First two thematic sessions held with a community of practitioners comprised of more than 30 people from the 18 countries of the region

Following the launch of the Community of Practice on ACE on March 25,  the first thematic session for the CAP (April 20) focused on sharing practical experiences in ACE, namely the Capacity Development and Climate Empowerment Strategy in Chile and the National Climate Empowerment Strategy in Uruguay. We were able to learn in more detail about the design and/or implementation of these processes, while the other participants had the opportunity to share their reflections, ideas and practices on Climate Empowerment issues. Throughout the session we were able to advance in the knowledge of the ACE elements that have become relevant in public policies. Clearly the incorporation of education, training, participation or access to information to mobilise Climate Action.

In the second session, which took place on May 18, the main theme was "Citizen participation, driving action for Climate Empowerment: Experience from the countries". This session reviewed the role of civil society in the promotion and development of climate empowerment strategies or actions and, more specifically, how public administrations can encourage citizen participation, promote their protagonism, make them participants in the programmes and, in short, incorporate civil society as relevant actors of the changes in public policies, highlighting their knowledge and practices. We had the presence of Valeria Torres, from ECLAC, to highlight the Escazú Agreement, with its recent entry into force, on the one hand, and on the other hand, we learned about the lessons and great challenges of public-civil platforms, such as React For the Climate with MMA in Chile, the ClimateKic project in Spain, and the Indigenous Climate Platform with MINAM in Peru.

In general, in environmental matters and particularly in climate change, the actions of civil society have been ahead of government action in practically all countries; moreover, regulations that now affect us or programmes that have been implemented would not have existed without the mobilisation or demand of organised civil society or, at least, they would not have been developed in the time periods in which they have been carried out. For example, we have seen how the Escazú Agreement provides an empowering framework for citizen participation, access to information and climate justice, or, as in the case of Colombia, the STC 4360 ruling of 2018 - the first ruling in the country resulting from the demand of a platform of young people to accelerate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

Among the topics and reflections discussed were questions on how to promote citizen mobilisation as a key to new consensus that will allow us to accelerate climate action; in other words, to face climate and environmental challenges efficiently, quickly and with a human rights perspective, where the participation and voice of all is fundamental.

CONCLUSIONS 

The Community of Practical Learning on Action for Climate Empowerment is a space for collaborative and collective creation, where mutual and shared learning has special relevance. Among its advances, we highlight that the experiences disseminated have facilitated dialogue between countries on how to carry out public policies in Action for Climate Empowerment, while at the same time fostering the exchange of practices at the national level. Most of the practitioners from the countries involved have increased their capacities for ACE and tools that they can put in place both in their daily professional practice and in the policies to be implemented.

The following sessions will delve into topics that respond to the demands and priorities to advance in their context on ACE, and therefore, we will address methodologies to foster participation and EDS 2030 Education as a cross-cutting tool for driving climate empowerment.

About EUROCLIMA+    

EUROCLIMA+ is a programme funded by the European Union to promote environmentally sustainable and climate-resilient development in 18 Latin American countries, particularly for the benefit of the most vulnerable populations. The Programme is implemented under the synergistic work of seven agencies: the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), the French Development Agency (AFD), the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ), Expertise France (EF), the International and Ibero-America Foundation for Administration and Public Policy (FIIAPP), and UN Environment.

OREALC/UNESCO Santiago

The Regional Bureau for Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (OREALC/UNESCO Santiago) was created in 1963 with the purpose of supporting Member States in improving their education systems, with the firm conviction that education is a human right for all, throughout life. Our mission is to lead, monitor and provide technical support to the countries of the region through each of its lines of action to advance towards the fulfilment of Sustainable Development Goal 4 - Education 2030, with the involvement of other UNESCO offices and institutes, and with the participation of strategic partners.