Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) forms a crucial pillar for successful implementation of the Paris Agreement and is the focus of Article 12. It includes six elements: education, training, public awareness, public access to information, public participation, and international cooperation.
Today is the second ACE day of SB50, so what needs to be done? We need to start moving from evaluation of the eight-year-long Doha Work Programme (DWP) to look towards a new ambitious framework for ACE. Here are some thoughts from ECO:
1) Talk loudly and proudly about ACE and invite others to join the debate, making sure that the voices of those groups explicitly mentioned in the DWP are included. ACE matters!
2) After the review of the DWP, ACE needs to empower learners and take into account the new UNESCO ESD2030, currently a draft, which emphasises “ESD has to affect the unsustainable production patterns of current economic structures more directly”. ACE empowers learners for transformation and active global citizenship. ACE matters!
3) ACE efforts need to be valued. All countries are encouraged to incorporate their ACE activities in their upcoming NDCs, reflecting all six elements in a balanced manner. ACE matters for NDCs!
4) Public participation is a human right. It is always important, especially in the preparation of new, enhanced NDCs. It’s part of ACE and ACE matters!
5) All countries shouldl nominate ACE Focal Points and provide them with the necessary support to play an active role in coordinating and upgrading ACE-activities. ACE focal points matter!
So, what about your country?
ECO would like to see all of this reflected in the ACE framework that will succeed the DWP: a framework that should be even more ambitious and robust. ACE matters!