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Scaling up high-quality Nature-based Education is essential to realising the Targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and to advancing our collective biodiversity and climate goals. Partners across formal, informal, and non-formal education organisations are critical to mainstreaming biodiversity, democratising nature conservation, and creating a global culture of conservation and care. This year in Cali, Colombia, over 55 Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ CEC Members and Members of the Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ Task Force on Nature-based Education advocated for the critical education and communications investments needed to meet KM-GBF Targets.Ìý

The Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ CEC-organised at the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM-GBF) Pavilion at COP16 brought together global experts and practitioners to clarify goals, activities, timelines, resource requirements and potential partners to advance biodiversity education and highlight its critical importance for implementation of the KM-GBF. Over 40 speakers and panelists and 300 participants gathered for this event, including representatives from government, civil society, education systems leaders, and youth delegates.ÌýÌý

Participants left Education Day with:Ìý

• A clear sense of why it is critical we bring nature to the center of education and learning out into nature as proposed by the Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ Nature-based Education Initiative.Ìý
• An understanding of how Nature-based Education can further contribute to the implementation of the KM-GBF, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the UNFCCC Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) initiative.Ìý
• Examples of the tangible contribution that learning, skills development, and investment in education systems focused on the interlinkages between climate and biodiversity are making towards concrete and ambitious biodiversity conservation actions.
• Inspiration from Parties on the impactful inclusion of educational approaches and partnerships across NBSAPs and tools to embed education into NBSAPs.
• Insightful best practices and innovations in biodiversity education to inspire action.

In preparation for COP16, CEC Members Nancy Colleton (President, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies) and Mackenzie Allen (Research Assistant, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies) produced an insightful analysis of post-COP15 NBSAPs and how Parties have integrated engagement with formal and non-formal education partners into their strategies, and highlighted additional opportunities to ensure NBSAPs include comprehensive educational approaches and key partners. A summary of their findings, presented at COP16, can be found in this Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ article, Education in the NBSAPs and Beyond

Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ CEC and the Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ Task Force on Nature-based Education prepared the Information Note: Building Momentum for a Global Plan of Action on Education for Biodiversity. The Note aimed to support negotiators in successful advocacy to align their Parties’ NBSAPs and the CBD programme of work on communication, education and public awareness with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, in particular paragraph 7 (o) of section C, section K and Targets 9, 10, 15, 16, 21, 22 and 23. The Note also aimed to inform negotiators on the importance of the development of a global plan of action for education on biodiversity and advocated for the acceptance of , which invited “UNESCO [, the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services] [and the Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥] [to develop] [to contribute to the development of] a global plan of action for education on biodiversity, encompassing formal and informal education[, including goals, activities, timelines, indicative resource requirements and possible partners][, in order to support the transformative changes needed to implement the Framework].

COP16 negotiators ended the COP with a , which included detailed plans for the strengthening and resourcing of Parties by the CBD Executive Secretary, UNESCO, and partners to reinforce CEPA strategies and alignment with GBF Targets. The draft decision also indicates that a global plan of action for education on biodiversity will indeed advance. The draft decision also proposed new ways to compile and disseminate information on indigenous and traditional knowledge systems and their impact on global biodiversity.Ìý

Notable proposals in the draft decision include:Ìý

• The CBD Executive Secretary will work with IPBES, UNESCO, and IIFB to develop open-source knowledge products that explain the relationship and variety of knowledge systems that capture the diverse values of biodiversity.
• The CBD Executive Secretary, working with relevant international organizations, indigenous peoples and local communities and women and youth organizations, is to develop communications guidelines for each of the GBF goals and targets.Ìý
• The CBD Executive Secretary is to collaborate on the development of a global plan of action for education on biodiversity, encompassing formal and informal education…Parties may wish to adapt and incorporate the action plan, as appropriate, into national planning, including into overall educational strategies
• The CBD Executive Secretary is to work with the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services[, the International Union for Conservation of Nature], the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the United Nations Environment Programme and other relevant actors active in the science and technology sphere to identify the key science and technology developments that will contribute to better biodiversity outcomes. The Executive Secretary is to create a communications campaign that highlights and promotes those developments to media and other knowledge entities.Ìý

As specified in this Information Note, Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥, as a Union, is well-poised to support the drafting of a global plan of action for education on biodiversity, and has already assembled a group of 150 experts and organizations worldwide (through the Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ Task Force on Nature-based Education) to support the plan and its implementation.

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Youth delegates from the Centre for Global Education announce the Global Child Biodiversity Declaration at COP16.

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The inspirational Education Day culminated with an international children and youth panel which announced the first , sharing the collective voice of our planet’s children and their vision for the future of biodiversity protection. The Declaration identified six key areas of work: Government Policies, School Curricula, Indigenous Perspectives, Community Engagement, Funding Solutions and Awareness Campaigns, and suggested fresh new ways that Parties can advance biodiversity protections across these areas. Education Nature Nexus, an initiative of the , coordinated the child COP16 delegates in Cali, and has been elevating child voices at UN COPs (UNFCCC and CBD) by engaging over 100,000 children in UN discussions and fora since 2009.ÌýÌý

Education Day was led by Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ CEC, UNESCO, and the CBD Secretariat, with partners including:

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The Education Day Reception on October 23, and a Nature-based Education Reception at the Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ Pavilion on October 27, were generously hosted by the Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ CEC, UNESCO, CBD, WWF, the Canadian Wildlife Federation, Ducks Unlimited Canada, Alana Foundation, Sustainable Forestry Initiative, EARTHDAY.ORG, BC Parks Foundation, #NatureForAll, and the Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ Academy.

Panellists and speakers from around the world at Education Day represented:Ìý

• Alana Foundation
• Bavarian Academy of Nature Conservation and Landscape Management
• BC Parks Foundation
• California Academy of Sciences
• Canadian Wildlife Service Environment and Climate Change
• Canadian Wildlife Federation
• Center for Global Education (CGE)
• Centre for Environment and Education (CEE)
• CMS Vatavaran
• Ducks Unlimited Canada
• EARTHDAY.ORG
• ESRI
• French Office for Biodiversity
• Foundation for Ecological Research, Advocacy & Learning (FERAL)
• Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE)
• Global Youth Biodiversity Network
• Government of SurinameÌý
• Inter American Development Bank
• Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûÏÖ³¡Ö±²¥ (Academy, Canadian National Committee, French National Committee, Youth Advisory Committee, #NatureForAll)
• Kenyan YouthÌý Biodiversity Network
• London Natural History Museum
• OPEPA
• Secretary of Biodiversity of Brazil
• Sustainable Forestry Initiative
• Spatial Planning of the Government of Suriname
• UNESCOÌý
• Wildlife Clubs of Kenya
• World Environmental Education Congress (WEEC)
• Youth 4 NatureÌý

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Read more about COP16 from our partnersÌý

(Canadian Wildlife Federation)Ìý

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