Climate change communication and education
2. Climate change education and training in the country
3. Climate change communication in the country
i. Climate change context
The Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, also known as Ivory Coast, is situated on the southern coast of West Africa and within the transition zone between the humid equatorial climate and the dry tropical climate of the north of Africa. According to the World Bank (2022), Côte d’Ivoire had 28,160,542 inhabitants as of 2022. The 2021 ND-GAIN Index, which summarizes a country’s vulnerability to climate change and its readiness to improve its resilience, states that Côte d’Ivoire ranks 140th, which translates to high vulnerability and low readiness to climate change. As per the country’s Third National Communication (2017), Côte d'Ivoire grapples with ongoing and future challenges posed by climate change, most notably coastal erosion, but also desertification, landslides, droughts, more frequent and severe heavy rainfall events, and prolonged heat waves
The Global Carbon Atlas reports that the country has low emissions per capita, at 0.4 tCO2 per person. While a low-emitting country, according to the Third National Communication (2017), greenhouse gas emissions in Côte d’Ivoire have been increasing. The largest emitting sector is energy (60.8%), followed by agriculture (32.2%), waste (8.7%), and industrial processes and product use (1.2%).
Côte d’Ivoire is a non-Annex I party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The country ratified the Kyoto Protocol in 2007 and signed and ratified the Paris Agreement in 2016.
Côte d’Ivoire prioritizes the mainstreaming of gender in climate action, and has made substantial progress regarding this issue. Côte d’Ivoire conducted an assessment to provide recommendations for the mainstreaming of gender considerations into their National Adaptation Plan funding proposal in 2018–2020, which was submitted to and approved by the Green Climate Fund. Other key milestones include the development of the National Gender and Climate Change Strategy 2020–2024 (2019), the review launched by the Ministry of the Women, Family, and Children of the National Gender Policy Document (2020) to ensure the incorporation of issues related to climate change, the legal finalization of a National Gender and Climate Change Platform to promote networking among relevant stakeholders, and ensuring the Nationally Determined Contributions (2022) was revised to consider gender as a cross-cutting theme in priority sectors.
The country is also prioritizing Vocational and Technical Training to reduce youth unemployment by improving their employability and access to higher education programs. Côte d’Ivoire is additionally committed to improving gender inequalities within schools, encouraging girls to attend and stay within the education system and increasing education around climate change as a national priority.
ii. Relevant government agencies
Climate change
The Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development of Côte d’Ivoire is the primary entity responsible for implementing and monitoring environmental protection and sustainable development throughout the country. The Ministry is also the Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) Focal Point of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and they oversee the coordination and implementation of the UNFCCC.
There are two Directorate Generals within the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development, one for the Environment and one for Sustainable Development. The Directorate General of the Environment is responsible for many tasks including promoting environmental provisions of the Constitution, monitoring and evaluating sectoral policies to combat climate change, developing and implementing a national policy on the environment and sustainable development, and overseeing the development and implementation of information, awareness-raising, education, and communication strategies. The Directorate General of the Environment consists of four Central Directorates:
- The Directorate of the Combat against Climate Change
- The Directorate of Ecology and Nature Protection
- The Directorate of Environmental Quality and Risk Prevention
- The Directorate of Industrial Waste and Chemical Substances
The Directorate of the Combat against Climate Change, one of the Central Directorates in the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development, carries many responsibilities including developing sectoral policies and strategies to combat climate change, strengthening the legislative and regulatory framework for climate action, monitoring implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, developing national communications on climate change, and promoting and implementing education and communication strategies for climate action.
The Directorate General for Sustainable Development is in charge of monitoring the implementation of international agreements on sustainable development, coordinating implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals at the national level in the country, and evaluating the education, training, and promotion of sustainable development in all sectors. The Directorate General for Sustainable Development comprises three Central Directorates:
- The Directorate of Sustainable Development Policies and Strategies
- The Directorate of Sustainable Development Promotion
- The Directorate of the Green Economy and Social Responsibility of Organizations.
The National Environment Agency (ANDE) is a national public establishment created in 1997 under the supervision of the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development in Côte d’Ivoire. The Agency is responsible for all environmental assessments within the country and is home to the National Authority for the Clean Development Mechanism, as a result of the Kyoto Protocol. The Agency oversees many tasks including coordinating the execution of environmental development projects, building and managing a portfolio of environmental investment projects, and ensuring that environmental concerns are considered in development projects and programs.
The Ivorian Antipollution Centre (CIAPOL) is a public institution established in 1991 under the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development, responsible for the assessment of pollution, systematic analysis of water and waste, collection and dissemination of environmental data, monitoring of environmental conditions of the marine environment, and implementation of an emergency response plan in the event of accidental pollution of sea, lagoon, or coastal areas.
The Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development created an organizational decree in 2012: the National Program for the Mitigation of Greenhouse Gases and Adaptation to Climate Change (PNCC). The program, now called the National Climate Change Program, is an environmental conservation organization working toward climate action and consists of a scientific committee and a coordination committee. The program was responsible for overseeing the National Climate Change Strategy for 2015–2020 (2014), which encompassed seven strategic axes and objectives. The coordinating committee executed the strategy by approving and implementing their plans. The scientific committee was consulted for their opinion on the actions carried out within the strategy. Currently, the program is working with other stakeholders in developing Côte d’Ivoire’s long-term climate strategy (SC-LT).
Establishing a National Commission to Combat Climate Change was recommended by the Nationally Determined Contributions (2022) to be the national platform for actors and stakeholders who are engaged in climate action; this Commission will support the integration of climate change measures into development planning. At the time of this review, it is unclear whether this Commission has been fully formed.
The Côte d’Ivoire government set up a National Commission for Sustainable Development (CNDD), established by Decree No. 2004-649 in December of 2004 under the responsibility of the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development, to ensure proper stakeholder engagement and to improve social cohesion and environmental protection. The Commission is a consultative body consisting of representatives of the administration, civil society, established bodies, and others. It aims to define policy directions and to promote the National Strategy for Sustainable Development (2011) while considering the three pillars of sustainability (environmental, economic, and social).
The Airport, Aeronautical, and Meteorological Operation and Development Company (SODEXAM) manages six climatological stations within Côte d’Ivoire to measure the air and ground temperatures, rain, humidity, and wind. The company is involved in scientific research on the environment and its issues, according to the Third National Communication (2017). SODEXAM was created by Decree No. 97-228 in 1997, which stipulates that the Company is under the supervision of the Ministry of Transport.
The Ministry of Water and Forests is responsible for a range of activities related to climate change and environmental protection, including the conservation and sustainable management of the forests of Côte d’Ivoire and their reforestation and afforestation efforts. The Ministry is involved in initiatives to help communities adapt to the impacts of climate change, including projects related to water resources management, agricultural practices, and sustainable land use planning.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development plays a crucial role in addressing climate change, as agriculture is one of the sectors most vulnerable to climate impacts and is also a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.
The Ministry of Hydraulics, Sanitation, and Public Health in Côte d’Ivoire is primarily responsible for addressing water supply, sanitation, and public health issues in the country. While water and sanitation are not directly related to climate change mitigation, they are intricately linked to climate change adaptation, as changes in climate patterns can have a significant impact on water resources and public health.
The Ministry of Mines, Oil, and Energy is responsible for overseeing the country’s mineral resources, oil and gas sector, and energy production and distribution. While the primary focus of this Ministry is the extraction and management of natural resources, it also plays a significant role in addressing climate change and promoting sustainable practices in the energy sector.
Education and communication
The Ivorian Ministry of National Education and Literacy is responsible for the planning, implementation, and evaluation of teaching strategies and programs for primary and general secondary education, including the compulsory school program from 6 to 16 years old. The Ministry also oversees the organization of exams, pedagogical management of educational structures, the dissemination of teaching materials, the incentive for girls to attend school, population literacy and continuing adult education, the development of non-formal education, and the promotion of literacy in national languages.
The Directorate of Literacy for Adults, Youth and Children, under the Ministry of National Education and Literacy, is responsible for raising awareness of issues relating to the environment, population, health, nutrition, and food safety. According to the Third National Communication (2017), the Department of School Life (DVS), which is part of the Ministry of National Education and Literacy, develops programs on environmental education. Life and Earth Sciences taught during the seven years of secondary school focuses on the environment with subjects including geology, biology, and pedology.
The Ministry of Technical Education, Vocational Training and Apprenticeship of Côte d’Ivoire is in charge of meeting the training needs of the population to integrate them into working life and to produce qualified personnel to improve the performance of companies.
The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research is responsible for overseeing and regulating higher education and scientific research activities in the country. This Ministry plays a pivotal role in shaping the education and research landscape, fostering innovation, and promoting scientific advancements. The Ministry oversees and administers higher education institutions in the country, including universities, colleges, and research centres. It is responsible for setting policies and standards for higher education programs and institutions, and it is responsible for developing and regulating academic programs and curricula at the university and college level.
iii. Relevant laws, policies, and plans
Climate change
Article 27 of the amended Constitution (2016) of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire states that “everyone throughout the national territory has the right to a healthy environment” (p. 8). Moreover, the Constitution claims that the state is committed to “[c]ontributing to climate protection and to maintaining a healthy environment for future generations” (p. 4).
Law No. 96-766 of the Environmental Code (1996) establishes national environmental protection principles and the foundations of environmental policy based on the preservation of natural resources, protection of the environment, and sustainable economic development.
Act 2014-390 (2014) offers guidance to sustainable development and defines some objectives including developing policy tools for climate change. Objectives include specifying policy tools for climate change, creating conditions for the sustainable use of natural resources for present and future generations, and reconciling the protection and enhancement of the environment, economic development, and social progress.
The National Strategy for Sustainable Development (2011), covering the period 2012–2015, is a participatory and recurring strategic planning process that aims to achieve economic, social, and environmental objectives in a balanced manner through a lens of intra- and inter-generational equity. Their goal is to integrate principles of sustainable development into national policies and programs to ensure equitable economic progress while also sustaining environmental resources for future generations. The National Commission for Sustainable Development is in charge of promoting the implementation of this Strategy, ensuring the participation of the general population, and dealing with issues on any policy or objective.
