Youth Engagement in the Greening Education Partnership

Youth Engagement in the Greening Education Partnership

Climate change is one of the most pressing priorities of the international community, and the role of education is increasingly recognized as crucial to promoting climate action. This recognition has been amplified with the adoption of the Paris Agreement and Action for Climate Empowerment agenda at the UNFCCC COPs. The voices of youth, demanding political commitment, have grown louder than ever, particularly evident during COP26, Conference of Youth (COY16) in Glasgow, and the pre-COP Youth4Climate event in Milan in 2021, where young people were at the forefront of global climate action demanding to be heard. An alarming 75% of youth express fear about their future, underscoring the urgency for meaningful action and the significance of engaging and empowering young people in addressing this critical issue.

The Youth Declaration at the Transforming Education Summit, in September 2022, made a clear demand to decision makers to prioritise investments in education for sustainable development across curricula. It particularly emphasised the importance of climate education to equip learners with the necessary skills and knowledge to foster resilience in the face of the climate crisis. Building on this, the Greening Education Partnership (GEP) was launched at the UN Transforming Education Summit in September 2022, as a global initiative to deliver strong, coordinated and comprehensive action. The Partnership supports countries and organisations to accelerate education responses to prepare every learner to acquire the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes to tackle climate change and promote sustainable development.

The Greening Education Partnership is an inclusive community of practice that brings together member states and key stakeholders. It currently, engages over 1000 organizations (including youth organizations and youth representatives) and 80 member states in getting every learner climate-ready through the four pillars of action: Greening Schools, Greening Curriculum, Greening Teacher Training and Education Systems Capacities and Greening Communities. The Partnership's apex organ, the advisory group, reserves two seats for youth representatives, which are currently held by youth delegates from the World Organization of Scout Movement and YOUNGO.

In a global effort to empower young people in climate action, the Greening Education Partnership (GEP) organized a significant online event on November 24, 2023. This event brought together youth representatives from around the world to discuss strategies for youth engagement in the GEP’s initiatives. The GEP, launched at the UN Transforming Education Summit in 2022, aims to ensure that all learners are equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to combat climate change through education.

The session provided an interactive opportunity for youth participants to share their work, network with others, and contribute to discussions on how to strengthen youth engagement across GEP's four key pillars: Greening Schools, Greening Curriculum, Greening Teacher Training, and Greening Communities. The event was moderated by Ms. Sahana Kaur from YOUNGO and Mr. Joaquin Parafita from the World Organization of the Scout Movement, ensuring a diverse representation of youth voices.

Ms. Maya Haddad, representing Ajman University as its Sustainability Manager, played a vital role in this initiative, as one of the stakeholders involved in the consultation side of this initiative. Her participation highlighted Ajman University’s dedication to sustainability, ensuring that academic institutions are actively involved in addressing climate challenges through education. By taking part in this global event, Ajman University continues to foster youth leadership and build stronger networks for climate resilience and sustainability.

This session underscored the significance of education in the fight against climate change, providing youth with the platform to shape their contributions toward sustainable development goals. Ajman University’s involvement demonstrates its commitment to supporting global efforts for a greener, more sustainable future.

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