While the foundation of biodiversity education remains rooted in Article 13 of the Convention and the goals of Agenda 21, the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) has elevated education from a supporting tool to a primary driver of the transformative change needed to live in harmony with nature by 2050.
A New Global Mandate
Under Decision 16/10, the focus has shifted toward transformative, innovative, and transdisciplinary education. This modern approach encompasses formal, non-formal, and informal learning at all levels, emphasizing:
- Integrating Biodiversity into Curricula: Moving beyond simple awareness to incorporate biodiversity values, conservation, and sustainable use into all educational systems.
- Promoting Sustainable Lifestyles: Fostering knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors that allow citizens to act for the planet and adopt lifestyles consistent with biodiversity goals.
- Reconnecting with Nature: Prioritizing educational content that encourages a personal and societal reconnection with the natural world.
The Global Plan of Action for Education on Biodiversity
A major development from COP 16 is the call to develop a new Global Plan of Action for Education on Biodiversity. This initiative, led by the Secretariat in collaboration with UNESCO and other relevant organizations, seeks to provide a roadmap for mainstreaming biodiversity into lifelong learning processes.
The Plan will aims to support the effective implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), specifically the provisions regarding transformative education in Section C and the communication and awareness-raising actions in Section K. By strengthening education for biodiversity as a strategic enabling condition, the Plan aims to catalyze the transformative change required to achieve the 2050 vision of living in harmony with nature.
The Plan also provides a flexible voluntary framework consisting of interconnected outcomes to advance biodiversity education across formal, non-formal, and informal learning. It focuses on the promotion of knowledge, attitudes, values, and behaviors that enable informed decision-making and collective action, ensuring that biodiversity values are integrated into everyday life.
Inclusivity and Traditional Knowledge
Current educational efforts are explicitly designed to be gender-responsive, ensuring that women and girls have equal access to education and training. Furthermore, the framework recognizes and values the diverse worldviews and traditional knowledge systems of indigenous peoples and local communities as essential components of biodiversity education.
