Lessons from Copenhagen Wednesday, December 23, 2009 - 17:27

NIACE was represented at the fifteenth United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (known as COP 15) in Copenhagen by Jane Ward, who leads the Institute's work on sustainability. Joining a delegation from the International Council on Adult Education (ICAE) to highlight the connections between climate change and learning, NIACE moderated a workshop - Lifelong Learning for Sustainable Communities and Global Responsibility - which took place at Kilmaforum, the People's Climate Summit, on 11 December.

The aims of the ICAE workshop - attended by over 60 participants - were to:

• explore definitions of lifelong learning;
• contribute to debates about shifting from the notion of capacity-building to lifelong learning;
• strengthen participants' understanding of lifelong learning in relation to gender and under-represented groups; and
• promote the treaty on environmental education.

Speakers from Brazil, Chile, the Cook Islands and the Philippines discussed the concept and principles of lifelong learning and popular education; the importance of the gender dimension; and the ways in which lifelong learning can support people to confront the challenges of climate change.

Frances Quimpo from the Centre for Environmental Concerns in the Philippines, said:

"Consultation and environmental learning is one of the powerful actions we can take to confront the deep challenges of climate change."

Adult learning has a huge part to play in informing people and helping them make sense of the wealth of information about climate change

Jane Ward

Jane Ward, said:

"Discussions during the session illustrated ways in which the concept of lifelong learning is understood differently in the global North and the South - with contrasting views around the role of skills and the traditions of popular education. The breadth and complexity of lifelong learning and its important contribution towards environmental education and the creation of sustainable societies and global responsibility were also considered."

"Adult learning has a huge part to play in informing people and helping them make sense of the wealth of information about global warming and climate change, facilitating knowledge and understanding between the global North and South, supporting public participation in decision-making and equipping people to take actions to mitigate climate change as well as to adapt to their changing environments."

"COP 15 focused almost exclusively on adaptation, mitigation, energy and finance. Capacity building will be discussed at COP 16 in Mexico in 2010. This will provide a valuable opportunity to build a long term vision and develop further the concepts of adult learning in relation to climate change."

Image by woodleywonderworks, used under Creative Commons License