The Ministers and Heads of Delegation attending the twentieth session of the Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP20) held in Lima, Peru, from 1 to 12 December 2014 adopted the Lima Declaration on Education and Awareness-raising.
Recalling the importance of the importance of Article 6 of the Convention and Article 10(e) of the Kyoto Protocol, the countries reaffirmed that public participation, access to information and knowledge are crucial for developing and implementing effective policies to combat climate change and adapt to its impacts, as well as to engage actively, as appropriate, all stakeholders, including children, youth, the elderly, women, persons with disabilities, indigenous and local communities and non-governmental organizations in the implementation of these policies.
The declaration also stresses that education, training, public awareness, public participation, public access to information, knowledge and international cooperation play a fundamental role in meeting the ultimate objective of the Convention and in promoting climate-resilient sustainable development.
Moreover, the delegates reaffirmed their commitment to promote and facilitate, at the national and, as appropriate, at subregional and regional levels, and in accordance with national laws and regulations, and within the respective capacities, the development and implementation of educational and public awareness programmes on climate change and its effects, of public access to information on climate change and its effects and of public participation in addressing climate change and urged all Parties to give increased attention to these matters.
