COP21 – weecnetwork

The COP21 triggered special momentum for tackling climate change globally. All the UfM Member States signed the Paris Agreement in New York on 22 April 2016 and they are now preparing for the COP22 in Marrakech in November 2016. As part of this preparation, the French Ministry for Environment, Energy and the Sea, and COP21 Presidency, hosted on 12 May, 2016 the 4^th Union for the Mediterranean Climate Change Expert Group (UfMCCEG) in the Oceanographic Institute of Paris.

More than 50 climate expert representatives from UfM member countries, key international organisations working in the field of climate change such as the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), as well as civil society representatives gathered in Paris. Participants will follow up on the Paris Agreement and on the implementation of actions related to the fields of local authorities, private sector investments and capacity building. A work programme for 2016 aiming at enhancing the Mediterranean climate agenda under a regional umbrella of medium-term strategy was adopted at the end of the meeting.

Keeping the global temperature rise to below 2^oC, the target set by the Paris Agreement, calls for actions that cannot only rely on nationally-determined contributions. A coordinated regional approach on Climate Action is needed to successfully achieve this target in the Mediterranean, one of the most sensitive areas in terms of the impact of climate change.

A Thematic Day on Education and climate has been held on December, 4^th, at the 21^st Conference on climate change in Paris.

This Day and the Article 12 of the final agreement (‘Parties shall cooperate in taking measures, as appropriate, to enhance climate change education, training, public awareness, public participation and public access to information, recognizing the importance of these steps with respect to enhancing actions under this Agreement’) are a bottom up initiative and a success of the Paris-Education2015 Collective, a group of educationalists, organizational leaders and politicians working for the integration of education into the Paris Climate Conference 2015.

It is the first time that the education is recognized as mean for fighting against the climate change. A ‘Manifesto’ – titled ‘Ten billion human beings: to live together, let’s change the education!’ – calls for a global citizenship education.

Now the group would like to confirm the initiative at the COP22 in Morocco and to design a three years action-research project between Africans and Europeans researchers and educators.

People interested in collaborating to the Marrakech environmental education meeting in 2016 and/or a action-research action can contact the WEEC Permanent Secretariat.

Download the Manifesto (English) (Français)

Read the introduction of Yves Reinkin to the Thematic Day (French only)

Read a comment of Jacqueline Charron, Secretary of the ‘Les Amis de Circée’ association (French only)

Links to documents on the Thematic Day/Liens aux documents du Thematic Day:

Ministries meeting/Pour la partie avec les ministres : Thematic Day Education au développement durable – COP 21 – Ouverture de la conférence

First round table/Pour la 1ère table ronde: Thematic Day Education au développement durable – COP 21 – Table ronde 1

Second round table/Pour la seconde table ronde : Thematic Day Education au développement durable – COP 21 – Table ronde 2 et clôture de la conférence

Download the youth speech (French only)