My World. The United Nations Global Survey for a Better World
My
World is a global survey developed by the United Nations with several partner organizations. It asks
individuals which six of sixteen possible issues they think would make the most difference to their lives, one of
them being action taken on climate change. Citizens of all ages, genders and backgrounds, particularly the
world's poor and marginalized communities, are called upon to get involved and let the world know their
priorities and views, so that world leaders can be informed as they begin the process of setting the next global
development agenda.
"Climate
Literacy: Navigating Climate Conversations" is a free course offered by the University of British Columbia
tackling both the scientific and socio-political dimensions of climate change. The course introduces the basics of
the climate system, models and predictions, human and natural impacts, mitigative and adaptive responses, and the
evolution of climate policy. Furthermore, it explores the basic concepts and terms needed to understand the science
of climate change, and the available mitigation, adaptation and policy options.
The Africa
Adaptation Knowledge Network (AAKNet) is a platform aimed at building a shared knowledge base to help shape an
innovative community of practice. Implemented by the Global Adaptation Network, it builds on ongoing efforts around
the region to mobilize existing knowledge and best adaptation practices. Practitioners, policy makers, researchers
and community members will be brought together so as to compare, contrast and collate the lessons learnt from their
actions addressing climate risks.
The course aims to bring climate change education outside the science classroom into all subject areas liable to be
affected by climate change. These include as ethics, social studies, economics and political science, among many
others.
Using a holistic approach, pedagogical approaches and techniques in their own school environment, teachers can
develop the capacities to facilitate climate change mitigation, adaptation and disaster risk reduction learning.
Teacher education institutions can also use the course to update CCESD content in their pre-service and in-service
training programmes through pedagogical frameworks, exercises, regional resources and guidelines.
Users can access to the learning materials through Flash-based software. The Flipbook format provides an on-screen
textbook experience along with the functionality of web links to quickly access other pages, or complementary
information (e.g. PowerPoint slides).
Young People returned to COP18 united and ready to fight climate change. This
report explains the instrumental role YOUNGO, the youth constituency, play at the UNFCCC. It details youth
participation through policy creation, interventions, actions and lobbying. The report exemplifies the importance
of youth; their creativity, passion and dedication for solving climate change.
On 17 February 2013 the Forward on
Climate campaign brought together 40,000+ people from more than 30 states across the US, including students,
scientists and indigenous peoples, to tell President Obama to move forward on climate change. The event, organized
by 350.org, was reported as one of the largest climate rallies in US history supported
by more than twenty solidarity rallies across the country and more than one million online activists.
The Food
Security and Climate Change Challenge Badge is designed to help educate children and young people about climate
change and food security while encouraging them to take action against global warming, environmental degradation
and hunger in the world. By carrying out activities described in the manual young people will identify and take
actions to reduce their environmental footprint and learn how to make better consumer and life-style choices.
The Think
Tank Map provides an overview on the think tanks active in the field of climate change governance. Through an
interactive world map, this tool makes it possible to understand where research organizations working on climate
change are based and which projects are currently worked on. The Think Tank Map also aims to be a catalyst for new
cooperation opportunities, allowing stakeholders, researchers, institutions, and the media to be informed on past,
ongoing and future activities.
“Warm and Cold, We
Share Together“ is a 12-episode documentary that showcases adverse effects of climate change in ten
countries on five continents. The documentary was co-produced by China Central Television (CCTV), Huafeng
Meteorological Media Group and Central Xinying Group and builds on interviews with about 100 experts and government
officials.
Connect4Climate and the Global Environment Facility launch "Not Afraid" Voices4Climate Video Campaign
in Times Square
The American rapper Eminem and the Kenyan hip hop group TS1 have produced a remix of Eminem’s song „Not
Afraid“ to raise awareness on climate change issues. The music video
was played on 18 December 2012 throughout the day on two giant screens in New York City’s Time Square. The
project was realized by Connect4Climate in cooperation with MTV and Artists Project Earth.
Webinar "Governing Climate Change: Shifting Priorities in Urban Decision Making"
The Security and Sustainability Forum is a public interest educational organization that convenes global experts in
free events to address threats to society from climate and other disruptions to natural systems. The next webinar will
take place on Thursday, 31 January 2013 and explore the effects of climate change on urban governance. Trends of
shifting priorities in decision making and community engagement are being seen in light of challenges posed by
climate change and urbanization. Learning partner organizations for the series include Abt Associates, the World
Bank, the Woodrow Wilson Center, the Penn Institute for Urban Research and the International Housing Coalition.
