UNDP climate curriculum reaches 50,000 pupils across Eurasia

December 13, 2018

UNDP’s climate box, launched last year to teach children how to lead climate- and environmentally-friendly lifestyles, has reached a total of 50,000 children in eight countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.  

“Children and youth bring energy and creative thinking to the climate action. It’s our role to engage and empower them through innovative education and learning on climate change” said Armen Grigoryan, Regional team leader for climate change, disaster and energy.

The Climate Box is an illustrated encyclopedia of climate issues targeting children aged 7 to 14 who not only get to learn about the science behind climate change but are given practical tips on how to dramatically reduce their carbon footprint.

To date, 50,000 school children have used the curriculum in classrooms in Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The box is also available online on various app stores.

The Climate Box was initiated through a partnership between UNDP and the Coca-Cola Foundation and was supported with funds of the Global Environment Facility and the Government of Russia. The Climate Box will ultimately expand to other countries in and outside of the region heavily affected by climate-related impacts.

The programme also trains teachers on how to include climate change in their school programmes and  engages with the ministries of education to increase awareness among academic circles. This year alone, 750 teachers from 8 countries engaged in training and awareness activities supported by Climate Box. In total, 1,800 teachers have received training on climate change programmes.

UNDP also launched the first international school contest for best climate projects. The winners will meet in Astana, Kazakhstan in April 2019 at the second international conference organized under the Climate Box programme.