Public Participation, Public Awareness, Public Access to Information and International Cooperation on these matters
 

Background: At COP 18, the Parties adopted the Doha work programme on Article 6 of the Convention and requested that the SBI organize an annual in-session Dialogue on 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. This decision reaffirmed that the ACE thematic areas are vital to achieve the ultimate objective of the Convention, and for the effective implementation of adaptation and mitigation measures.

At COP 23, Parties established the gender action plan under the Lima work programme on gender. One of the activities under the gender action plan invites Parties to hold a dialogue under ACE on how Parties and observer organizations have promoted the systematic integration of gender-sensitive and participatory education, training, public awareness, public participation and public access to information from national to local level across all climate mitigation and adaptation activities implemented under the Convention and Paris Agreement.

Objective: To provide a regular forum for Parties and other stakeholders to share their experiences, good practices and lessons learned, and to exchange ideas regarding ACE implementation.

An addition objective of the 6th Dialogue was to identify how Parties and stakeholders are promoting the integration of gender considerations in all aspects of ACE implementation.

Organization: For the purpose of organizing the Dialogue, the six ACE elements are clustered into two focal areas, the consideration of which alternates on an annual basis. The first focal area consists of education and training, while the second focal area consists of public awareness, public participation, and public access to information. International cooperation is considered a cross-cutting theme of both focal areas. The 6th ACE Dialogue took place during SBI 48 and focused on the second focal area.

Methodology: The 6th Dialogue was organized in two sessions and included presentations on good practices and working-group discussions.

Participation: The Dialogue was open for participation by Parties, representatives of relevant bodies established under the Convention, relevant experts, practitioners, and stakeholders. The Doha work programme specifies that key stakeholders include intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, in particular women, indigenous peoples, youth-focused organizations, the private sector, and the media.

Draft agenda

Day I: Public awareness and international cooperation on this matter

Day II: Public participation, public access to information, and international cooperation on these matters

Key Information

Doha Work Programme on Article 6 of the Convention

Photos of the 6th Dialogue on Action for Climate Empowerment