Climate change education and training was high on the agenda at the 20th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP 20) which was held from 1 to 12 December 2014 in Lima, Peru. Parties adopted the Lima Ministerial Declaration on Education and Awareness-raising which encourages “governments to develop education strategies that incorporate the issue of climate change in curricula and to include awareness-raising on climate change in the design and implementation of national development and climate change strategies and policies in line with their national priorities and competencies.” The Declaration thereby confirms and strengthens the Doha Work Programme on Article 6 that was adopted at COP 18 in 2012.

Over the past years, the One UN Climate Change Learning Partnership (UN CC:Learn) has been at the forefront of supporting countries in implementing Article 6 of the Convention through the development and implementation of national climate change learning strategies in five pilot countries. At present the partnership is further scaling-up, including five new national projects and a sub-regional hub in Central America.

At the Climate Talks in Lima, UN CC:Learn was highly visible, including several side-events and a two-weeks exhibit.

UN CC:Learn Ambassadors Share their First Hand Experience on Climate Change Education and Training with the People of Peru — An Inspiring Evening Outside the Negotiation Halls

While inside the ‘Pentagonito’ (the venue where the COP was taking place) negotiators were discussing a new agreement for the period after 2020, the ‘Voices for Climate’ area provided an opportunity for the general public to learn about climate change and how it affects forests, mountains, oceans, cities and energy supply. Inside this imaginative space, Ambassadors for Climate Change Learning from four countries (Dominican Republic, Indonesia, Malawi and Uganda) engaged in a discussion with COP delegates and visitors from Lima on how to strengthen learning on climate change, from education for children to professional training for adults. The event was the first joint performance of the UN CC:Learn Ambassadors since their endorsement by the UN CC:Learn Steering Group in October 2014. Read more...

How to Make a Difference through Climate Change Education and Training — COP 20 Event Features UN Support for Life Long Learning and … a Game!

This unusual side event provided a snapshot of what the United Nations is doing to support climate change education and training for children, youth and adults. Panellists and participants discussed how learning can actually ‘make a difference’ on the ground as well as the role of formal, non-formal and informal approaches. The audience also actively engaged in a game on climate risk management animated by the Red Cross Climate Center (RCCC). The event was hosted by UNEP, UNITAR, UNESCO, UNICEF, FAO, and IFAD in collaboration with YOUNGO. Read more...

Central American Climate Leaders Endorse a Regional Approach to Education and Training

In an innovative initiative (possibly the first of its kind globally) the Central American countries met at a side event chaired by the Environment Minister for Belize to discuss a regional programme on climate change learning. The Central American region already has a climate change strategy which was negotiated in 2010 under the Central America Integration System (SICA). Now SICA member countries want to build on this strategy through coordinated action on climate change learning. Read more...

Side Event 'Education and Communication as Cornerstones for Effective Climate Action'
This event, jointly prepared and organized by the UN Alliance on Climate Change Education, Training and Public Awareness, featured representatives of governments, the United Nations, civil society and youth organizations to discuss inspiring examples of building knowledge for climate action and engage in an interactive dialogue with participants.

One UN Climate Change Education for All Exhibit
UN CC:Learn was featured at a One UN exhibit on climate change education that was open for the entire two weeks of the conference. More than 600 delegates actively engaged in discussions about what the UN is doing to support learning and skills development at global, national and local levels. Co-organizers included FAO, IFAD, ILO, ITU, UNEP, UNESCO, UNICEF, UNITAR, UNU and WMO.

About UN CC:Learn

UN CC:Learn is a partnership of more than 30 multilateral organizations supporting countries to  design and implement systematic, recurrent and results-oriented climate change learning. At the global level, the partnership supports knowledge-sharing, promotes the development of common climate change learning materials, and coordinates learning interventions through a collaboration of UN agencies and other partners. At the national level, UN CC:Learn supports countries in developing and implementing national climate change learning strategies. Through its engagement at the national and global levels, UN CC:Learn contributes to the implementation of Article 6 of the UNFCCC on training, education and public awareness-raising, and the 2012-2020 Doha Work Programme.  Funding for UN CC:Learn is provided by the Swiss Government and UN partners. The Secretariat for UN CC:Learn is hosted by the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).