“My
little COP Pocket Book“ is an easy-to-read guidebook on the UNFCCC process published by the youth-led
Green bits Initiative on the occasion of COP 18/CMP 8 to foster
a better understanding of the climate change process. The publication has been translated into seven languages,
including French, Swahili and Urdu among others.
Seeds of knowledge. Contributing to Climate Change Solutions
The Seeds
of Knowledge booklet presents 24 case studies from 17 countries on grassroots solutions to the impacts of
climate change. The publication aims to show that grassroots, community-led responses are already playing an
essential role in building resilience to climate change across all regions of the world. With the right levels of
investment and support, such initiatives can be scaled up and become a central component in reducing climate risks
and supporting the transition to an inclusive Green Economy.
Arabic version of "Growing together in a Changing Climate" brochure
is now online
The most popular publication of the United Nations Joint Framework Initiative on Children, Youth and Climate Change
has been translated into Arabic to reach out to a growing network of climate activists in the Arab region. Growing Together
in a Changing Climate: The United Nations, Young People, and Climate Change contains information on some of the
many climate change projects, campaigns, educational tools, websites and publications produced by the United
Nations and young people, independently or in partnership. Prepared with financial support from the European Union,
the publication lists inspiring examples of youth-focussed activities – from on-the-ground action to raising
awareness to advocacy efforts at the UNFCCC negotiations.
Launch of the United Nations Alliance on Climate Change Education, Training and Public Awareness
at COP 18/CMP 8
Monday, 3 December 2012, 13:15-14:45
Side Event Room 1 (Hall 5, ground floor)
At this side event the UNFCCC secretariat together with senior representatives of the other founding members will
launch the United Nations
Alliance on Climate Change Education, Training and Public Awareness. High-level representatives from Parties
and the Global Environment Facility will highlight examples of successful cooperation with founding members on
climate change education, training and public awareness activities. The Alliance’s objectives will be
presented and its founding members, including FAO, UNEP, UNESCO, UNFCCC, UNICEF, UNITAR and WMO will showcase how
they will provide support to and benefit of this new interagency cooperation. Participants will be invited to share
their views on the Alliance’s draft framework for action and contribute to its further development.
"Qatar in
Brussels. European youth convergence for climate justice" is a youth conference bringing together young
activists from all over Europe during the second week of the UN climate talks in Doha, Qatar. From 1 to 8 December
over 100 people will come together to follow the negotiations, link up with activists and civil society in Qatar,
share skills and learn about climate justice and act in solidarity, putting pressure on the European Union without
having to travel all the way to Qatar.
At this year's fifth annual "Intergenerational
Inquiry" youth delegates from around the world will engage with high-level representatives and the UNFCCC
Executive Secretary to discuss the role and importance of young people in the UNFCCC process. The Inquiry will
continue its tradition of being one of the most lively events on the United Nations Climate Change Conference
calendar. Guests will be invited to gain a better understanding of youth’s perspective through the climate
change game "Turn the Round" and a reverse question and answers session.
The The eighth
Conference of Youth (COY8) brings together international youth to learn about the UNFCCC, build networks and
work on climate justice issues worldwide. COY8 will take place in Doha, Qatar, from 23 to 25 November, and aims to
deliver a conference that seasoned campaigners and beginners alike can attend, providing a platform to learn from
each other on how to address the pressing environmental issues of our generation.
The Arab Youth
Climate Movement was simultaneously launched across more than a dozen countries in the Middle East and Northern
Africa on 10 November 2012. The movement, the first of its kind in the Arab region, unites hundreds of grass roots
activists and was established with the backing of campaigners from regional and international organizations.
The Youth-IN Climate
Change Cartoon Competition aims to bring young people to the center of climate change debates by encouraging
youth from the Caribbean to portray issues of concern related to climate change in their region. The call for
submissions for the cartoon competition runs until 15 October 2012.
The report "Climate Change in the Indian Mind" is based on a national survey conducted of 4,031
Indian adults in 2011, using a combined urban and rural sample. The study was designed to investigate the
current state of public climate change awareness, beliefs, attitudes, policy support, and behavior, as well
as public observations of changes in local weather and climate patterns and self-reported vulnerability to
extreme weather events.
Think Forward Film Festival and Short Film Competition on Climate Change and Renewable
Energy
The Think Forward Film Festival was created with the aim to investigate, discuss and
disseminate, through short films and feature films, the theme of climate change and the issues surrounding
the use of energy efficiency and renewable energy. The second edition of the Think Forward Film Festival will
be held in Venice from 30 November to 1 December, 2012. This year, the festival is launching its first
international film competition involving short films made using different techniques, including animation
that are focused on the themes of climate change and renewable energy, produced after 1 January 2010.