The National Climate Change Strategy for 2015–2020 (2014) revolves around seven strategic axes that outline the major interventions by the Ivorian government to increase the country’s resilience to climate change. This strategy is also outlined within the National Climate Change Control Program (PNCC) 2015–2020 (2014) and the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development is responsible for its coordination, implementation, and monitoring at all levels to ensure that the activities consistent with its objectives are carried out.
Côte d’Ivoire has adopted the National Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) Strategy (2018) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and for the reconstitution of forest cover. The strategy was developed through a participatory approach and is based on an information system relating to the national forest monitoring system.
The National Strategy for Climate-Smart Agriculture (SNAIC) (2019) for the period 2018 to 2025 has the vision that “by 2025, sustainable increase in productivity in the sector agro-sylvo-pastoral and fisheries, food security and climate resilience of agricultural systems are ensured by the development of Climate-Smart Agriculture” (p. 13). The overall goal of this strategy is to develop agriculture on a national scale to increase agricultural productivity and ensure food security with minimal impacts on the environment.
According to Côte d’Ivoire’s first Voluntary National Review (2019), a law on climate change is currently being drafted and will translate international agreements such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement into a national policy that will strengthen efforts for the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 13 on climate action. At this time of review, there was no law on climate change implemented in Côte d’Ivoire. The Intra-ACP Global Climate Change Alliance Plus (GCCA+) Programme, which supports African, Caribbean and Pacific countries’ efforts to address climate change, mentions that a draft of a new climate change bill was expected to be submitted to the Government General Secretariat for approval by the end of 2022. The creation of the Climate Agency and Climate Fund is to follow the approval of the climate law and is expected to be operational by 2024.
The National Development Plan 2021–2025 (2021) revolves around six pillars, with one focusing on climate change, and an overall objective to achieve economic and social transformation of the country to the rank of upper-middle–income countries. The six pillars are as follows:
- Acceleration of the structural transformation of the economy through industrialization and the development of clusters;
- Development of human capital and promotion of employment;
- Development of the private sector and investment;
- Strengthening inclusion, national solidarity, and social action;
- Balanced regional development, preservation of the environment, and fight against climate change; and
- Strengthening of governance, modernization of the State, and cultural transformation.
As reported in the Nationally Determined Contributions (2022), the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development has developed initiatives to mobilize gender issues in climate action resulting in the development of a National Gender and Climate Change Strategy 2020–2024 (2019). This strategy presents gender issues that relate to climate change in Côte d’Ivoire such as the under-representation of women in politics, the vulnerability of women to climate change impacts, and the unequal representation of women in energy, transport, and climate change research. The vision of this strategy is that, “by 2030, all actions to combat climate change in Côte d’Ivoire will integrate gender and social inclusion issues” (p. 14) and revolves around four priority axes: 1) information and awareness-raising on the link between climate change and gender issues; 2) capacity building for gender-responsive climate action; 3) empowerment of women and girls to improve their resilience and that of their families to climate change; and 4) coordination between actors working on climate change and those working on gender issues.
Côte d’Ivoire does not have a National Adaptation Plan at the time of this review; it is still in the development phase that was initiated in 2015. According to the NAP Global Network, the country’s National Adaptation Plan process focuses on strengthening the institutional arrangements for addressing climate change and ensuring that the process equally benefits women, men, and children. In 2021, Côte d’Ivoire developed an infographic highlighting key milestones of its progress in mainstreaming gender into climate action.
Education and communication
According to the Third National Communication (2017), the Ivorian education system implements environmental education within the education system and addresses environmental education in different disciplines and at all levels. Education primarily revolves around the aim of addressing eco-responsibility and eco-citizenship. Within both the National Curriculum Framework (2015) (Cours Moyen 1) and the National Curriculum Framework (2015) (Cours Moyen 2), there was no mention of climate change; however, there was some environmental content included. Students are expected to be able to identify components and relationships of the environment, understand the rules necessary for environmental protection and sustainable development, learn about the importance of preserving the living environment, and relate concepts of a healthy environment with personal health (i.e., hygiene, sanitation, illnesses).
Côte d’Ivoire’s Education Sector Plan 2016–2025 (2017) defines the country’s education and training ambitions over the time frame of 2016 to 2025. However, there was no mention of climate change or environmental education content within this plan.
The Education and Training Reform Technical and Professional 2016–2020 Strategic Guidance Document (2017) was developed to provide professional skills to help young people integrate into the labour force and contribute to the national economy. This document ultimately aims to bring together essential factors for the sustainable development of Côte d’Ivoire. Furthermore, the reform document strives to include gender in the promotion of Technical and Vocational Education and Training to encourage young girls to opt for industrial sectors, aiming to raise their presence in these sectors from 18.3% in 2016 to 50% by 2025. According to the International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (UNESCO-UNEVOC), Côte d’Ivoire does not have a National Qualifications Framework.
