Wellington Climate Education Milestone and COP31 Student Delegation

Wellington Celebrates Climate Education Milestone as Students Prepare for COP31

21 October 2026

Wellington College Education (WCE) has reached an important milestone in its contribution to global climate education, with its submission on the future of Action for Climate Empowerment officially accepted and published by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The achievement comes as five Wellington College Bangkok students, Ivy, Ray, Emerald, Miki, and Wiki, prepare to attend COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye, alongside students from Wellington College.  The United Nations Climate Change Conference takes place from 9 to 20 November 2026.

WCE’s submission draws on experience across the Wellington family of schools to explore how education can help young people respond meaningfully to climate change.  It contributes to an international consultation on the next Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) Action Plan, which considers how education, public awareness, and participation can support climate action.

At its heart is a belief that understanding climate change is only the beginning.  Young people also need opportunities to develop their judgement, engage with different perspectives, and build the confidence to participate in decisions that affect their future.  The submission recommends a clearer progression from learning and skills development to dialogue, action, and reflection.

These ideas are already taking shape through From MUN to COP, Wellington’s international climate education and diplomacy programme.  Connecting classroom learning with student-led negotiations and international collaboration, the programme gives students opportunities to explore how climate policy works in practice.

Following the recent Mock COP31, the forthcoming student delegation represents the next stage of that journey.  For Ivy, Ray, Emerald, Miki, and Wiki, attending COP31 will bring their learning into an international setting, where they can deepen their understanding of climate discussions and the role young people can play.

The milestone also reflects Wellington’s wider vision of Human Flourishing in the Era of AI, recognising that education should prepare young people to engage thoughtfully and responsibly with the world.

Ms Ana Romero, Head of Sustainability at Wellington College, said:

“This achievement is an important institutional milestone, highlighting the connection between Wellington's educational philosophy, our international work and our contribution to global climate education policy discussions.”

WCE’s submission, WCE_ACE_Submission_2026, is available on the UNFCCC Submission Portal under ‘Non-admitted entities’, dated 11 October 2026.