UN agency: higher education bodies back 'climate emergency'

The U.N. environment agency says networks and organizations representing more than 7,000 institutions of higher and further education around the world have signed a letter declaring "a climate emergency" and committing to tackle it.

U.N. Environment representative Sam Barrett announced the initiative at a U.N. meeting Wednesday promoting higher education.

The letter says: "The young minds that are shaped by our institutions must be equipped with the knowledge, skills and capability to respond to the ever-growing challenges of climate change."