Climate communication and education (CCE) have long been recognized as essential to address ing climate change. International framework s, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Paris Agreement, and the Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) program me , highlight the importance of education, training, public awareness, public access to information, and public participation in mitigating and adapting to climate change . Yet d espite these commitments, efforts to monitor global progress in CCE have remained limited, in part due to the lack of internationally comparable and independently verifiable indicators.
A paper published on February 12 , 2026 , in ECNU Review of Education (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/20965311251403496) , addresses this gap by documenting the collaborative development of 15 global indicators for climate communication and education . The paper was written by a team from the University at Albany-State University of New York, the University of Melbourne, and the University of Saskatchewan . Drawing on the research of the Monitoring and Evaluating Climate Communication and Education (MECCE) Project, the paper outlines how diverse data sources were transformed into policy-relevant indicators through coordinated international effort.
"The need for independently verifiable and comparable information on CCE has been acute, particularly for metrics aligned with key international conventions and declarations," the authors note . The paper describes a multi-year, partnership-based process that brought together stakeholders from UN organizations, academic institutions, civil society, and policymaking communities. Rather than treating indicator development as a purely technical task , the research ers emphasize collaboration , consultation, and iterative refinement to ensur e both scientific rigor and policy relevance.
The resulting set of 15 indicators discussed in the paper covers multiple dimensions of CCE , closely aligned with the elements of the A CE framework. These include formal education at different levels, training initiatives , public awareness about climate change , access to climate-related information, public participation in decision-making about climate issues , and broader government engagement with CCE.
The f indings suggest that the indicators already offer broad global coverage, capturing data from a substantial share of countries and the world' s population. The y provide a practical basis for policymakers, researchers, and organizations to monitor progress, identify priority areas , and support advocacy for greater investment. S ome indicators also include multiple time points, allowing for analysis of trends over time.
At the same time, t he paper acknowledges ongoing challenges in developing global indicator s . These includ e uneven data availability across regions, difficulties in assessing the quality of CCE, and the risk of oversimplify ing complex educational and communication practices. To address these challenges, Benavot et al. stress the importance of transparency, inclusivity, and continuous refinement , along with sustained investment in data systems .
Despite these challenges, the indicators are already being used in practice . O rganizations such as UNESCO and the UNFCCC are drawing on the MECCE Project's indicators to monitor progress and inform international climate initiatives. The data are also available through an interactive data platform , which enabl es users to explore and compare trends across countries and regions.
The paper ultimately calls for continued investment in data infrastructure and collaborative research. " S ubstantially more investment and coordination are needed for supporting rapid, scaled-up CCE monitoring. Specifically, there is a need for the data sources underlying the indicators to be maintained and updated on an ongoing basis, " the authors note . As climate change becomes increasingly urgent , the ability to measure and communicate progress will be critical . By turning data into a shared resource for decision-making, global indicators can help align efforts across countries and sectors, supporting a more coordinated and effective response .
ECNU Review of Education
Data/statistical analysis
Not applicable
The Collaborative Development of Global Indicators: Progressing Climate Communication and Education Through Data as a Policy Lever
12-Feb-2026