The Conference of the Parties (COP28) resulted in several quality initiatives aiming to enhance environmental awareness on sustainability and climate change across society.
The following report provides an overview of the initiatives launched by a number of entities participating in the conference and focuses on the importance of strengthening climate action and building green, environmentally friendly communities.
The “Greening Education Hub” under the theme “Legacy from the Land of Zayed” in the Green Zone, is the first of its kind in the history of the conference of the parties. The Hub hosted numerous events and activities aimed at showcasing the vital role of education in supporting sustainability goals and addressing climate change. It attracted a wide range of partners from 38 countries around the world to provide a global platform that brings together leaders, experts, and specialists.
The Hub also witnessed the launch of several initiatives, including the announcement by the Ministry of Education, in cooperation with UNICEF, of a new global framework aimed at promoting climate education and enhancing the climate-related skills of teachers. The announcement was made during the ‘COP28 Legacy Event: Empowering every teacher to get climate ready,’
The new framework led by the United Arab Emirates, in its role as the President of COP28, relies on the "Adapt Adopt" model. This model allows all countries around the world to develop and empower their educational personnel in the field of climate education by adopting the Emirati model, with the possibility of adapting it according to their local context. The new framework aims to enhance climate capacities for one million teachers worldwide by the year 2025.
Moreover, the Ministry of Education – in cooperation with the Office for Climate Education and Alef Education – unveiled the Educators’ Voice platform.
The initiative aims to enhance green education resources accessible to teachers and educational officials globally through open sources, empowering them to advance their climate readiness.
The launch of the Educators’ Voice platform is part of the Ministry’s commitment to creating a lasting impact beyond COP28. He noted that the platform will facilitate the establishment of an interactive community for teachers and educational officials, providing a space for them to share expertise, exchange experiences, and showcase best practices in green education.
In the same context, the Ministry of Culture and Youth launched the "Youth Hub", which aims to raise the level of youth awareness about the challenges of climate change facing the world.
This is in line with the state’s policies for engaging youth, as they are the most capable group of finding innovative solutions and refocusing the attention of local and global communities on climate issues.
The centre witnessed more than 120 activities and programmes during COP28, discussing youth ambitions and global climate action plans.
Youth also benefited from a comprehensive range of interactive activities and programmes throughout the days of the conference, including youth circles, meetings, and dialogues with global figures and experts.
In addition, more than 53 government and private entities made sure to be present at the platforms of the "Technology and Innovation Hub" as part of "COP28". The Hub’s various events focused on the importance of investing in technology in order to achieve a logical, practical, responsible, and just transition in the energy sector, and to strive to establish sustainable communities that are able to cope with the implications of climate change.
The Technology and Innovation Hub explores the enabling role of technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship in tackling climate change. The stage explores various topics in alignment with the COP28 thematic days in a variety of engaging formats.