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Abu Dhabi: Students across the UAE will dedicate more of their study time to climate change and action under a new cross-curricular program designed to raise awareness of sustainability.
Ahead of COP28, which begins in November, the Ministry of Education (MoE) is developing a new cross-curricular framework that will introduce activities and courses on energy, Earth’s biosphere, consumption and climate action, and sustainable innovation for all UAE students.
The initiative is part of the Green Education Partnership, which will also see half of schools and universities embark on the journey towards green certification.
The Ministry of Education also announced that it is designing an education pavilion for COP28, which will be the COP’s first dedicated education center.
Speaking at the partnership’s launch in the capital, Education Minister Dr Ahmed Belhoul Al Falasi said: “Individual behavior on climate change remains key to making a real impact and with that comes the vital role of education in transforming the environment today and in the future. thoughts, actions and attitudes.”
He added: “At the Ministry of Education, we can play a key role in advancing the role of education in combating climate change by building environmentally friendly curricula and schools and training educators to build sustainable green communities. Hosted by the UAE COP28 provides another opportunity to highlight the country’s efforts in this area and mobilize international efforts to integrate green education into the education systems of the region and the world.”
The minister said that the UAE is keen to chart a practical and flexible roadmap from which countries across the globe can adapt, adapt and benefit when educating students and educators about climate change.
international agreement
During the press conference, the Ministry of Education signed an agreement with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) to advance climate education and action for children and youth, at COP28 and beyond.
Officials during the Green Education Partnership Agreement
Image Credit: Supplied
“UNESCO will work closely with the Ministry of Education to design the first education pavilion in the history of COP with the Green Education Partnership (GEP). UNESCO will [also] Working with the Ministry of Education to raise awareness among educators and learners of the importance of protecting the oasis, a special ecosystem and observatory of climate change, a common feature of several Arab countries,” UNESCO Regional Office Director Salah Khaled said the Gulf States and Yemen Office.
Under the leadership of the UAE, UNESCO will further support high-level advocacy sessions with Member State leaders on the role of education in addressing the climate crisis, as well as the first multi-stakeholder meeting of the Green Education Partnership – Trust Fund for Partners. Launched last year at the Transformative Education Summit, the Green Education Partnership (GEP) focuses specifically on addressing climate change, one of the most pressing challenges of our time.
new resources
Authorities will soon be giving children green skills and supporting climate education training for educators. The Ministry of Education will also provide open-source learning materials for climate education.
“At UNICEF, we see the climate crisis as a children’s rights crisis. Almost every child in the world faces climate and environmental hazards. Children and young people will face climate crises, water insecurity, and We simply did not participate in the full destructive consequences of other disasters. Therefore, our duty to all young people and future generations is to involve them in all negotiations and decision-making processes related to climate change at the national, regional and international levels,” said UNICEF Said Jumana Haj-Ahmad, Deputy Representative of the Gulf.
train educators
The roadmap for COP28 identifies environmentally and climate-friendly initiatives, which the MoE aims to achieve at the start of COP28 and beyond. For example, the Ministry of Education will convert 50 percent of schools and campuses in the UAE to be certified green and provide training for more than 2,400 educators and 1,400 principals. The Department of Education will also launch the Children’s Voices program to provide training for children’s champions so they can participate in decision-making related to the future of their environment. Under the Voice of Educators initiative, the Department of Education will highlight the critical role of educators in raising awareness of climate change and addressing its impacts. These two initiatives will help amplify the voices of more than 70 students and educators.
In addition, the Ministry of Education will cooperate with UNESCO to establish the United Nations Green Education Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF). The UAE will act as the lead country and develop the terms of reference among the MPTF partners. Both parties will also raise learners’ awareness of the importance of protecting oasis systems in the Arab world as cultural and natural ecosystems.
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