UNESCO Climate Change Initiative

The following four core programmes of the UNESCO Climate Change Initiative are designed to each play a role in bringing about a holistic understanding of climate change, its underlying causes, driving forces, and impacts, as well as options to mitigate and adapt to them:

UNESCO Climate Change Adaptation Forum (UCCAF)

The objective of the Forum is to inform public and private sector stakeholders (such as national policymakers, vulnerable communities, media, as well as social, cultural, and scientific networks and organisations) of the longer-term climate projections and their potential impacts, as well as to strengthen capacity. According to UNESCO, there is a growing concern expressed by many nations of the need to provide scientific information to underpin adaptation to climate change. The Initiative is working with the scientific community to improve its climate projections by increasing its focus on regional and local climate information that can help managers and community-based organisations address the needs of a spectrum of users from different sectors influenced by climate variability and change.

Climate Change Education for Sustainable Development

This programme area uses educational approaches to help a broad audience (with a particular focus on youth) understand, address, mitigate, and adapt to the impacts of climate change. It is also designed to encourage changes in attitudes and behaviours needed to put the world on a more sustainable development path and build a new generation of climate change-aware citizens. The programme works to help people understand the impact of global warming today and increase "climate literacy" among young people. It does this by: strengthening the capacity of its Member States to provide quality climate change education; encouraging innovative teaching approaches to integrate climate change education in school; and enhancing non-formal education programmes through media, networking, and partnerships.

Global Climate Change Field Observatory

UNESCO explains that besides its impacts on biodiversity and natural heritage, climate change also variously impacts the world's cultural heritage. Archaeological remains and historical buildings can be affected when the hydrological, chemical, and biological processes of the soil change in response to climate change. The predicted increase in flooding may damage building materials; in addition, desertification, salt weathering, and erosion are already threatening cultural heritage in desert areas. Climate change may cause other social and cultural impacts, with communities changing the way they live, work, worship, and socialise in buildings, sites, and landscapes, possibly migrating and abandoning their built heritage and losing their intangible cultural heritage. The Observatory is: working to promote the recognition and use of biosphere reserves and World Heritage sites for implementing the UNESCO Climate Change Initiative; collecting, documenting, and analysing scientific, tradition, and local knowledge related to climate change; and promoting skills and competencies in cultural industries linked to films, computer animation and products, photographic and art festivals, and events to tell climate change adaptation and mitigation stories drawn from science, religion, traditional knowledge, etc.

Research Programme on the Social, Human, Ethical, and Gender Dimensions of Climate Change

This Research Programme focuses on the design and implementation of appropriate climate change adaptation actions based on the Management of Social Transformations (MOST) and environmental ethics programmes. MOST works to foster and promote social science research. This programme area is also working to strengthen intersectoral management and improve understanding of gender equality issues entailed in addressing the social and human dimension of climate change.

Climate Change, Environment, Culture, Gender

Coordinated through the UNESCO Intersectoral Platform on Climate Change, key objectives of the Climate Change Initiative will be achieved through intersectoral and interdisciplinary cooperation, coordinated field activities, and networking. Special attention is given to UNESCO’s two global priorities, Africa and gender equality, as well as to the increased vulnerability of Small Island Developing States (SIDS).