Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Education, highlighted that empowering young people with climate education brings fresh perspectives and innovative solutions to global challenges, particularly climate change.
He shared this insight during his participation in the World Climate Action Summit, which was held as part of COP28 activities.
In his keynote speech, Dr. Al Falasi stated that the Greening Education Hub, themed ‘Legacy from the Land of Zayed’ and hosted by the Ministry of Education, highlights the pivotal role of education in combatting climate change. The Hub’s goal is to seamlessly integrate education into the global climate conversation and bridge the gap between knowledge and action.
He mentioned that the Hub will leave a sustainable legacy beyond COP28 UAE, with ongoing discussions with future host countries to further promote climate education. He also emphasised that the UAE, in cooperation with its partners, is keen to provide resources and materials on climate education for educati
onal systems worldwide.
Additionally, Dr. Al Falasi reiterated the importance of constructive partnerships and cooperation with local and international partners to achieve sustainable positive change that includes all aspects of the educational process, including educators, curricula, educational systems, and operational mechanisms.
He noted that the UAE has adopted the Greening Education Partnership in cooperation with UNESCO and UNICEF, through which it has been able to attract many local and international partners and attain significant achievements in the field of green education at the national level.
The Youth and Education session, themed ‘The Latent Force of Climate Action’, brought together an elite group of leaders, heads of delegations, experts, and representatives of NGOs, as well as representatives of youth, children, and educators from all over the world. The discussions focused on establishing mechanisms to enhance the influence of young people and educators in tackling the climate crisis.
The event also highlighted the need to build resilient educational systems that integrate climate education.
During the third day, the Greening Education Hub – Legacy from the Land of Zayed hosted a dialogue session and a workshop that discussed key topics related to developing the educational process and enhancing the role of education in achieving sustainability goals. The ‘critical role of education in building a sustainable future’ session discussed the solutions and measures that must be taken to increase youth awareness of the importance of adopting behaviours that contribute to addressing climate challenges.
Additionally, the ‘Beyond the Classroom: Greening Education for People, Planet, and Prosperity’ session focused on how green education outside traditional classroom settings can encourage all members of society to participate in positive change efforts.
Furthermore, the third day’s discussions focused on the importance of training educators through the ‘Systems Thinking Tools for Teacher Trainin
g’ session.’ This session emphasised the need to empower teachers and educators to develop educational systems that promote a more sustainable world.
Also, the ‘how storytelling about nature inspires children about sustainability’ session provided insights and examples to encourage the widespread use of storytelling in schools to inspire children to adopt sustainable practices.
Source: Emirates News Agency