The National Development Plan 2021–2025 (2021) pillar 2, ‘Development of Human Capital and Promotion of Employment’ aims to make education-training and literacy a national priority.
The National Learning Strategy on Climate Change 2022–2026, developed by the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, aims to strengthen climate change knowledge and skills throughout Ivorian society. The Strategy outlines three main axes: 1) strengthen individual and institutional capacities of key sectors, 2) integrate climate change into national education and training systems, and 3) build sustainable financing mechanisms for learning on climate change.
iv. Terminology used for Climate Change Education and Communication
The vision for sustainable development by 2027 according to the National Strategy for Sustainable Development (2011) is: “[s]ustainable development is anchored in the social body, making each citizen a responsible actor who contributes to harmony between the quality of the environment, economic dynamism, and social equity, with a view to the development of a community” (p. 25).
While there was no explicit mention of climate change in any of the Ivorian education documents, environmental content was included in the National Curriculum Framework (2015) (Cours Moyen 1) and the National Curriculum Framework (2015) (Cours Moyen 2) often in terms of educating students on ‘environmental protection,’ ‘sustainable development,’ ‘living environment,’ and the ‘physical environment.’
In regards to climate change mitigation and adaptation, Ivorian documents such as Third National Communication (2017) heavily emphasize citizen behaviour and responsibility as an important tool in climate action, stating that, “the behaviour of each inhabitant in the face of climate change is an important factor in the design, development, implementation and execution of measures in favour of mitigation and adaptation” (p. 113). Therefore, raising public awareness and education is a priority in their climate change strategies, an example being the National Climate Change Strategy for 2015–2020 (2014) where “[r]aising awareness and transferring information to the population must be considered to mobilize citizens to face the challenges of adapting to climatic changes” (p. 54).
The National Gender and Climate Change Strategy 2020–2024 (2019) defines gender equality as,
The equal enjoyment by women, girls, boys and men of rights, opportunities, resources and benefits. Equality does not imply that men and women are alike, but that their enjoyment of rights, opportunities and social chances is not governed or limited by the fact that they are born male or female. (p. 12)
The climate change action goal of Côte d’Ivoire stated in the Nationally Determined Contributions (2022) is to “put in place a framework for sustainable socio-economic development which integrates the challenges of climate change in all sectors and which contributes to the improvement of the living conditions of the populations and their resilience” (p. 10).
v. Budget for climate change education and communication
According to the World Bank, Côte d’Ivoire spent 3.4% of its gross domestic product on education in 2020. Côte d’Ivoire’s Nationally Determined Contributions (2022) reports that the estimated cost of reducing the country’s greenhouse gas emissions by 30.41% is US$ 22 billion . From this US$ 22 billion, the implementation of 38 mitigation measures is estimated to cost US$ 10 billion and the implementation of adaptation measures will cost US$ 12 billion.
The Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development made the allocation of the Ministry’s budget in 2022 available to the public. According to the document, US$ 48,505 (CFA 30,000,000) have been used to implement initiatives to combat climate change, and US $83,395.31 (CFA 51,580,000) was allocated to a project focused on “improving the transparency system for enhanced climate action” (p. 47). Besides this, as part of the National Learning Strategy on Climate Change 2022–2026 developed by this same Ministry, a goal of the country is to build a sustainable financing mechanism for climate change education.
The Low Transition Carbon Project, a capacity-building workshop which takes place from 2023 to 2026, was initiated by the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development, funded by the European Union (US$ 6.5 million [EUR 6 million]), and implemented by Expertise France. The project aims to develop tools for monitoring and evaluating climate commitments in a participatory approach.
To achieve economic growth objectives, the National Development Plan 2021–2025 (2021) provided an overall investment level of approximately US$ 96 billion (CFA 59 trillion), 75% of which is for the private sector.
As reported in the Third National Communication (2017), financial resources received by Côte d’Ivoire for climate change–related activities amounted to CFA 79,113.2 million with the State contributing CFA 35,555.5 million. These funds were allocated to different projects: CFA 65,247.4 million for the National REDD+ Strategy, CFA 240 million for the Climate Change Office (BCC), CFA 109 million for the Ivorian Antipollution Centre (CIAPOL), CFA 900 million for the Ministry of Water and Forests, CFA 455 million for the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development, CFA 9,880 million for the Ivorian Office of Parks and Reserves (OIPR), and CFA 2,281.8 million for The National Climate Change Control Program (PNCC) 2015–2020.
The School of Teachers for Climate Project, which was officially launched in 2022 by the Ministry of National Education and Literacy, requires funding of more than CFA 400 million during its pilot phase in 2023. The pilot phase includes awareness and education in environmental culture, tree planting, and fence construction; prizes are awarded to regions throughout Côte d’Ivoire that stand out in this project.
i. Climate change in pre-primary, primary, and secondary education
The curricula of the national education system, as outlined in the National Curriculum Framework (2016), highlights that students concluding primary education will understand the causes of pollution and biodiversity loss, will have knowledge of environmental health, and will know values that promote environmental protection. Besides the curricular content related to environmental education, the country organizes inter-school competitions each year to designate the cleanest school to raise pupils’ awareness of the need to protect the environment and surroundings.