Climate Change and Environmental Education - A companion to the Child Friendly Schools
Manual
The module “Climate
Change and Environmental Education” is a companion to UNICEF’s Child Friendly Schools Manual. Over
the past decade, the child-friendly schools approach has emerged as UNICEF’s means to advocate for and promote
quality education for every girl and boy. Child-friendly schools enable all children to achieve their full potential.
The purpose of this module is to provide in-depth information on how Climate Change and Environmental Education
(CCEE) can be integrated into the design, implementation and practice of child-friendly schools. Many schools are
incorporating CCEE in their curricula. While it is impossible to present a complete account of these efforts, this
module includes the most relevant examples and illustrates the diversity of approaches.
UNU Video Series on Traditional Knowledge and Climate Science
The
Video Series on Traditional Knowledge and Climate Science released by the United Nations University Institute of
Advanced Studies focuses on some of the key links between traditional knowledge and science regarding climate change.
With deep connections to nature, the world's indigenous people and local communities are experiencing some of the
most pronounced affects of climate change.
UNICEF's publication on `Disaster
Risk and Education` showcases how UNICEF integrates disaster risk reduction (DRR) into its development
programmes. "DDR, education and equity" and "DDR and children's rights" are
highlighted among other issues.
The Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA)is a continental coalition of civil society organizations in
the African continent, brought together by the common goal of promoting and advocating for climate-friendly and
equity-based development. Currently drawing its membership from 300 non-governmental organizations, foundations, trusts,
community-based organizations, faith-based networks, national coalitions and regional networks from 45 countries in Africa;
PACJA aims to unify isolated civil society efforts on climate change advocacy and coordination in Africa, so as to ensure
that pro-poor and people-centred response measures are put into consideration as governments in Africa seek to mainstream
climate change into national development strategies.
Climate Wise Womenis a global platform for the promotion of women’s leadership on climate change.
Through powerful personal narratives, Climate Wise Women gives a human face and voice to an issue that sits squarely at the
nexus of the conversation on gender equality, environmental justice, food security, the eradication of extreme poverty, and
public health.
The "After the Storm: The Hidden Health Risks of Flooding in a Warming World" report combines a review
of flooding health risks with a look at how climate change will likely increase the risks in the years ahead. It identifies
the top five hidden health risks of extreme precipitation and flooding and highlights the growing flood risk from climate
change and current development patterns.
The ''Transforming
the lives of children affected by climate change'' Brochure presents UNICEF's work on
incorporating climate change and environmental education into a child-friendly education curriculum. Compared to
adults, children are more susceptible to the negative effects of environmental degradation and more vulnerable to
conditions such as poor air quality, contaminated water and extreme heat. Child-friendly education is a means by
which children and adolescents can develop the capacity and skills needed to withstand projected climate shocks
and natural disasters.
The Heinrich Böll Foundation is organizing a regional summer school from 30 September to 4 October 2012
in Amman, Jordan on "Climate Change Challenges in the Arab Middle East and North Africa”. The summer school
will focus on climate change adaptation strategies throughout the Arab Middle East and North Africa, tackling
specifically the question of gender-responsiveness in these efforts (overall assessment, best practices, risks and
challenges) and the impact of climate change on urban livelihoods and living conditions. The summer school aims at
building capacity of participants, promoting networks among civil society groups and academia and stirring a debate on
pressing policy issue.
Posted on 26 July 2012
The Voices4Climate Photo/Video/Music Video Competition invites young people from the ages of 18 to 35 to
submit photos and videos relating to climate change. Photo, video, and music video submissions must tell a climate change
story related to one of these seven categories: Jobs, Agriculture, Energy, Forests, Gender, Health, and Water. Prizes are
solar backpacks, digital still/video cameras, computer tablets, and portable DVD players.
The UNITAR training course "Negotiating Climate Change: from Durban and beyond" will develop participants’
understanding of the climate change policy framework, by building an appreciation of the science, causes and impacts of
climate change, the history of the policy making process and the UNFCCC framework, and will also consider the pertinent
challenges currently facing diplomats and international decision makers in making progress with what is currently on the
negotiating table. The course targets not only government officers and diplomats, but also private sector specialists and
students.
Learning to Tackle Climate Change is an interactive pdf-document that aims to support individuals on climate
change learning - no matter what their country, context or level of personal expertise. The different sections of the
document support the reader to reflect on different aspects of climate change and development in relation to their own
work. The sections can be read individually and in any order depending on the reader's learning needs. The pdf
includes clickable links between document sections as well as external links to other relevant resources. The project
builds on the Learning Hub led by the
Institute of Development Studies of the University of Sussex.
