OCE at COP16 Biodiversity: A Commitment to Climate and Biodiversity Education in Latin America

Over the past five years, the Office for Climate Education (OCE) has led the ALEC project, the first and largest effort in Latin America to integrate climate and biodiversity education into the formal education system. Our participation in COP16 aimed to share the lessons learned throughout this journey and emphasize the essential role of education as a driver for achieving the goals of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

Education on biodiversity and climate change is one of the most powerful tools for promoting sustainable behavioral change, equipping people with the knowledge and skills they need to conserve biodiversity and take climate action. At this COP, we demonstrated how high-quality education on these topics can not only be implemented in Latin American education systems but is also crucial to achieving lasting change across the region.

Our first goal at COP16 was to strengthen support and participation from both the public and private sectors in biodiversity and climate education initiatives, recognizing education as a key accelerator for the implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework across all sectors. We also aimed to share essential insights gained from our five years of experience in Latin America, inviting other stakeholders to join this transformative effort.

Another core purpose was to explain the process that has led to the creation of a network of practice and learning in the region, bringing together diverse actors around climate and biodiversity education. We also wanted to emphasize the deep connection between climate change and biodiversity, laying the groundwork for an ongoing and enriching dialogue between this COP16 on biodiversity and the upcoming COP29 on climate.

From this COP, we hope to have significantly raised awareness about the interconnectedness between climate change and biodiversity loss, thereby strengthening relationships among environmental organizations, educational institutions, and policymakers. We also trust that our contribution has enriched political discussions to improve biodiversity conservation through climate education, promoting resilience in communities through education and training.

Through this collective effort, we seek to advance toward educational approaches that sustainably integrate development and conservation, helping communities adapt to the impacts of climate change while preserving their natural environment. At COP16, alongside representatives from civil society, the private sector, academics, and experts, we worked to once again demonstrate the transformative power of education in building a sustainable future.