resources available, with a particular attention to the entry points for leaving no one behind. The presentation also provided an opportunity to focus on the inspiring experience of Morocco, which has held multiple learning events on green economy under the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE).
Education for Climate Change in Senegal
In parallel, the UNITAR Senior Advisor for West Africa and coordinator of the UN CC:Learn work in the region had the opportunity to share the UN CC:Learn experience in strengthening education, training and public awareness across 13 countries of the Sahel through the dedicated regional hub during an event organized by the Government of Senegal. Lunched in 2018, this hub, which includes Senegal as a very active member, has been providing training and experience sharing opportunities for the national ACE focal points of the target countries, as well as other relevant stakeholders (e.g. journalists), as well as promoting the development of e-learning and broad communication on climate change. A key recent result of the hub has been the launch of the Regional Declaration on Strengthening Climate Change Education in West Africa, which calls for increased support for this agenda, and was signed the previous day by the Minister of Environment of Senegal, among other 4 Ministers. Senegal has also built capacities through its involvement in the Partnership for Action on Green Economy, whose national training component was also supported by the UNITAR Senior Advisor for West Africa.
Strengthening Collaboration with the GEMS Legacy School
Asha Alexander, the Principal of the GEMS Legacy School in Dubai and a UN CC:Learn Ambassador for Climate Change Learning, has been actively promoting the integration of climate change topics into the teaching in its school, which has over 600 students. Over the years, Ms. Asha Alexander has encouraged over 30,000 people, including school students and staff, to follow UN CC:Learn courses. The GEMS Legacy School organized its Climate Change Conference 2023 on the occasion of COP28 in Dubai, bringing together national and international participants. The event was opened by keynote speech delivered by the Head of the UN CC:Learn Secretariat, who emphasized how the role that education plays in empowering climate actors and leaders through the examples of UN CC:Learn alumni and champions.
Promoting Education for Sustainable Development in West Africa
On 6 December 2023, a UNESCO/UN CC:Learn panel discussion focused on “Bâtir des synergies fortes: Travailler ensemble pour promouvoir et développer l’éducation au développement durable (EDD) en Afrique de l’Ouest’’ (Building strong synergies: Working together to promote and develop Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in West Africa) provided an overview of the multiple initiatives promoting the development of knowledge and skills to address climate change and advance sustainable development in West Africa. The panelists introduced the interventions supported by UNESCO and by UN CC:Learn. Representatives fromCabo Verde, Mali, and Senegal, highlighted challenges and successes, best practices, and future perspectives in implementing national sustainable development education initiatives by 2030. The event highlighted entry points for synergies and connections to further strengthen action in this area.
Empowering Youth Leadership
On the day dedicated to youth and to education (8 December 2023), the event “Enabling Youth Climate Action Leadership through Innovative Learning” explored effective learning strategies to empower youth to take leadership roles in climate action. UN CC:Learn collaborated with Monash University to organize a panel discussion featuring the two institutions as well as 4 young people – including 2 negotiators from Burundi and Mongolia, a YOUNGO representative, and a youth activist and entrepreneur – to discuss good practices, identify remaining gaps and brainstorm ideas that would serve as actionable takeaways for learning institutions.
Sharing the Experience of Ghana
COP28 provided an excellent opportunity for the Government of Ghana to showcase their long-standing investment in climate change education. The side event on the “Integration of Climate Change into School Curricula – Ghana’s Experience,”. At this event, the national ACE focal point and UN CC:Learn Ambassador for climate change learning, the Director of the Ghana Education System, a youth representative and a teacher from Ghana shared the work they have been undertaking to advance the integration of climate change topics across specific subjects, teacher training, the development of teaching materials, youth engagement and public awareness. A UN CC:Learn Secretariat representative highlighted the engagement under this initiative since 2014, which led to the development of the National Climate Change and Green Economy Learning Strategy, launched in 2016, and its ongoing implementation.
UN CC:Learn’s engagement at COP28, through these events, bilateral meetings, the Climate Classroom as well as other engagements, underscore the organization’s commitment to advancing climate literacy and fostering meaningful dialogue on global climate action.
The UN CC:Learn team and partners at the “Integration of Climate Change into School Curricula – Ghana’s Experience’’ event.