Strategic axis 2 of the National Climate Change Control Program (PNCC) 2015–2020 (2014)— improving national knowledge of climate change—is based on a five-year program to produce tools and school books integrating climate change. Teachers disseminate these concepts relating to the challenges and adaptation of climate change using these tools within general primary and secondary education.
An Abidjan-based project, The GREEN CAMPUS, aims to raise awareness on environmental issues among youth and students from Côte d’Ivoire. The project promotes discussions on enhancing green areas in schools and universities. Green Student is an ecological association formed by youth, for youth, to fight against all forms of pollution. The organization behind The GREEN CAMPUS has expanded their training to include pupils as well as university students. The programme “Green Pupil” offers training to children in primary schools and high schools to introduce environmental concepts and issues linked to eco-citizen initiatives and sustainable development. This programme is built over an entire school year to be adapted to the days meant for extra-curricular activities.
SOS-Forêts is a non-governmental organization, established in 1996, with headquarters at the Félix Houphouët Boigny University. The organization was created for the protection of forests and their resources but has now shifted toward the involvement of other issues such as the degradation of biodiversity and promoting environmental education. One of the objectives of this organization is fighting climate change through curbing the degradation of natural resources, in particular the Ivorian forests.
ii. Climate change in teacher training and teaching resources
The Institute of Communication Sciences and Techniques and the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization Chair for the Culture of Peace have introduced teaching modules on biodiversity and sustainable development into their respective programs. The modules focus on the three Rio Conventions, including one relating to climate change.
The School of Teachers for Climate Project was officially launched in December 2022 in Boundiali by the Ministry of National Education and Literacy and entered its pilot phase in 2023. The project’s primary objective is to empower teachers with the skills and knowledge necessary to cultivate positive changes in behaviour toward the environment. This, in turn, will enable them to implement activities that foster a resilient environment in the face of climate change impacts and to promote coordinated actions within the school community to enhance climate resiliency. The Network of Dynamic Teachers in Côte d’Ivoire (REDICI) is collaborating with the Directorate of Equality and Gender Equity of the Ministry of National Education and Literacy to mobilize teachers and students for green and resilient schools. This materializes through awareness and education in environmental culture, tree planting, and the construction of fences. For the pilot phase, 12 regions throughout the country were chosen (including Yamoussoukro and Abidjan) and the duration of this phase will be over three years (2023–2025), with prizes awarded to regions that stand out in this project.
iii. Climate change in higher education
As mentioned in the Third National Communication (2017), Côte d’Ivoire’s public and private universities offer various programs that focus on or include the environment as a subject. Adaptation to climate change is taught in all programs to raise public awareness. At the Félix Houphouët Boigny University, the Earth Sciences and Mining Resources, Biosciences, and Sciences of the Structures of Matter and Technology departments have modules on integrated water resource management, biodiversity conservation, and environmental protection. Within the Department of Economics and Management, there are programs in environmental economics, environmental law, and environmental sociology. In all these modules, the effects of adaptation to climate change are taught. Moreover, a Master’s degree in Environment and Sustainable Development and a doctorate in Sustainable Development can be obtained at the Félix Houphouët Boigny University, Nangui Abrogoua University, and Université Jean Lorougnon Guédé. At Nangui Abrogoua University, there is a Training and Research Unit (UFR) specifically for environmental management. The Science and Environmental Management unit develops teaching and research programs oriented toward the different specialties of management and the environment such as soil, water, plant, and animal biodiversity. There are also optional courses students can take which focus on sustainable development, environmental education, and more.
According to the National Climate Change Control Program (PNCC) 2015–2020 (2014), strategic axis 2 of the National Climate Change Strategy for 2015–2020 (2014) involves providing financial support to university research centres and institutions for the execution of targeted research projects related to climatology, impact assessment, vulnerabilities, and climate change adaptation; these are essential for fostering and sustaining environmental expertise in the country.
The West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use, which received funds from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, is an initiative that seeks to advance climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts in West Africa by promoting collaborative research between universities in West Africa and Germany. The Service Centre has developed the Graduate Research Programme on Climate Change and Biodiversity hosted by the Université de Cocody-Abidjan, the Service Centre, and German universities.
In November 2023, the Université Félix Houphouët Boigny hosted a hybrid webinar on the topic of water management. The webinar was part of a series of scientific webinars organized by the West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use as part of their initiative CS4RRA (Climate Services for Risk Reduction in West Africa).
iv. Climate change in training and adult learning
According to the Third National Communication (2017), several capacity-building workshops were organized at the national level in Côte d’Ivoire, specifically on climate change. The target audience of those workshops included experts, negotiators, and decision-makers. Other training opportunities were also held to support non-governmental organizations and Clean Development Mechanism project promoters, and it trained ten stakeholders to use the Long-range Energy Alternative Planning (LEAP) model. According to Le Hub Rural, the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development organized a training workshop for public administration and private sector executives on the integration of climate change into national planning and budgeting.
