UNESCO forum to mark second anniversary of Paris Agreement

Five days before the day the historic Paris Climate Change Agreement marks its 2nd anniversary, UNESCO is hosting a Forum bringing together international civil society partners to strengthen competencies related to education, natural and social sciences, cultural and communication which contribute to tackling climate change on 7-8 December.
The Forum precedes the One Planet Summit, organized by the United Nations and the World Bank, at the initiative of the French government, which will take place on the 12th and be attended by several world leaders.
Taking stock of the “COP 21 Paris Agreement”, the NGOs will discuss UNESCO competencies, particularly the ocean, as well as cultural heritage, biosphere reserves and indigenous peoples’ knowledge, and the role of civil society organizations.
They will build on UNESCO’s updated Strategy for Action on Climate Change, adopted by the 195 Member States in November at the General Conference. It focuses on several UNESCO programmes which promote interdisciplinary climate knowledge and scientific cooperation for climate change mitigation and adaptation, including those related to hydrology, geosciences, and biospheres, as well as the work of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission.
Discussions will also devise concrete actions related to UNESCO’s Declaration of Ethical Principles in Relation to Climate Change which outlines globally-agreed ethical principles that should guide decision-making and policy-making at all levels and help mobilize people to address climate change.