UN Climate Change News, 23 January 2026 - To mark tomorrow's International Day of Education, we want to recognize a powerful tool for tackling climate change known as Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) .
ACE , through its six elements, offers a toolbox to empower people to be a part of the solution through a change in the systems, attitudes and behaviours needed to foster sustainable development. While ACE involves all members of society coming together for climate action, in line with this year's International Day of Education theme, we are spotlighting youth, and the benefit their power brings to planning and developing effective climate education policies.
The importance of youth participation at all levels of policy making and implementation was echoed by Noura Hamladji, UNFCCC Deputy Executive Secretary, following the Youth-led Climate Forum Headline event at COP 30.
"This space is a reminder that climate policy only works when every generation can take part," said Hamaldji. "Young people are not only calling for change, they are creating it, shaping it, and holding institutions to account."
COP29 and COP30 Presidency Youth Climate Champions (PYCC) have been critical in supporting activities which place youth at the forefront in co-creating climate policy. During her initial term, COP30 PYCC, Marcele Oliveira supported youth-led initiatives that advanced climate education. Those efforts were visible through an event titled "Mutirão for strengthening collective action through Environmental and Climate Education" held during COP30. The event recognized youth as essential contributors to educational processes and to the development of inclusive and context-responsive solutions.
Further, COP29 PYCC Leyla Hasanova, held the second Climate Change Summer Camp in August 2025. The Summer Camp has proven beneficial in building the capacity of early-career teachers to integrate climate education into their teaching plans, while influencing school systems and curricula. One of the participants of the climate summer camp, Terry Owino, shared her experience.
"Climate change is a big problem. There is no one easy answer," said Owino. "But one of the best solutions is climate literacy. We must start teaching kids early. This knowledge then reaches their parents and whole communities. This creates a big ripple effect. I saw this at the Climate Change Summer Camp in Shamakhi. I met amazing teachers from around the world. They run Eco-Schools and show how to make learning about climate impactful. Helping teachers helps everyone."
Initiatives such as Youth4Capacity's Becoming Series have been essential in delivering capacity building opportunities to youth in conjunction with partners. For instance, the Becoming Climate Educators webinar explored Climate Generation's Becoming a Climate Change Educator Toolkit, empowering individuals to become climate educators within their communities.
Lastly, the fourth season of the UNFCCC - UNESCO Webinar Series on climate change education for social transformation explored the role of communities in advancing climate action through a variety of lifelong learning spaces, with special attention given to the experiences of young people, among other groups, in fostering community-led solutions. The series, which reserved a youth quota to ensure adequate representation in the discussions, examined challenges youth face in co-creating climate education policies, such as tokenism. It also explored solutions, such as the need to provide spaces for co-creation. The Green Education Partnership, to which the UNFCCC is an advisory member, continues to champion this outcome by having two youth constituencies as part of its advisory group.
At SB64 in Bonn this June, Parties will undertake a midterm review of progress under the Glasgow Work Programme on ACE to evaluate its effectiveness, identify any emerging gaps and needs, and inform any consideration of improving the work programme, including in climate education, as appropriate.
