2016 UE4SD Conference

Focal Point - Education, Training and Public Awareness

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Secretariat

Adriana Valenzuela has extensive experience in working with the UN system, government agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and youth on education, training and public awareness initiatives, in particular related to education for sustainable development and climate change. In 2013, Ms. Valenzuela joined the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Secretariat in Bonn. She works at the Action for Climate Empowerment Unit, which supports the implementation of the six elements of Article 6 of the UNFCCC – education, training, public awareness, public participation, public access to information and international cooperation. Previously, she was a lead negotiator at the climate change conferences on issues related to education and served as Chair of the G/77 and China. She worked with UNITAR, in the implementation of a UN CC:Learn project collaborating closely with UN international partners (33 multilateral organizations), Parties, NGOs, and other relevant organizations. Ms. Valenzuela has experience in initiating, designing and implementing Article 6 related activities at national and local levels, in particular, preparing a national strategy of Colombia on Article 6 of the Convention and a local strategy on climate change education, training and public awareness in Bogota. One achievement was founding a youth movement in Columbia that worked on sustainability issues, which was then mobilized by young people from 22 countries.