Princess Lala Hasnaa Pleads For Education For Sustainable Development At UN Forum – OpEd

Morocco pledged to making its expertise in renewable energies available to all its African partners. In fact, Morocco is aiming to become one of the world undisputed global leader in the wind and solar sectors, via an unprecedented wave of investment in manufacturing, and technology research and development. Along this ambitious goal, Morocco launched a series of programs to educate its citizens on the importance of sustainable development in an attempt to alter radically the positions and behavior of Moroccans and thus contribute to their deep awareness of the major importance to protect environment..

Today Princess Lalla Hasnaa, chairwoman of the Mohammed VI Foundation for Environment Protection, co-chaired in Bonn, with executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Patricia Espinosa, the high-level session on Education Day, held under the theme “Global partnerships to combat climate change through education.”

Speaking on this occasion, Her Royal Highness recalled the paramount importance of education for sustainable development, today essential lever to deeply change the behavior of citizens and face the challenges of global warming. This level embodied in article 6 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and article 12 of the Paris Agreement underscores the importance of education, training, public awareness, public access to information and international cooperation to effectively combat climate change.
Efforts made in the field of education for sustainable development have become the mandatory matrix of any action in favor of the environment. The difficulties faced by governments in changing current behavior lead to the view that education will rapidly induce the necessary inflection.
After its involvement at COP22 in Marrakech, where Morocco has openly advocated for concrete action, particularly in Africa, the Foundation continues to build partnerships in Bonn, to strengthen its commitment.

Therefore, on the occasion of Education Day and its high-level session, co-chaired by Princess Lalla Hasnaa, the Mohammed VI Foundation for Environment Protection and the UNFCCC signed a memorandum of understanding.

Both parties committed themselves to implement the Empowerment (ACE) (article 6 of the UNFCCC) to cooperate, educate, train and raise public awareness of climate change through the translation of the guide on ACE. This guide for policy makers provides a clear ten-step plan for empowering stakeholders to find and implement climate change solutions.
It is worth to mention that since 2009, the Foundation has been an observer member of the UNFCCC and participates each year in the COPs through speeches and workshops.

It is widely recognized that Morocco has become a green leader among developing nations, with an ambitious goal to produce more than half of its own energy needs by 2030 through a growing network of more than 50 public and private solar, wind, and water projects. The push is part of a national effort to curb greenhouse gas emissions, reduce pollution, and boost Morocco’s energy independence. For many Moroccans, this a necessary and major step that will lead to investment in the future.