The Climate Change Media Partnership supports journalists from developing countries in reporting on
international climate negotiations. Journalists from Asia, Asia-Pacific, Africa, the Middle East, the Caribbean and Latin
America are taking part in the Climate Change Media Partnership fellowship programme to improve media coverage of climate
change issues in their home countries.
The Indigenous Climate Portal aims to provide indigenous peoples and the general public with relevant
information and resources on climate change and indigenous peoples, and on REDD+ or Reducing Emissions from Deforestation
and Forest Degradation. Specifically, it serves as the portal for the project "Ensuring the Effective Participation
of Indigenous Peoples in Global and National REDD Processes." The website is managed by Tebtebba (Indigenous Peoples International Centre for Policy Research and
Education) and is made possible through the support of the Norwegian International Forest and Climate Initiative through
the Norwegian Agency for Development and Cooperation
(NORAD).
The C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40) is a network of the world’s megacities committed to
addressing climate change. Acting both locally and collaboratively, C40 Cities are having a meaningful global impact in
reducing both greenhouse gas emissions and climate risks. Through a partnership with the Clinton Climate Initiative, C40
brings together a unique set of assets and creates a shared sense of purpose. C40 offers cities an effective forum where
they can collaborate, share knowledge and drive meaningful, measurable and sustainable action on climate change.
Established in 2001, the London-based project aims at giving a cultural response to climate change issues by working in
partnership with scientific and cultural institutions to deliver an innovative programme of public engagement. Cape
Farewell organizes expeditions to interrogate the scientific, social and economic realities that lead to climate
disruption, and to inspire the creation of climate focused art which is disseminated across a range of platforms, such as
exhibitions, festivals, publications and films.
Asian Cities Climate Change Resilience Network (ACCCRN) is a network of ten cities in India, Indonesia, Thailand and
Vietnam, experimenting with a range of activities that will collectively improve the ability of the cities to withstand,
prepare for, and recover from current and future impacts of climate change. ACCCRN represents a unique initiative to
develop, test and demonstrate practical strategies for responding to the impacts of climate change on urban areas.
The African Climate Teach-In Day is committed to foster awareness about climate change in schools and
universities in Africa. In this regard, it engages young people and future professionals in the search for local
solutions for the problem of climate change which has severe implications for the African continent. Held for the first
time successfully in 2011, the initiative will be repeated.
The Teach-In Day is recognized by the UNESCO as a project in the framework of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable
Development (2005-2014) (http://www.desd.org/).
"Connect the Dots" is a project of 350.org (http://www.350.org), a global grassroots movement to solve the climate crisis. It allied to clearly draw the
connection between extreme weather and climate change. The first Climate Impacts Day on 5 May, 2012 brought together
hundreds of communities all over the globe to highlight the dramatic climate change impacts we are already
witnessing.
The Climate Change Virtual School raises awareness
on climate change related issues among governments and civil society through e-learning courses. Currently the virtual
school offers a course on Mainstreaming
Climate Change in Development Planning and Implementation. The course aims at building capacity of governmental and
non-governmental actors for an improved understanding of linkages between climate change and development issues.
The Climate Change Virtual School is hosted by the Development Reality Institute, a Zimbabwean youth oriented
organization that focuses on building capacity for climate change mitigation and adaptation in Africa.
The tool kit focuses on how youth and youth organizations can contribute to the implementation of the Article 6 decision
from Cancun, with emphasis on participation and education and includes a range of examples of actions youth petition in
their own country.
The Odyssey 2050 film project aims at getting young people from around the world motivated into taking action on climate
change. The young people of today did not cause most of the environmental damage we see on our planet but it falls on
them to be part of the solution. The film is being produced in Costa Rica by Daniel and Miguel Bermejo of the Synchro
Film company, Bruce Callow of the British Embassy under the technical supervision of Thelvin Cabezas, director of
animation for the film Avatar. The objective is to engage young people of all nationalities around the world in making a
feature-length film about climate change and to communicate with other young people about it. To date a 6 minute short
film has been completed which sets the stage for what will come.
Each year on 22 February, Girl
Guides and Girl Scouts all over the world celebrate World Thinking Day. World Thinking Day was first created in 1926 at
the 4th Girl Guide/Girl Scout International Conference, held at Girl Scouts of the USA’s Camp Edith Macy (now
called Edith Macy Conference Center). Conference attendees decided that there should be a special day when Girl Scouts
and Girl Guides all around the world think of each other and give thanks and appreciation to their “sister”
Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.
