Morocco showcases youth-driven climate education model at COP30

Morocco presented its innovative climate education approach at COP30, demonstrating how engaging young people accelerates transitions to low-carbon societies through a seminar titled “Towards Carbon Neutrality: The Stakes of Climate Education.”

The Hassan II International Center for Environmental Training—part of the Mohammed VI Foundation for Environmental Protection—demonstrated how education and youth participation form Morocco’s national climate strategy backbone. “Climate education sits at our mission’s heart,” said center director Ayman Cherkaoui. “We work with public and private stakeholders, from preschool through university, building lasting climate culture around oceans, climate change and biodiversity.”

The center has integrated youth voices directly into Morocco’s updated Nationally Determined Contribution ahead of COP30. Through nationwide consultations across all twelve regions, young people identified priorities and desired actions for implementation.

“We ensure every project has real on-the-ground impact with genuine youth involvement,” Cherkaoui explained. “These consultations now form part of how we govern and track NDC implementation, creating direct links between public policy and citizen participation.”

The center launched the African Youth Climate Hub in 2019, supporting entrepreneurs aged 18 to 35. The initiative has backed 30 projects across three cycles, providing training, mentorship and market access support, with a fourth cycle aimed at strengthening youth capacity across Africa.

The presentation underscored Morocco’s commitment to positioning youth not merely as climate change beneficiaries but as active agents driving sustainable transformation across the continent.

Sara González, COP30 vice president from the Dominican Republic, shared her country’s similar approach. “We’ve trained over 10,000 teachers and communication professionals to raise societal awareness,” she said. “Education isn’t a separate chapter—it’s a strategic thread woven through mitigation and adaptation.”

Denmark’s delegate Sigurd Seindal Krappe called for meaningful youth engagement beyond token participation, while Zimbabwe’s teachers’ association representative Sifiso Ndlovu stressed the need for clear, measurable goals. “What doesn’t get measured doesn’t get done,” he emphasized.