BaCCC/Module 7/Lesson 1/Part 3

Guiding principles for ACE activities

The main guiding principles of ACE are as follows:

• Transparency and accountability are necessary to maintain high standards when working in partnership with others.
• Stakeholder participation that is equitable and broad-based is needed.
• ACE needs a gender approach to support women’s empowerment and promote women’s participation in decision-making, recognising that climate action must be gender-responsive because drawing on women’s knowledge, skills and experience will make responses to climate change more effective.
• It should be intergenerational to engage people of all ages, especially young people and the elderly, whose capacity to cope with climate change impacts independently is reduced.
• ACE should involve the inclusion of traditionally marginalised groups (such as Indigenous peoples, ethnic minorities and people with disabilities) who have limited capacity to engage in policymaking and risk being overlooked if their needs are not explicitly included in planning.

How ACE can be used to communicate climate change

For examples of ACE, see “What is ACE?” at

What Is ACE?

Why does ACE matter? Here is what the UNFCCC Secretariat has to say:

“	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, [and] 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.	”
—UNFCCC, “Action for Climate Empowerment

ACE

Since 2022, a new online hub has been focusing especially on youth engagement in ACE to empower young leaders (is that you?) to mobilise climate solutions at the community or national level. See:

ACE Youth Hub

Imagine bringing together the youth from across your community or country – and even inviting young people from other countries – for an ACE youth exchange! (Perhaps the international invitees could attend virtually to cut down on carbon emissions.)

Such an event, the Action for Climate Empowerment Youth Exchange in 2022 involved the following:

Recognizing the importance of developing the diverse knowledge, values and skills necessary to address the climate crisis, the ACE Youth Exchange aimed to achieve the following objectives:

1) to contribute to efforts to build the skills and competencies of youth to act confidently in their own spheres of influence and to create an environment of hope for the future and

2) to provide an opportunity for local and international youth to connect, share experiences and learn from each other.

Participants included 35 international and local youth from NRW [northern Germany]. Youth had the opportunity for capacity building and networking over a period of three days:

• Day 1 & 2: The first two days focused on various skills building sessions led by experts on a wide range of topics such as effective communication, content and campaign creation, climate emotions, and futures literacy. Youth participants had the opportunity to participate in meaningful discussions through diverse formats such as dialogues, role playing, breakout groups and interactive sessions.
• Day 3: The third day was dedicated to exchange and reflection. Through multiple self-organized sessions led by fellow ACE Youth Exchange participants, participants had the opportunity to share their own knowledge and skills and learn from each other. (United Nations Climate Change, 2022)

Activity

As a case study, read the project brief for the National Adaptation Plan of Papua New Guinea at the link below. Then, in your learning journal, answer the questions that follow.

National Adaptation Plan Process Focus Lessons-PNG

1. Cite the relevance of some or all of the United Nations’ six ACE elements in Papua New Guinea’s National Adaptation Plan.

2. Find and name a similar policy that your country has in relation to climate adaptation and mitigation commitments. In what ways does ACE contribute to it?

Activity

An understanding of ACE can help you come up with a multitude of opportunities to communicate the climate emergency. For an example of a vivid and rich ACE initiative, follow the link below and explore the innovative mapping tool. Then, in your learning journal, answer the questions that follow.

Mapping Tool

1. How does this innovation in mapping help you understand climate change? List at least two ways.

2. List two (or more) ways that this mapping tool contributes to ACE.

Share this innovative mapping tool with others, especially your technology-loving friends.

Stay tuned in!

Follow the link below and subscribe to the ACE Newsletter:

ACE Newsletter Subscription

Get connected!

Be a part of ACE. Join the ACE LinkedIn Group at:

ACE LinkedIn Group

Lesson Summary

In this lesson, you

• educated others about ACE;
• connected the six ACE elements to communicate the climate emergency to others;
• described the guiding principles for ACE activities; and
• demonstrated an understanding of how ACE can be used to communicate the climate emergency.