The complexities of climate change require a holistic approach, which UNESCO provides though its longstanding expertise combining science, education, culture, and communication and information. UNESCO will organize and join a series of events and exhibitions to bring this expertise to the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP27) which takes place at Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt from 6-18 November 2022.

We invite those interested to join UNESCO at the following climate change education events at COP27. 

Thursday, 10 November 2022 (Youth/Future Generation Day)
9:00-10:30 EET
Earth Day Pavilion in Blue Zone

This event highlights youth participation, collaboration, and input  in the development, design, and implementation of Greening Education Partnership led by UNESCO. This intergenerational, intersectoral panel centers youth voices in conversation with civil society, educator,  philanthropy, think tanks, professional associations, and labor to reflect on the process and opportunities present in the Partnership. The session builds on the work of EARTHDAY.ORG and partners’ advocacy work in the build up and aftermath of the UN Transforming Education Summit.

This event will be an opportunity to share the success of youth action toward global climate literacy campaigns and provide some context for the UNESCO events happening later in the day’s proceedings.

Thursday, 10 November 2022 (Youth/Future Generation Day)
16:00-17:30 EET

The dialogue between ministers of education/environment and young people will address concrete ways to transform education to tackle climate change. Building on the commitments made by a number of countries at COP26 in Glasgow (November 2021), and at the UN Transforming Education Summit (TES) in New York (September 2022), COP 27 is a unique opportunity to focus on concrete actions on climate change education. 

Recalling Berlin Declaration on ESD (2021) which called for ‘climate action as a core curriculum component’, UNESCO organized a series of survey and consultations with 17,000 young people from 166 countries as a part of its work to co-develop green curriculum guideline with young people. The youth asks will be presented on this occasion, and the dialogue between ministers and young people will be structured around the key findings.

As the way forward, calls for countries and key stakeholders to join Greening Education Partnership will be made.

Thursday, 10 November 2022 (Youth/Future Generations Day)
12:30-13:30 EET
UNESCO Pavilion in Green zone

The UN Secretary General’s Transforming Education Summit strongly confirmed that education must be transformed to fully contribute to solutions to the global climate and environmental crisis. A new Greening Education Partnership aims to deliver strong, coordinated and comprehensive action that will prepare every learner to acquire the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes to tackle climate change and to promote sustainable development.  Education, and specifically Education for sustainable development (ESD), is uniquely placed to transform individuals and societies through greening education. Learners can be empowered with the skills required for inclusive and sustainable growth, in the context of the twin transitions to digital and green economies.

Taking a lifelong learning approach starting from pre-primary to adult education, greening education will equip all learners with critical competencies covering not only knowledge and awareness, but also socio-emotional skills and behaviours, including critical thinking and collaboration. Learners will be enabled to understand the complexity of the climate and environmental crisis, how global sustainability challenges are interconnected, and also to support problem solving in their contexts.

The session will: present the new Greening Education Partnership, its aim and purpose, and how it will function; build on the Member States support at TES, this session is to mobilize commitment and action from key stakeholders relevant to ACE; discuss coordination and contribution of all relevant actors in support of the education partnership; and collect pledges and commitments from key stakeholders.

Tuesday, 15 November 2022 (ACE Day)
14:30-15:30 EET
UNESCO pavilion in the Green Zone 

It is increasingly recognized that education and learning are crucial for addressing the climate emergency. Education can aim to teach us to live harmoniously within our planetary boundaries, as a part of a shared ecosystem. Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) reorients education to empower learners of all ages to act for environmental integrity, economic viability, and a more equitable society.

This session will be an occasion for a deep dive into the youth demands that have been compiled in the ‘Youth demand quality climate change education’ publication. Voices of young people will be brought together to highlight what they think is quality climate change education and how they wish the current education systems to change.

The expert panel will discuss the ways and means to translate youth asks and demands into concrete actions, particularly into curriculum guidelines for policymakers and educators.

Tuesday 15 November 2022
10:00-10:45 EET
UAE Pavilion in Blue Zone

Recalling Berlin Declaration on ESD (2021) which called for ‘climate action as a core curriculum component’ and Building on the commitments made by a number of countries at COP26 in Glasgow (November 2021), UNESCO launched the Greening Education Partnership during the UN Transforming Education Summit (TES) in New York (September 2022). The Partnership aims to bring together key stakeholders including Member States and International organizations to accelerate action in the 4 action areas: greening schools, greening learning by, greening capacity & readiness, and greening communities.

UNESCO, UN Resident Coordinator’s Office of UAE, and UNFCCC are organizing an expert panel discussion, on 15th November 2022, on the occasion of Action for Climate Empowerment Day at the UAE Pavilion. The session will showcase climate-smart educational initiatives and discuss the outcomes of a series of expert discussions on climate change education for social transformation held through ‘UNESCO-UNFCCC On the Road to COP27 webinar series’. In particular, greening schools – one of the four pillars of the Greening Education Partnership – will be discussed to prepare for the next round of expert webinar series in the lead up to COP28 in UAE.

Saturday 5 November 2022
13:00 CET

The Office for Climate Education (OCE), in partnership with UNESCO, is hosting the #TeachersCOP, in a hybrid format live from Egypt.
 
This international event aims to highlight to global politicians and decision-makers at #COP27, the work of teachers, the challenges they face and the key role they play in the global climate response.
 
The first edition took place during the COP26 held in Glasgow and counted with the participation of more than 500 teachers from more than 35 different countries! The Office for Climate Education is renewing the experience to once again bring the voice and the great work of teachers, this time to COP27.

During this event, teachers from around the world will be able to discover and choose concrete climate change education projects that will be presented to policy and education stakeholders at the #IPCC Pavillion in the heart of COP27 in Egypt !
 
This is an opportunity for teachers to get inspired and take action to improve climate change education.
 
The event will be held simultaneously in English, French, Spanish and Arabic.

UNESCO surveyed nearly 17,500 young people from 166 countries, in all regions, 88% of whom were aged between 11 and 19 years, and developed a report based on the survey.

According to the survey, young people crave solution-oriented, experiential learning on climate change. Although 91% of young people surveyed said they have learnt about climate change at school, nearly 70% of them reported they don't know enough about this critical issue.
 
The survey revealed 27% of respondents cannot explain what climate change is, 41% can only explain the broad principles and 2% do not know anything about it. One out of five respondents report that they do not feel school has prepared them to confront climate change.

At COP 27, UNESCO will reaffirm its call to governments to mainstream access to quality climate change education across curricula by 2025. Action-oriented education on climate change will empower students to find concrete solutions and to voice their concerns, participate in decision-making processes and take civic action.

The full survey report will be launched at COP27 and available online shortly.

Tune into the first season of UNESCO-UNFCCC's Webinar Series, Climate Change Education for Social Transformation: On the Road to COP27, which is dedicated to the goal of greening every education policy and curriculum to be climate ready. Taking place on the last Tuesday of every month, each episode will explore the critical role of climate change education, and how to harness its transformative power, in leading up to COP27.

The final session will close season 1 by looking back at COP27 and its key takeaways, achievements, and commitments made related to climate change education.

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