On 13 November 2017, UNESCO established a declaration with the sole aim of addressing the issue of climate change. So, let’s learn more about this article.

Article 7: Scientific Knowledge and Integrity in Decision-Making

States, according to Article 6 of the UNFCCC and Article 12 of the Paris Agreement adopted under the Convention, and other relevant actors should:

(a) take measures which help protect and maintain the independence of science and the integrity of the scientific process. This includes assisting in maintaining strong scientific standards as well as transparency at all levels with respect to scientific funding, methodologies and research conclusions;

(b) raise awareness and promote literacy in science in all sectors and amongst their populations in order to underpin strong and collective action and understanding of how to respond to climate change;

(c) promote accurate communication on climate change based on peerreviewed scientific research, including the broadest promulgation of science in the media and other forms of communication;

(d) build effective mechanisms to strengthen the interface between science and policy to ensure a strong knowledge-base in decision-making.

Article 8: Science, Technologies and Innovations

1. Develop strategies to uphold the integrity of scientific research in addressing climate change issues.
2. Use the best available scientific knowledge and evidence in decision-making that relates to climate change issues.
3. Develop and scale up carefully assessed technologies, infrastructure and actions that reduce climate change and its associated risks.
4. Increase as far as possible the participation of scientists from all developing countries, LDCs and SIDS in climate-related science.
5. Promote access to information and training opportunities, including open data and Open Educational Resources (OER), relevant to the challenge and solutions associated with climate change, so that they are shared across the entire scientific and other relevant communities internationally.
6. Encourage the development of scientific knowledge that helps transform patterns of production, management and consumption to make them more compatible with environmental sustainability.

Article 9: Risk Assessment and Management

Promote the development of local risk maps, early warning systems, science-based environmental and technology assessments, and the appropriate management of risks related to climate change and natural disasters.

Article 10: Vulnerable Groups

Give priority in responding to climate change to the needs of vulnerable groups that include but are not limited to displaced persons and migrants, indigenous peoples and local communities, persons with disabilities, taking into account gender equality, empowerment of women, and intergenerational equity

Article 11: Education

1. Advance curricula, as appropriate, taking into account UNESCO’s work and initiatives on Education for Sustainable Development and Education for Climate Change, Article 6 of the UNFCCC, and Article 12 of the Paris Agreement adopted under the Convention, so that they build awareness and knowledge about humankind’s relation to the Earth’s climate system and ecosystems as well as about present generations’ responsibilities to future generations, and so that they promote the Principles of this Declaration.
2. Ensure that, in accordance with national laws, all people, irrespective of gender, age, origin, and persons with disabilities, migrants, indigenous people, children, and youth, especially those in vulnerable situations, have access to life-long learning opportunities that help them to acquire and update the knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes needed to respond to climate change and contribute to sustainable development.
3. Promote formal, non-formal, and informal education with regard to climate change challenges and solutions, and encourage retraining for professionals in line with these objectives.
4. Encourage educational institutions and educators to integrate these principles in their teaching activities from the pre-school to university levels.
5. Promote, in accordance with national laws, at all levels and in all forms of education, that the recognition of cultural, social, and gender diversity is valuable and is an important source of knowledge with which to promote dialogue and the exchange of knowledge indispensable to responding to climate change.
6. Support developing countries through educational and scientific capacity building, as well as financial means and facilitation of environmentally sound technological development.