Each year on 22 February, Girl Guides and Girl Scouts all over the world celebrate World Thinking Day. It’s a day
when Girl Guides and Girl Scouts think of each other and give thanks and appreciation for the international friendship
they find in our Movement.
The theme for World Thinking Day 2012 is “we can save our planet”, based on UN Millennium Development Goal 7:
environmental sustainability.
The new activity pack for World Thinking Day 2012 is bigger than ever! It’s packed with lots of fun and educational
activities, extra information on the theme of environmental sustainability, plus ideas for how you can speak out on
environmental issues. There are activities for all ages, and we also have a list of fundraising ideas to make your events
as successful as possible.
This year the activities have been divided into four sections.
1. Reduce the use of fossil fuels (complete two activities)
2. Save resources in and around your home (complete two activities)
3. Switch to sustainable energy solutions (complete two activities)
4. Speak out to make a difference (complete any one activity that delivers WAGGGS’ demands on MDG 7)
UNESCO Experts Meeting on Climate Change Education for Sustainable Development and Adaptation in Small Island
Developing States
21 to 23 September 2011
Nassau, The Bahamas
This three-day meeting will focus on the challenges that climate change poses to education systems in Small
Island Developing States, and the role that education can play in adaptation to climate change.
Adaptation to climate change requires that individuals understand why and how the climate is changing, and the
implications of these changes for their lives. Education plays an essential role in increasing the adaptation
capacity of communities and nations in regard to climate change by enabling individuals to make informed
decisions in this regard.
The meeting will bring together approximately 75 participants primarily from SIDS in the Caribbean, the Pacific
Ocean and the Indian Ocean, representing a multi-disciplinary and diverse group of stakeholders. It will
including national education representatives, curriculum development experts, representatives of school and
education networks, scientists and climate change experts, and representatives of multilateral agencies and civil
society who will develop a roadmap to guide and promote education as an important means to enhancing adaptation
to climate change in the context of sustainable development.
The roadmap and its recommendations will serve as a contribution to the upcoming 17th Conference of the Parties
to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in December 2011 and the United Nations
Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20 Conference) in June 2012, setting the stage for the remaining years
of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, which is led globally by UNESCO.
The United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) is pleased to announce the Online Course
"Climate Change: Risks and Opportunities for the Finance Sector." The 2011 course is an updated version
of the highly successful course launched in June 2007 and re-run in 2008, 2009 and 2010.
The course run by the UNEP FI Climate Change Working Group offered courses on this important issue over the
internet with the aim of increased quality and effectiveness in training. Through the running of the first
course, UNEP FI has found strong demand amongst financial institutions to learn about climate change and how it
affects their industry. Today, with the climate change agenda becoming even more relevant for the financial
services sector, UNEP FI is pleased to offer this sixth course.
The course is geared to executives and middle management from financial institutions such as banks, insurers,
reinsurers, and fund managers, from both developed and developing regions and Governments and civil society who
want to learn the climate change issue from the perspective of the financial industry.
The course addressed the key areas of:
A general introduction to climate change, the science and impacts, and key international and regional
policies in place to tackle it i.e. the Kyoto Protocol and the post-Kyoto discussions.
Climate Risk: What are the key risks and what does it mean for the banking, insurance and fund management
sectors?
Climate change and the energy economy: What does it mean for energy financing and what are the opportunities
in alternative energy technologies?
Carbon finance and the Kyoto Mechanisms: Emissions trading i.e. the European Union Emission Trading Scheme
(EU ETS), the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and the Joint Implementation (JI).
The goal is to educate and enable key senior and mid-level executives to further understand the business
complexities presented by climate change so that they can:
Integrate it into corporate action plans and strategies
Identify risks, opportunities and markets for new plans and strategies
Adapt the material for internal use, and use course material as a stand-alone reference guide.
Sustainability Frontiers is an international alliance of sustainability and global educators seeking
transformation of the human condition through repaired and restored earth connection. We are concerned with
formal, non-formal and informal education that addresses the current confluence of threats to the environment and
to human society globally. We call for education that questions and offers alternatives to dominant assumptions
and current orthodoxies such as the myth of unending progress built on economic growth, human separateness from
nature, and reliance on policy, technical and market solutions to global problems.
Members of the alliance are concerned with formal, non-formal and informal education that works fluently across
social, psychological and spiritual levels of experience as it addresses the current confluence of threats to the
environment and human society globally. Members embrace the intrinsic value and right to exist of the
other-than-human and of natural environments, and recognize that the pursuance and advocacy of a planetary ethic
of environmental and social justice needs to be grounded in, as well as restorative and celebratory of, local and
indigenous communities and cultures.