The aforementioned training sessions have improved the capacity of national managers in understanding the vulnerability to, assessment of, and adaptation to the effects of climate change; in the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions; and the integration of climate change into sectoral policies.
The Intra-ACP Global Climate Change Alliance Plus (GCCA+) Programme stated that there were 39 participants in a three-day training workshop that took place in 2019 on climate change theory as part of the development of a new national climate change bill. Participants included representatives of Ministries and government agencies, national development funds, programmes and projects, the business sector, and civil society organizations.
In 2023, the National Union of Journalists of Côte d’Ivoire and the Journalists International Federation organized a training workshop on climate change. The main goal of the workshop was to support journalists on understanding climate change-related concepts, climate change policies, and the gender–climate change intersection. According to the organizers, the workshop was organized to combat the lack of available information related to climate change and to support the fight against climate change in the country.
A series of training courses on the gender–climate change nexus between 2020 and 2021 began with the support of the NAP Global Network. These trainings were led by the National Climate Change Program in collaboration with the Ministry of the Women, Family, and Children to improve the consideration of the links between gender and climate change and increase capacity building, which was one of the four priority axes in the National Gender and Climate Change Strategy 2020–2024 (2019).
The West African Climate Leadership Program for Women (WAfriCLP) is a scholarship program intended to strengthen women’s capacity for climate change research, innovation, and policies in French-speaking West Africa, including Côte d’Ivoire. The goal is to allow these women to improve their leadership skills, their ability to inform climate change solutions using research evidence, and their ability to develop climate policies for effective adaptation. The project is implemented jointly by the African Centre of Excellence on Climate Change, Biodiversity and Sustainable Agriculture of Félix Houphouët Boigny University in Côte d'Ivoire, the University of Nairobi, and the University of Dar-es-Salaam.
i. Climate change and public awareness
In June 2023, Côte d’Ivoire in partnership with the Netherlands hosted World Environment Day, which has been the United Nations’ primary venue to encourage global awareness and action for the environment since 1973. The theme was ‘solutions to plastic pollution,’ and during the event businesses, community groups, and individuals were encouraged to come together and contribute to solutions.
In 2022, the French Research Institute for Sustainable Development–Côte d’Ivoire organized a Science Fair where youth could attend several events aimed at raising awareness on climate change. These events included a workshop to create art that represented youth’s reflections on climate change, discussion sessions, and a visit to the Aeronautical and Meteorological Development Company by primary school students.
In 2021, the Ministry of Water and Forests organized an awareness session in the town of Maféré. The session, titled “Contribution of reforestation in the fight against global warming” was attended by students of the municipal high school of Maféré.
According to the Third National Communication (2017), the Media Network for the Environment and Climate Change of Côte d’Ivoire (REMEC-CI) carries out awareness-raising actions on climate change and environmental protection by encouraging citizens to integrate climate action into their own lives. This is achieved through campaigns on climate change and environmental protection.
Table 22 within the Third National Communication (2017) includes an objective of raising awareness of climate change impacts, especially in the agricultural sector. Major actions to achieve this objective include raising awareness and informing the farming community, identifying and popularizing adaptation technologies, setting up a weather watch system, and alerting the public to major climate risks.
Activities that are part of the first strategic orientation (information, awareness, participation, governance) of the National Strategy for Sustainable Development (2011) include organizing at least one awareness campaign each year (from 2013 to 2015) on sustainable development issues. At least one day is dedicated to sustainable development, and at least one awareness session is directed to the Institutions of the Republic each year. These activities were carried out under the responsibility of the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development and the National Commission for Sustainable Development.
For the country’s second Voluntary National Review (2022), awareness-raising, consultations, and capacity-building activities for various stakeholders began in 2016 and were carried out by the Ivorian Government to improve the Sustainable Development Goal implementation process. Through this, the public and private sectors, civil society, local authorities, the media, young people, women, parliamentarians, and institutions of the Republic were brought together to strengthen the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals and to be involved in all stages of their implementation.
The Airport, Aeronautical, and Meteorological Operation and Development Company occasionally reports on climate change. For example, in 2021 they explained the sixth Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report on live television.
SOS-Forêts, a non-governmental organization, runs a program called “Information, Education, and Communication on Climate Change” (IEC-CC) to provide information on sustainable management of biological resources and mangrove reforestation. The organization is in collaboration with the Ivorian Observatory for the Sustainable Management of Natural Resources, which is involved in the REDD+ process, the protection of natural resources, and the defence of women’s rights in the forestry sector.
ii. Climate change and public access to information
The Media Network for the Environment and Climate Change of Côte d’Ivoire (REMEC-CI) plans to create a website on climate change, which will be the main communication channel that the Ivorian government will use to disseminate relevant information on climate change. The website will include various programs in which the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development will provide detailed information on climate change science and research. The government will promote the design and dissemination of several other types of climate change awareness tools, including guides, discussion forums, and training materials for different sectors of society.
