ACE Working Group Report (2021)
Work in 2020
Even amidst the pandemic, our team remained committed to advancing efforts on ACE in 2020. The ACE Working Group of YOUNGO participated at the 8th Dialogues on Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) in order to enhance work in the areas of climate change education, training, public awareness, public participation, public access to information, and international cooperation on these matters.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 8th ACE Dialogues were held virtually. This included four virtual regional Dialogues and two global events, and was launched during the June Momentum for Climate Change The four regional ACE Dialogues held include:
❖ Europe and Central Asia: 29 July 2020
❖ Asia and the Pacific: 26 August 2020
❖ Americas and the Caribbean: 23 September 2020
❖ Africa and Middle East: 28 October 2020
❖ Global Closing Event: 02 December 2020
From these events, we learned about regional best practices on ACE implementation and shared ideas from our working group on how to enhance ambition on ACE, including through increasing ACE Focal Points and funding. In 2020, even in a pandemic context, our commitment is exponentially growing the amount of ACE work and accelerating implementation of Paris, especially in places where citizens are more vulnerable to climate change. Also to foster youth participation in public policy and decision-making processes with organizations like YOUNGO and many others youth organizations around the world. For effective processes of climate action, we need to continue working together from Latin America, Europe & Central Asia as well as Africa & the Middle East.
New Challenges and Tasks (2021)
Our team began the year by outlining 7 Goals for ACE activities. To ensure accountability and facilitate unprecedented, urgent and bold-action on the goals, each one has a set of self-selected co-leaders. Members of the working group were all encouraged to sign up to participate in a goal team. As we consider public participation to be a core component of climate action, it should be noted that all goals were agreed to by working group members.
❖ Goal 1 - ACE YouthForum/vCOY Engagement
❖ Goal 2 - ACE 101 folder for new members
❖ Goal 3 - Documents on how to lobby for ACENFPs and how to support them
❖ Goal 4 - ACE Work Program & translating into multiple languages
❖ Goal 5- Coordinating liaisons for connecting with other WGs
❖ Goal 6 - Documenting and establishing a shared process for countries to report their progress on ACE
❖ Goal7 - ACE Financing
As we develop and scale up solutions towards these goals, we are faced with a few challenges. For one, our main point of contact with the UNFCCC ACE team no longer works with the UNFCCC. At this time, we are unsure if there will be a replacement. Without this ally, it may be harder for our voices and ideas to be heard. As it pertains to our goals, one of our main challenges is determining the format for the ACE Youth Forum due to internet connectivity and timezone issues. Through accomplishing our 7 goals, we hope to submit a financing and new work programme proposal to the UNFCCC before COP26.
Participation of Team Members at International Events
Despite the pandemic, our team was offered multiple opportunities to participate in international events as representatives of the ACE Working Group.
❖ Challenge4Climate Action Student Panel: Our team member, Hailey Campbell, served on an international student panel to share about the significance of climate education and training as a tool for advancing climate action. Check out the panel event here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGswEwC21BM&feature=youtu.be
❖ Youth Event Road2COP26 WG of YOUNGO hosted a webinar STEPUP! COP26: Youth as an agent of climate action and NDCs ambition, Our team member - Nila Patty talks on NDCs - Awareness and Action. What, Why, Focus, Values and Who?
❖ Youth Environment Assembly organized and hosted Youth Dialogue with UNEP Executive Director (Inger Andersen) and UNEA-5 President (Sveinung Rotevatn) on the fourth day of the event: Our team member - Adedeji Adetoyi features and highlighted the Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) Dialogue, and Convention Article 6 (education and training) as key processes in the UNFCCC where greater youth engagement would help lead to greater climate literacy and action.
COP 26/COY 16
Focusing on the main conference in bringing together youth and young people from around the world, who are passionate about climate change. Importantly giving us the opportunity to connect, create synergy, address our needs and exchange our experiences, knowledge and good practices to strengthen the international youth climate movement and involve next generations in developing climate solutions and actions.
For more information about the ACE Working Group, you can contact Bas Tuenter or Timothy Damon.