In a major step to protect future generations from climate disasters, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and COPE Academy Ltd have renewed their partnership to help children understand and respond to natural hazards. The collaboration is part of WMO’s growing Youth Action Plan and places children at the heart of global efforts to build climate resilience.
The new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed at WMO Headquarters in Geneva, focusing on early education, equitable access to climate information, and child-friendly disaster resources.
“This partnership is about more than education it’s about protection,” said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo. “By helping children understand risks, we build stronger and safer communities.”
Children’s Guide to Climate Hazards
A key highlight of the renewed partnership is a new COPE book on climate change described as a child-friendly version of WMO’s State of the Global Climate report. With colorful illustrations and clear language, the book teaches children about dangers like floods, heatwaves, cyclones, droughts, and more. It aims to help children take informed action not just in the future, but today.
The launch took place during a youth-focused session at the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, reinforcing the importance of involving young people in building resilience from an early age.
Engaging Global Youth Through Partnerships
The event also featured voices from Save the Children, national meteorological services in Malawi and Bangladesh, and other global organizations. Together, they presented stories of success where children were trained and included in disaster education and early warning systems.
Inger Ashling, CEO of Save the Children, emphasized, “Children should not be passive victims. They deserve access to climate information and the right to shape future solutions.”
New studies cited at the event reveal that children born in 2020 will experience far more extreme weather than their grandparents. On average, they will face:
•2 times more wildfires
•2.6 times more droughts
•2.8 times more floods and crop failures
•6.8 times more heatwaves
“Early warning systems must include the most vulnerable our children,” said WMO Deputy Secretary-General Ko Barrett. “We’re working to turn climate data into decisions that protect young lives.”
COPE Book Series Goes Global
Since 2020, the WMO–COPE partnership has grown into a worldwide educational tool. Highlights include:
•Over a dozen COPE books published and translated into all six UN languages
•Millions of copies shared in schools, libraries, and community centers
Special recognitions including a blessing from Pope Francis and a book launch by UN Secretary-General António Guterres in Tonga
Official inclusion in the WMO’s Guide to Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems
The books are tailored to local needs. For example:
•In Africa, COPE books were translated into Malagasy for Madagascar
•In Asia, books focused on regional risks like blizzards (Mongolia) and droughts (China)
•In South America, a Spanish-language trainer programme began
•In Europe, the heatwaves edition was released in partnership with Meteo France
Vision for the Future
Looking ahead, the WMO and COPE aim to expand their work with new goals, including:
•Developing more books on different hazards
•Reaching children in remote and vulnerable regions
•Collaborating with UN agencies, education ministries, and universities
•Launching training programs for teachers and local leaders
•Engaging development partners to scale up their impact
“Through early education, we can create a generation that is better prepared for the risks of tomorrow,” said Martha Keswick, founder of the COPE series.
This renewed partnership highlights how critical it is to empower children not just to survive climate disasters but to shape a safer world. By combining science with community action, WMO and COPE are helping raise a new generation of resilience champions.