The National Strategy for Sustainable Development (2011) states that having information readily available to citizens is a requirement of governance that establishes trust between citizens and government. Empowering citizens with information enhances their awareness and responsibility regarding sustainable development within their community. To make information readily available, key steps include creating mechanisms for accessing relevant information, adopting administrative procedures for notifying and gathering input from interested parties, and enforcing regulations to safeguard their freedom of expression.
iii. Climate change and public participation
The first strategic orientation in the National Strategy for Sustainable Development (2011) is ‘information, awareness, participation and governance’ that focuses on citizens participating actively in the decision-making processes that concern them by creating favourable conditions like access to information and justice.
Consultations with regional stakeholders on the Sustainable Development Goals were organized in 2018 in the 31 regions and two autonomous districts of Côte d’Ivoire during the collection of information on the needs and aspirations of the country’s populations for the development of National Development Plan 2021–2025 (2021). The Ministry of Planning and Development will meet at least twice a year with the private sector and civil society organizations (CSOs) to discuss their contribution to the achievement of results, as part of the implementation of the National Development Plan.
Côte d’Ivoire presented its second Voluntary National Review (2022) to the High-Level Political Forum in 2022; there, the country ensured that the Sustainable Development Goals were implemented in an inclusive and participatory process. Several meetings took place with stakeholders including sectoral ministries, development partners, the private sector, and civil society; the first draft was ready soon after. The contributions obtained from civil society and other stakeholders formed the basis of the report, which examines the results over the period 2018–2021. Local authorities of municipalities and regions are responsible for raising citizen awareness, implementing the Sustainable Development Goals, and monitoring their implementation.
According to the second Voluntary National Review (2022), CSOs are vital in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in Côte d’Ivoire through various actions and activities. CSOs draw the public’s attention to any actions that would hinder the Sustainable Development Goal process and make recommendations to accelerate their achievement. Additionally, CSOs formed a platform called the Civil Society Initiative in 2017 and carried out national consultations in the cities of Abidjan and Bouaké to strengthen their inclusion and participation in the Voluntary National Review process. A workshop on communication and information regarding the Sustainable Development Goals was held for CSOs in 2019, along with a press conference to announce the commencement of these consultations. The attempts of CSOs to achieve the goals using the needs citizens needs are aided by national and international volunteers stationed across Côte d'Ivoire. These volunteers collaborate with CSOs to deliver local solutions to local development challenges such as poverty alleviation, environmental protection, climate change, education, healthcare. The National Volunteer Program was established in Côte d'Ivoire to structure the interventions of these volunteers. Additionally, the CSOs carried out a study focusing on gender and people living with disabilities from 2015 to 2022.
In 2021, the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development through the National Climate Change Program organized the Validation Workshop of the National Learning Strategy on Climate Change 2022–2026. Stakeholders from different ministries, local authorities, CSOs, and educational and training institutes participated with the objective to analyse and validate the draft of the Strategy. They ensured that training on climate change, capacity building, and support for the implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions was included in the document, and that the document provided reliable planning tools for projects around Action for Climate Empowerment.
Young Volunteers for the Environment (JVE), a non-governmental organization organized in 2013, fights for the rights of local communities, the protection of the environment, and the sustainable management of natural resources. The organization also aims to educate, support, and strengthen the capacities of youth and women to involve them in the processes of sustainable development. Areas of action for this organization include climate change, biodiversity, community development, environmental education, and social justice. Partners of this organization include WoMin, Germanwatch, and The West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI).
The National REDD+ Strategy (2018) process involved rich collaboration with numerous consultations being conducted at local, regional, national, and international levels, and the active engagement from a wide array of stakeholders. These participants included the National House of Kings and traditional leaders, local communities, government authorities, CSOs, media representatives, locally elected officials, universities, research centres, territorial communities, the private sector (including prominent agricultural trade associations), and technical and financial partners.
In 2021, Ivorian CSOs gathered at the Research Institute for Sustainable Development - Côte d’Ivoire to discuss the outcomes of COP26 in Glasgow as part of an event aimed to foster collaboration among CSO representatives to address climate changes in the country. Participants discussed financing, transparency, and public awareness strategies. As a result of the event, participants proposed creating a national climate action fund, an independent monitoring mechanism, and prioritizing local education and awareness initiatives.
The Collective of Leaders for the Sustainable Development of Africa (CLDA) is an organization for regular stakeholder engagement on climate change and biodiversity issues at sub-national, national, regional and global levels to contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the agreed frameworks on climate change and biodiversity and support the delivery of the outcomes of the process at the local level, in line with national policies and national and regional development priorities.
i. Country monitoring
The 2022 budget records of the Directorate of the Combat against Climate Change indicate that US$ 1131.77 (CFA 700,000) was allocated to implement and monitor actions to combat climate change in the country. Further, US$ 66,289.41 (CFA 41,000,000) was allocated to monitor and evaluate Côte d'Ivoire's commitments to the Paris Agreement.
All implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the Sustainable Development Goals are the responsibility of the Ivorian government. Specifically, the Ministry of Planning and Development ensures the coordination of the consideration of the Sustainable Development Goals in the National Development Plan 2021–2025 (2021) and in continued policies, strategies, and plans. Moreover, a Permanent Technical Unit, supervised by the Ministry of Planning and Development and consisting of different delegates, ensures the monitoring, evaluation, and drafting of National Voluntary Reports on the implementation of these goals to be validated by the National Steering Committee. To facilitate the production of monitoring reports on the implementation of the National Development Plan 2021–2025 (2021) and Development Agendas (United Nations Agenda 2030 and African Union Agenda 2063), the Ivorian Government plans to set up an integrating tool for planning, monitoring and evaluation. Also, a capacity-building program will be set up for all stakeholders engaged in the implementation and monitoring of the National Development Plan. Measures to improve the capacities of these stakeholders in charge of monitoring and evaluation include regulations for the departments in charge of planning and statistics, performance monitoring tools, and in-service training for managers.
As mentioned in the second Voluntary National Review (2022), to achieve Target 4.1 of the Sustainable Development Goals (by 2030, ensure that all girls and boys follow, on an equal footing, a full cycle of free, quality primary and secondary education, equipping them with skills), the Ivorian government will monitor the completion rate and the gross enrolment rate in primary and lower secondary education.
No greenhouse gas emissions inventory system currently exists; however, national notifications and inventories are made by the Climate Change Office, a structure under the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development. Data obtained from ministries and institutions are computerized and retained via the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change web application, Greenhouse Gas Inventory Software for non-Annex I Parties (NAIIS). Currently, non-Annex I parties must include guidelines on reporting through national communications and biennial reports, and should implement international guidelines for the national Measurement, Report, and Verification system.
Regarding the Nationally Determined Contributions, Côte d’Ivoire plans to set up a monitoring and evaluation framework for its implementation. The Nationally Determined Contributions (2022) identified the need to involve actors from three levels for monitoring implementation: the political level, the technical level, and the administrative level. A communication strategy will also be developed to disseminate climate information to citizens and present the results of the Nationally Determined Contributions.
Monitoring and evaluation of the activities within the National Climate Change Strategy for 2015–2020 (2014) were achieved through continuous consultation and involvement of various stakeholders such as the National Climate Change Control Program, different departments of Ivorian ministries, technical and financial partners, local authorities and civil society, and non-governmental organizations. The monitoring team included a coordination committee, a committee executive, and an evaluation committee. While the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development was in charge of implementing the strategy, the Ministry through the National Climate Change Control Program was responsible for its monitoring at all levels. The program was responsible for developing quarterly monitoring–evaluation reports and indicators on the actions carried out within the strategy.
Goal 4 of the Sustainable Development Goals is a priority for Côte d’Ivoire considering the gender inequalities and high illiteracy rates the nation faces. The Compulsory Schooling Policy mandates that all six-year-old children attend school and remain in the education system until 16, resulting in the construction and renovation of classrooms and the creation of local colleges. Vocational and Technical Training is also another priority to reduce youth unemployment through the improvement of their employability programs and higher education. The General Inspectorate of Technical Education and Vocational Training is the guarantor of this training and education. Its main missions are to monitor, control, and evaluate the entire system; observe and assess the organization and functioning of the system; evaluate the efficiency and performance of the system; propose improvement measures and monitor their progress proposals; publicize innovations with positive results; and report malfunctions.
The coordination of the monitoring–evaluation mechanism for the National Gender and Climate Change Strategy 2020-2024 (2019) will be based on the existing Measurement, Report, and Verification system within the framework of the Nationally Determined Contributions in 2020. This system will define gender-sensitive indicators to ensure the implementation of this strategy is monitored and evaluated. The strategy is to be reviewed every five years.
ii. MECCE Project Monitoring
The Monitoring and Evaluating Climate Communication and Education (MECCE) Project examined the country’s National Curriculum Framework and the Education Sector Plan for references to ‘climate change,’ ‘sustainability,’ ‘biodiversity,’ and the ‘environment.’
Côte d’Ivoire’s National Curriculum Framework (2015) (Cours Moyen 1) had 0 counts under the Biodiversity Cluster; 3 counts under the Sustainability Cluster; 5 counts under the General Environment Cluster; and 0 counts for ‘climate change’ under the General Climate Change Cluster.
Côte d’Ivoire’s National Curriculum Framework (2015) (Cours Moyen 2) had 0 counts under the Biodiversity Cluster; 1 count under the Sustainability Cluster; 3 counts under the General Environment Cluster; and 0 counts for ‘climate change’ under the General Climate Change Cluster.
Côte d’Ivoire Education Sector Plan 2016-2025 (2017) had 0 counts under the Biodiversity Cluster; 6 counts under the Sustainability Cluster; 0 counts under the General Environment Cluster; and 0 counts for ‘climate change’ under the General Climate Change Cluster.
This section will be updated as the MECCE project develops.
This profile was reviewed by Dobo Topo Aimé, Biodiversity Expert, Côte d’Ivoire Focal Point, IPBES.
