Action for Climate Empowerment

What is ACE?

Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) is a term adopted by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change to denote work under Article 6 of the Convention and Article 12 of the Paris Agreement.

The over-arching goal of ACE is to empower all members of society to engage in climate action, through the six ACE elements - climate change education and public awareness, training, public participation, public access to information, and international cooperation on these issues.

The logo of Action for Climate Empowerment and its six elements

In carrying out their commitments under Article 4, paragraph 1 (i), the Parties shall:

(a) Promote and facilitate at the national and, as appropriate, subregional and regional levels, and in accordance with national laws and regulations, and within their respective capacities:

     (i) The development and implementation of educational and public awareness programmes on climate change and its effects;

     (ii) Public access to information on climate change and its effects;

     (iii) Public participation in addressing climate change and its effects and developing adequate responses; and

     (iv) Training of scientific, technical and managerial personnel;

(b) Cooperate in and promote, at the international level, and, where appropriate, using existing bodies:

     (i) The development and exchange of educational and public awareness material on climate change and its effects; and

     (ii) The development and implementation of education and training programmes, including the strengthening of national institutions and the exchange or secondment of personnel to train experts in this field, in particular for developing countries.

Parties shall cooperate in taking measures, as appropriate, to enhance climate change education, training, public awareness, public participation and public access to information, recognizing the importance of these steps with respect to enhancing actions under this Agreement.

Why ACE matters?

Implementation of all six ACE elements is crucial to the global response to climate change. Everyone, including and perhaps especially the young, must understand and participate in the transition to a low-emission, climate-resilient world.

Sustainable lifestyles, sustainable patterns of consumption and production, are fundamental to reducing greenhouse emissions and enhancing resilience to the inevitable effects of climate change. Success will require broad collaboration between all levels of government and all sectors of society.

💡 ACE at COP27

Parties adopted a four-year ACE action plan under the Glasgow work programme (Decisions 23/CP.27 and 22/CMA.4), which sets out short-term, clear and time-bound activities in the four priority areas of the work programme and across the six elements of ACE in a balanced manner as a concrete step towards empowering all members of society, including children and youth, to engage in climate action.

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Delegates at COP27 celebrate the end of the conference up on the main podium.
Delegates at COP27 celebrate the end of the conference up on the main podium.
Credit: Kiara Worth
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