Sustainability education with the potential to truly sustain must be whole-person, whole planet education that is
locally and deeply experienced as it engages the rich, but oftentimes dormant, reservoir of potentials in the
learner. As such, it necessarily embraces themes, concepts and insights from educational fields marginalized or
left untouched by mainstream sustainability education, such as education for peace, holistic health education,
humane education and indigenous education.
Belonging to a deliberately small group of academic educators, each with a strong practitioner history, members
of Sustainability Frontiers have agreed to collaborate in different combinations as they undertake local,
national and international projects, consultancies and initiatives at the leading edge of sustainability
education, often in partnership with other organizations.
Seven key interconnected themes are currently being addressed by the alliance, more than one theme being taken up
in any particular project or initiative, the range of themes being subject to periodic review:
Climate Change Education
Emergency Education
The Education for Sustainability/Education for All Interface
Widening the Scope of Sustainability Education
Bio-centric Education
Bio-regional Education
A Multi-dimensional Epistemology for Sustainability Education
The implementation of internationally agreed development goals in SIDS, in particular the Mauritius Strategy of
Implementation (MSI), the Barbados Programme of Action (BPoA), and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) has been
assisted by the Small Island Developing States Network (SIDSNet).
Established in 1997 as a direct follow-up to the 1994 Barbados Programme of Action (BPoA), the primary goal of
SIDSnet is to support the sustainable development of SIDS through enhanced information and communication technology
(ICT).
SIDSNet responds to several critical challenges faced by small islands including (1) remoteness, isolation and
geographic dispersion, (2) poor connectivity and data management, particularly through ICT, (3) limited human and
technological capacity, and (4) the need for greater international recognition and assistance in reducing
SIDS’ economic and environmental vulnerability. SIDSNet has been a valuable tool for linking remote and
isolated SIDS, where the technical expertise, education, and knowledge sharing facilitated by the site enhances the
possibilities for improving welfare and reducing poverty through innovation, expanded national capacity, and the
better use of scarce resources.
SIDSNet was designed to significantly improve SIDS’ use of ICT in support of their sustainable development.
Through the website, affiliated countries could maintain contact with each other for the purpose of sharing
information on best practices in the priority areas such as health, conservation, education, freshwater and
sanitation, tourism, and human resource development. The network also seeks to facilitate the virtual exchange of
expertise through the SIDS Technical Assistance Programme (SIDSTAP), which is a roster of experts whose information
to be made available through the site. SIDSNet will serve as a clearinghouse for data, information, expertise, UN
decisions and resolutions, and current events relevant to island development. SIDSNET has also been proposed for
use as the portal to and home for the University Consortium of the Small Island States (UC-SIS), which was endorsed
at the 2005 Mauritius International Meeting.
SIDSnet is undergoing a complete redesign and revitalization as part of a new project generously funded by the
Government of Spain, entitled Capacity Development through Education for Sustainable Development and Knowledge
Management for Small Island Developing States. The project will redevelop SIDSnet, creating a much-needed central
knowledge management system to facilitate information sharing and collaboration.
START is the global change SysTem for Analysis, Research and Training, a non-governmental research organization. We
assist developing countries in building the expertise and knowledge needed to explore the drivers of and solutions to
global and regional environmental change. Our goal is to reduce vulnerability through informed decision-making.
Climate change, land and ecosystem degradation and biodiversity loss are all drivers of global environmental change.
Developing regions are not only particularly vulnerable to adverse impacts of these changes, but have very limited access
to scientific and technical knowledge to assist in formulating solutions. This is the gap START seeks to fill by:
Developing regional networks of collaborating scientists and institutions that assess the causes and impacts of
global environmental change and provide relevant information to policymakers and governments to assist in formulating
adaptation strategies.
Ennhancing scientific capacity in developing countries by strengthening and connecting existing institutions,
training global change scientists, and providing them with better access to data, research, and communication technology
skills.
Securing resources that will augment existing capabilities and actions on global environmental change in developing
countries.
Together with its partners, START has:
Established a network of regional science committees and research centers for global change research and capacity
building in Africa, Asia and the Pacific;
Leveraged substantial resources to strengthen the START network and support its programs;
Involved over 1000 developing-country scientists in global change research and training;
Developed programs to provide fellowships and other research opportunities to young scientists from Africa and Asia;
Published hundreds of peer-reviewed papers in journals, and also published several books on global environmental
change; and
Involved over 100 of its Fellows as authors in the IPCC 4th Assessment, the Millennium Ecosystems Assessment, and the
International Assessment of Agricultural Science & Technology for Development.
