UNOSAT News

Sat, 31 Oct 2009

Inter-Agency Steering Group Advances Concept for a One UN Approach to Climate Change Learning and Skills Development

Representatives from 17 UN organizations met on the 29th and 30th of October in Geneva, Switzerland at UNITAR Headquarters in Geneva to advance the concept of a One UN Training Service Platform on Climate Change, also referred to as UN CC: Learn. “The wealth of knowledge and learning resources available in the UN system on climate change is tremendous and growing” said Carlos Lopes, Executive Director of UNITAR. “UN CC:Learn seeks to create a common platform owned by all participating UN agencies with the goal to share experiences and respond effectively to climate change learning and skills development priorities in partner countries”.

The two-day workshop fostered a common understanding among UN agencies for the three main activities areas covered by CC: Learn. These include: Knowledge Management; Development of a One UN Training Package on Climate Change; and support of country-basedpilot projects on Strengthening Human Resources, Learning and Skill Development on Climate Change. The meeting also provided an opportunity to share information about ongoing and planned climate change training and learning initiatives of UN agencies and to explore opportunities of working together as One UN, both at the international and country level.

One of the initial deliverables of UN CC:Learn is a searchable Inventory of UN Climate Change Training and Learning Materials, currently under development and scheduled to be available by the 2009 Copenhagen Climate Change Conference. The inventory will provide access, in a searchable format, to materials of UN agencies relevant to climate change learning and training.

Participants also advanced the concept of thematic learning packages for specialized topics of climate change, with several agencies expressing an interest to take the lead in compiling, in collaboration with other agencies, a learning package in their respective area of expertise. Work is also commencing to develop guidance in support of country-driven initiatives that seek to strengthen human resources, learning and skills development in matters of climate change in a systematic and results oriented manner.

UN CC:Learn is embedded within the One UN Climate Change Action Framework coordinated by the UN Chief Executives Board. To date 19 agencies have appointed focal points for UN CC:Learn, including CEB, EMG, IFAD, ILO, OCHA, UNDP, UNFPA, UNEP, UNESCO, UNIFEM, UNISDR, UNFCCC, UNHABITAT, UNITAR, UNSSC, WMO, WHO, and the World Bank. Initial support for CC:Learn has been provided through seed funding and in-kind resources provided by UNDP, UNFPA and UNITAR, with UNITAR providing secretariat support for the initiative.

The idea of developing a common UN platform on climate change training and learning in the UN System received momentum at the 2008 Climate Change Conference in Poznan, Poland. At the Conference, the series of official side events revealed that UN agencies increasingly engage in and scale up their climate change training activities, creating opportunities for knowledge sharing and One UN collaboration.

For further information about UN CC:Learn, please contact uncclearn@unitar.org