During COP29, a key focus will be placed on an initiative to evaluate climate literacy among students.

As part of the 29th session of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), events co-hosted by the Ministry of Science and Education will address critical themes, including green education, environmental literacy among students, and the essential role of education in combating climate change.

On November 18, 2024, COP29 Presidency, Ministry of Education and Science of Azerbaijan Republic in partnership with UNESCO and OECD will organise roundtables on “Greening Education and Climate Resilience” and “Measuring Environmental Literacy in International Assessments,” with participation from education ministers representing various countries. Within the scope of these discussions, the second annual meeting of the “Greening Education Partnership”—an initiative launched by the United Nations in 2022 and supported by over 90 countries—will also be held.

Recognizing education’s vital role in addressing climate change, the Ministry of Science and Education, in collaboration with UNESCO, will establish a multi-stakeholder platform to discuss greening education as part of Azerbaijan’s hosting of COP29. The discussions will address crucial components such as school infrastructure, curriculum development, student competencies, and teacher training to ensure students are prepared for a climate-resilient future.

The Ministry of Science and Education’s proposal to measure students’ climate literacy through PISA will be a focal point of discussion. Together with the OECD, the Ministry has proposed developing a new competency-based assessment framework on climate literacy, to be implemented in the 2029 PISA cycle. This initiative aims to incorporate climate literacy and skills into all PISA assessment criteria (reading, mathematics, and science), aligning core learning with the goals of climate resilience.

It is notable that the COP29 agenda, hosted by Azerbaijan, places a strong emphasis on education within the context of climate resilience, underlining the country’s commitment to global climate and sustainability goals. Azerbaijan’s initiative to incorporate climate literacy indicators into PISA assessments, a key topic of discussion, aims to promote climate awareness across the education systems of multiple countries.