Governments have agreed on a draft decision to significantly strengthen climate education, awareness as well as public engagement.

The decision, which is crucial towards helping achieve the goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C and scaling up Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) implementation, will be formally adopted at the UN Climate Change Conference in Chile in December.

ACE recognises the importance of climate change education, training, public awareness and participation, public access to information and encourages countries to co-operate in taking appropriate measures.

Some of the recommendations to scale up the implementation of the initiative include all ACE elements integrated into climate change policies, including into national climate action plans under the Paris Agreement; the development of national ACE strategies, including climate change education into all curriculum at all levels of education as well as support for youth engagement beyond schools.

Ovais Sarmad, UN Climate Change Deputy Executive Secretary said: “ACE is fundamental for the long-term transformation to a carbon neutral lifestyle. We need everyone on board with solutions and we need everyone to take climate action on the ground.”