IDLO’s customized and user-friendly e-learning training system aims to combine the best elements of traditional
training methodologies with new information technology. The combination of audio, text, graphics and documentation
provides our participants with a meaningful learning experience. In addition, questions, case studies and country
practice reports make the learning experience interactive. The IDLO e-learning courses are moderated by experts and give
an emphasis on online discussions, best practices, exchange and self-paced learning. IDLO’s moderators support
participants in technical, administrative and substantive matters and ensure that each participant to our e-learning
courses is comfortable with both content design and site navigation.
The course will be conducted online from May 9 to June 3, 2011 and is geared for climate change, natural resources and
energy, finance and environment specialists from developing countries, countries in economic transition and countries
emerging from armed conflict working in the field of supervision and execution of development projects; lawyers and legal
advisors who assist in the area of climate change, natural resources and energy, finance and environmental policy;
Ministry and local government level climate change officers; Finance Officials from the Ministry of Finance and officials
from National Authorities or UNFCCC National Contact Points.
The overall objective of the e-learning course is to enable self-paced training on legal preparedness for climate change
which aims at enhancing the capacity of legal experts, public sector energy, environment and other officers and managers
of climate-related institutions to implement adaptation to climate change, nationally appropriate mitigation of green
house gases, and access to climate finance, and to recommend actions on how to strengthen sustainable development law,
policy and practice on climate change (regulations, management system and procedures) in their countries.
Considering that the Latin America and the Caribbean is highly vulnerable socially, economically and environmentally to
climate change, it is imperative to find innovative solutions to address the effects of this phenomenon.
According to the recommendations of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the amended New Delhi
work programme for Article 6 of the Convention, the UNFCCC Secretariat, in conjunction with the Government of the
Dominican Republic, organized the "Regional Workshop for Latin America and the Caribbean on the implementation of
Article 6 ", held in Bavaro, Dominican Republic from 27 to 30 April 2010. Representatives of 21 countries in the
region made recommendations for strengthening and extending activities on climate change education, training and public
awareness for Latin American and Caribbean societies.
One of the proposals of the
workshop was the compilation of best practices in Latin America and the Caribbean, on implementing Article 6. In response
to this proposal, the National Council for Climate Change and Clean Development Mechanism of the Dominican Republic in
collaboration with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the UK and Government of Spain, the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR)
and the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (FUNGLODE), compiled experiences in the region on the
implementation of the amended New Delhi work programme.
Young people have been present at climate negotiations since the Rio Earth summit in 1992, and their actions have
resulted in widespread media coverage and the mobilization of thousands of their peers. It is estimated that 200 young
people participated at the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COP) at its thirteenth session held in Bali in December
2007, 500 at COP 14 in Poznan in December 2008, and indications are that more than 1,500 youth attended COP 15 in
Copenhagen.
Since September 2008, the UNFCCC secretariat has liased with youth organizations around the world in an effort to
facilitate participation by young people in the UNFCCC process. A year later, the secretariat granted probationary
constituency status to youth, now recognized as the YOUNGO.constituency.
With the financial support of the government of the Netherlands and input from the youth constituency YOUNGO, the
UNFCCC secretariat has designed and planned a series of events to support and enhance the COP preparatory
activities of the youth, to increase youth participation from developing countries and to support and enhance youth
contribution to COP 15. In this context, the secretariat has hosted a series of youth events during COP 15 to
facilitate dialogue between youth and other influencial actors in the intergovernmental process - notably
negotiators and UN senior officials.
The School of Environment, Resources and Development is committed to excellence in graduate education as well as research
and outreach activities. Through its academic programs and outreach units, SERD, AIT’s largest School, has been
working towards capacity building and human resource development in the areas of environmental and resources management,
poverty alleviation and socio-economic/gender development.
Since its establishment in 1974, the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) has been playing a major role in
environmental research in Japan. We are proud of the integrative expertise to tackle environmental issues through the
collaboration of our researchers and staff with diversified specialties such as physics, chemistry, engineering,
agriculture, fisheries, medicine, pharmacology, law/politics and economics.
FAO, together with the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) and other partners, has launched the
"Inspire and Educate" competition which is being held as part of the educational initiative 'Our World, Our
Climate, Our Food'. This worldwide project aims to raise awareness on such issues as climate change, environment and
food security. It also aims to encourage children and young people to take part in activities, reduce our impact on the
environment and take action against hunger in the world. The competition is divided into photo, video and local
adaptation categories.
Unite for Climate is a growing global online community of young people and organizations working together on
youth-powered solutions to climate change. It is designed to facilitate collaboration, coordination and resource sharing.
The site features youth media and voices, information on climate change and its adverse effects on the MDGs, and a
clearinghouse of campaigns that users can easily browse and join.
