The UNFCCC’s 27th Annual Conference of the Parties, or COP27, kicked off Nov. 6 and runs until Nov. 18 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. Each year, scientists, activists and world leaders from around the world come together to act on the environmental commitments made by representatives of every nation, advancing the planet’s collective climate goals. This year, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) will focus on three key issues: protecting biodiversity, cultivating a better relationship with nature and supporting scientific efforts to find solutions to today’s environmental challenges.
Protect biodiversity
UNESCO calls for a global change in the values and attitudes of people around the world towards nature. While many countries have pledged to establish protected areas on 30% of the planet by 2030, UNESCO argues that this number “makes no sense if humans continue to destroy the remaining 70%. To address this, UNESCO will use its resources to promote training and education initiatives that, ideally, will enable people to live in harmony with nature and minimize actions that further harm the environment.
Cultivate a better relationship with nature
In addition to advocating for training and education programs, UNESCO also seeks to help develop “new ways of coexisting with nature, devising more sustainable uses of biodiversity and new models of production and consumption”. Existing UNESCO-designated sites will serve as excellent examples of alternative lifestyles that are more respectful of wildlife and nature in general.
Advance knowledge
As the scientific arm of the United Nations, UNESCO prioritizes research and the exchange of scientific knowledge among nations to foster innovation. According to UNESCO, they will use their “designated sites and programs as a springboard to share solutions on sustainable use and conservation, based on scientific evidence as well as local values and knowledge, to be passed on to young people as as drivers of change”.
Ideally, UNESCO’s three-pronged approach to tackling climate change will inspire leaders and citizens to adopt more environmentally friendly mindsets and follow open science principles to collaboratively address climate change challenges. large-scale environmental threats.