Assahafa.com
Education and youth mobilization are emerging as essential tools to speed the transition to low-carbon societies and strengthen territorial resilience. That was the main takeaway from the side event “Toward Net Zero: The Challenge of Climate Education,” held Saturday on the sidelines of COP30 in Belém.
Morocco, through the Hassan II International Environmental Training Center, presented its model, in which education and youth participation form pillars of the national climate strategy. The goal is to prepare a generation capable of meeting climate challenges while supporting the transition to Net Zero.
“Sustainable development, environmental and climate education are at the heart of our mission,” said Ayman Cherkaoui, director of the Center, which serves as the academic arm of the Mohammed VI Foundation for the Protection of the Environment, chaired by HRH Princess Lalla Hasnaa.
“We see education as lifelong learning,” he added, noting that the Center works from preschool to university with public and private partners, both national and international, to build a lasting climate culture on themes such as the ocean, climate change and biodiversity.
As part of the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0), updated ahead of COP30, Cherkaoui recalled that a national consultation with the youth was conducted across the Kingdom’s 12 regions, in partnership with the ministry of National Education, Preschool and Sports and the Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development. He said this process helped identify youth priorities and the actions they want to see implemented.
These consultations are now integrated into the governance and monitoring of the NDC, creating a direct link between public policy and citizen engagement. “We ensure that each project has a real foothold in the territories, with genuine youth participation,” he said.
The director also highlighted the African Youth Climate Hub, an incubator for young people aged 18 to 35 launched during the 2019 Climate Action Summit. Since its creation, he said, three editions have supported 30 projects through a program of training, mentoring and market preparation. A fourth edition is underway, aiming to strengthen the skills and impact of youth-driven climate initiatives across Africa.
For Cherkaoui, climate education is “a long-term effort” requiring medium- and long-term vision. He said work carried out with teachers has reached a majority of public and private schools in the Kingdom. “It is a major lever for impact,” he said.
Source: map
