The twelfth edition of the World Environmental Education Congress (WEEC) kicks off in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

The opening ceremony saw the participation of prominent figures, including H.E. Dr. Shaikha Al Dhaheri, Secretary-General of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, UAE; H.H. Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, President and CEO of the UAE Independent Climate Change Accelerators (UICCA); Mario Salomone, Secretary-General of the World Environmental Education Congress Network; and Elizabeth Wathuti, Kenyan youth activist, Founder, and Executive Director of Green Generation Initiative, Kenya.

The WEEC Network Secretary-General Mario Salomone addressed the theme of interdisciplinarity and transdisciplinarity, emphasizing that the environment represents the crossroads of perspectives and is the ideal ground for building such approaches. He highlighted that the challenge of environmental crises is not merely academic but involves Western science, the relationship between expert knowledge and traditional knowledge, raises ethical-political issues, and requires a profound restructuring of knowledge, structures, and laws. He announced a new collaboration between the Club of Rome and the global WEEC network, emphasizing the importance of demonstrating the centrality of environmental education. This collaboration aims to better understand the nature of learning today, based on the message conveyed by the Club of Rome’s report, “No Limits to Learning.”

Dr. Shaikha Al Dhaheri focused her speech on three crucial themes: climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. H.H. Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, in her address, highlighted the importance of the involvement of women and youth, emphasized significant transformations in the United Arab Emirates, and underscored the transformative power of education.

Plenary 1: the triple planetary crisis – aligning EE and ESD

During subsequent plenary sessions, numerous national and international authorities contributed, including H.E. Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, President of IUCN, who stated, “Government action alone is not sufficient; everyone’s help is needed. WEEC plays a crucial role, inspiring, empowering, and embracing the new economy.” She also announced a commitment to creating a roadmap for developing an educational set for young people.
Following H.E. Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak’s remarks, Jack Dangermond, President, Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI), USA, ha preso la parola.
Mr. Dangermond highlighted the success and challenges faced by our species, acknowledging the exponential growth in technology over the last 300 years. He expressed concern about the human footprint dominating the planet’s evolution and how it now poses a threat to our future, especially due to overpopulation. He stressed the critical need for understanding and collaboration to address the challenges ahead.

High level leaders’ panel discussion

After them, several other notable speakers took the stage during subsequent panel discussion:
Abdul-Majeid Haddad, Deputy Regional Director, UNEP, West Asia O¬ce, Lebanon, emphasized the importance of educators having an environmental spirit and transferring it to education. He discussed the role of educators as custodians for laws, needing to provide incentives for environmental education through both formal and informal approaches. Formal education would involve legal frameworks, while informal education would inspire youth to become champions and educators themselves.
Panelists:
H.E. Dr. Amna Al Dahak Al Shamsi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, United Arab Emirates.
Dr. Al Shamsi emphasized that environmental education is not solely the responsibility of educators but of everyone. She highlighted the power and connectivity of education, reaching every household. To integrate environmental education into daily life, it must be instilled as part of people’s values, especially considering they are the future educators and scientists.

H.E. Mamo Boru Mamo, Director General, National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), Kenya.
Mr. Mamo discussed the need to supervise and coordinate environmental issues in Kenya due to limited resources. He emphasized the importance of laws and regulations in the constitution to manage and protect the environment. Addressing environmental quality should be both an individual and collective effort.
Lorenzo Fioramonti, Former Education Minister, Italy.
Mr. Fioramonti shared his experience encouraging students to strike for better education. He highlighted the difficulty of changing school curricula but stressed the importance of introducing environmental sustainability as an experiential subject. Investing in education is crucial for building a strong economy, with children being fundamental ambassadors of change.
Ginger Potter, Senior Education Specialist, Environmental Protection Agency – USA.
Ms. Potter addressed the challenge of environmental education not being mandated by the constitution in the USA, leading to only half of the states incorporating it into their curriculum. She emphasized the need for government investment and laws to ensure every student learns about the environment, framing it as a national security issue.

WEEC kicks off with great success and will continue until February 2, 2024. The World Environmental Education Congress represents a crucial catalyst for inspiring, empowering, and embracing the new economy, continuing to play a fundamental role in promoting a sustainable future through environmental education.