This year’s Mother Earth Day celebrated on 22 April, has a special focus on education and climate change, and is an opportunity to look at what UN Climate Change and others are doing on the issue.
Education and training are crucial to enable citizens to contribute to local and global efforts to meet the climate change challenge and the challenge of sustainable development. Increased knowledge and learning about the causes and impacts of climate change improves and protects lives.
UN Climate Change works with many governments, UN partner agencies and NGOs as part of its “Action for Climate Empowerment” (ACE) initiative. One such NGO is the Mohammed VI Foundation for Environmental Protection. The Foundation’s Coordinator Ayman Cherkaoui says:
“In the context of climate change, we are a strong supporter of Action for Climate Empowerment and highlighting the importance of connecting education with climate action. We believe that education is at the core of everything we need to do both in terms of the climate space and the broader 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”
Through education, people can become more aware of their role as consumers and are empowered to make ethically informed decisions.
For example, communities can contribute to a solution-oriented public dialogue, while engaging local decision-makers in taking meaningful action and shaping climate policy.
And better education can help people fully deploy clean energy and prepare for more extreme weather resulting from climate change such as droughts and floods.
Original source: UNFCCC
Published on 18 April 2019
