Driving the Future of Climate Education in Latin America - Closing of the International ALEC Project

Bogotá, September 2024 – The ALEC (Latin America for Climate Education) project celebrated its closing event from September 17 to 19, 2024, marking a milestone for climate education in Latin America. The event, held at the Universidad del Rosario in Bogotá, Colombia, within the framework of COP16, brought together teachers, policymakers, and researchers to highlight the project’s achievements and chart the way forward to strengthen climate education in the region.

• Launched in 2020 by the Office for Climate Education (OCE), ALEC aimed to promote and enhance climate change education for primary and secondary school students in Colombia and Mexico. Over the past five years, ALEC has developed educational resources, provided professional development for teachers, and forged strong partnerships to advance ecological transition and climate adaptation through education.

• Presentation of Results and Impacts: The event featured key presentations, including a summary of ALEC’s progress in integrating climate change education into schools and its influence on public policy.

• Workshops: Participants engaged in four thematic workshops focused on the role of teachers, public policies, civil society, and the importance of evaluation in climate education. These sessions emphasized the need to continue efforts to sustainably expand climate education initiatives and foster regional collaboration.

• Field Visits: Participants also visited local schools and a sub-páramo ecosystem, where they experienced firsthand the real impact of ALEC’s programs on students’ climate awareness and resilience, as well as the local impacts of climate change and how ecosystems are part of possible solutions.

With the closure of ALEC's pilot phase, the project's partners have committed to building an extension phase based on the successes of the last five years. New initiatives are being planned to expand climate education to other countries in the region, such as Peru, Ecuador, Argentina, and Brazil, with a particular focus on teacher professional development, policy support, and research and evaluation.

David Wilgenbus, Executive Director of the OCE, emphasized the importance of empowering teachers to lead adaptation and mitigation efforts in their communities. "To date, ALEC has reached more than 17,000 teachers – both directly and indirectly – establishing itself as one of the most ambitious climate education projects in the world. The tools we’ve developed will continue to guide teachers in fostering critical thinking, empathy, collaboration, and problem-solving skills among students, ensuring they are prepared to face the climate challenges of tomorrow." Benjamin Quesada, climatologist, professor, and director of the Earth System Science program, and organizer of the event at the Universidad del Rosario, added, "To meet climate goals, education is a fundamental pillar. Colombia must be a continental leader in climate education: we need more teacher training on climate change, more evidence-based teaching materials for educators, more curricula oriented towards these environmental and civilizational challenges, and stronger communities of practice between teachers, academics, and institutions of Education and Environment. We are ready to consolidate and continue driving these actions forward."

The closing event reaffirmed the critical role of education in addressing the global climate crisis. ALEC has not only provided a model for climate education but has also laid the foundation for a more resilient and environmentally conscious generation.