Unite for Climate wants to showcase the initial work done by the youth community. We are keen to gather YOUR feedback
ahead of the official launch at the TUNZA International Youth Conference in Daejeon, South Korea, on August 20th. The
social network and website will see many additional upgrades between now and then.
Become part of a space that fosters collaboration and social networking between young people and youth groups; join Unite
for Climate. The soft launch of Unite for Climate will take place on Tuesday, June 23rd for NGO, UN, academic and private
sector partners.
The International Youth Forum, organized by the National Youth Council of Korea and hosted by the Korean Ministry for
Health, Welfare and Family Affairs, will focus on Climate Change and Green Development. The Forum intends to provide
youth from Korea and abroad with a place where they can meet and share opinions on these issues, allowing them to find
ways to cooperate with each other. Youth between the ages of 18 and 30 are eligible to apply. Youth who study a related
field or have relevant work experience with NGOs or IGOs are preferred.
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in collaboration with the UNEP National Committee for the Republic of
Korea will be organizing its Tunza International Youth Conference on the Environment in Daejeon. The Conference will
bring together 200 youth, to learn about the environment through plenary sessions, workshops and field trips. The
Conference will be in three segments: a Global Town Hall meeting on 21 August, Regional Meetings from 22-23 August and a
Conference from 24-26 August.
The European Regional Workshop on Article 6 of the Convention (Education, Training and Public Awareness) took place from
18-20 May 2009 in Stockholm, Sweden. Over 40 national experts from the European region met to share best practices in
their efforts to educate their citizens on ways to raise public awareness and improve public participation in matters of
climate change.
The workshop was organized in response to a request by the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI), at its
twenty-seventh session (Bali, December 2007), where it was recognized that the five-year New Delhi work programme has
proved to be a good framework for action, and the Conference of Parties (COP), at its thirteenth session (Bali, December
2007) adopted the amended New Delhi work programme for a further five years (decision 9/CP.13). The secretariat was
mandated to organize thematic regional and sub-regional workshops to share lessons learned and best practices. The
workshop will contribute to the review of the work programme which will be undertaken in 2012, with an intermediate
review of progress in 2010, to evaluate its effectiveness and identify emerging gaps and opportunities of the European
region in fulfilling their commitments under Article 6 of the Convention.
The discussions at the workshop contribute to assessing the level of implementation of the New Delhi work programme in
the region, identifying needs and persistent gaps, with a view to making recommendations on how to enhance the level of
implementation and to contribute to the interim review process.
The
workshop will contribute to a publication on best practices for the implementation of the New Dehli work programme in the
European region that will be promoted in the EU pavillon in Copenhagen COP 15.
In order to expand the scope and coverage of the "World Youth Report 2009: Youth and Climate Change", the
UN Programme on Youth is seeking input from experts in the field of
youth and climate change, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, as well as from young people. Submissions
may be academic research, case studies, publications, best practices, effective interventions, as well as national youth
policies currently being implemented .
To facilitate keeping track of progress in international climate negotiations, the Swedish EPA, in cooperation with the
Swedish Ministry of Environment, would like to offer you the newsletter “Global News on Climate Action”. The
newsletter will be published monthly until the meeting in Copenhagen and reflect international media coverage on the
issues pointed out in the Bali Action Plan.
SPREP is a regional organisation established by the governments and administrations of the Pacific region to look after
its environment. It has grown from a small programme attached to the South Pacific Commission (SPC) in the 1980s into the
Pacific region’s major intergovernmental organisation charged with protecting and managing the environment and
natural resources.
The SPREP website includes a dedicated section on climate change which provides information on topics including warming
the atmosphere - the greenhouse effect, the danger in the Pacific, key issues, the regional framework, mitigation,
adaptation and scientific activities and financing of climate change activities.
EduGreen is a website for students about enviromental learning and impacts. Students learn about life on earth, forestry,
energy, water, air pollution, climate change, biotechnology, and solid waste. There is information on all of these
topics, as well as games, quizes and other fun things to help students learn..
Each year on 22 February, Girl
Guides and Girl Scouts all over the world celebrate World Thinking Day. World Thinking Day was first created in 1926 at
the 4th Girl Guide/Girl Scout International Conference, held at Girl Scouts of the USA’s Camp Edith Macy (now
called Edith Macy Conference Center). Conference attendees decided that there should be a special day when Girl Scouts
and Girl Guides all around the world think of each other and give thanks and appreciation to their “sister”
Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.
The
workshop will contribute to a publication on best practices for the implementation of the New Dehli work programme in the
European region that will be promoted in the EU pavillon in Copenhagen COP 15.
