Mario Salomone, Secretary General of the WEEC International Network (organizer of the World Environmental Education Congress), appealed to the governments present at the COP15 on climate, being held in Copenhagen, so they would strengthen environmental education and sustainability as a key instrument to help combat global warming.

Mario Salomone said: «Against climate change we of course want strict rules, clear and courageous agreements, substantial financial resources, investments and concrete measures. But we also need to develop suitable knowledge and skills to build a society capable of emitting fewer greenhouse gases, addressing complex problems, weaving webs of relations and partnerships, choosing among various options. The fight against global warming comes not only from decisions from above or with technological innovations delegated to those "in the know how".

One of the slogans of the demonstrators arriving in the Danish capital to follow the COP15 reads "Change the system", and not the climate, but changing the system requires participation, collaboration, awareness, sharing of goals, new skills and the renewal of existing ones. In short - along with more decisive action at the political level, both nationally and internationally - we need decisive cultural action, as well as education, information and awareness at the global level.

Environmental education and sustainable development are clearly indispensable tools for an action of this kind. Therefore, we hope that the United Nations Conference on Climate Change being held in Copenhagen is also launching a strong appeal to strengthen environmental education and sustainability by including it among the commitments required of governments around the world».