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Education for Sustainable Development
The Commission on Education and Communication |
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CEC is taking part in a global
effort to integrate the principles of sustainable development into
all aspects of education and learning—an endeavour known as
Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Our work in ESD is
about advocating and providing access to good practice, research
and innovation.
ESD focuses on how people live, work and make decisions. One of
our ESD co-chairs, Hans van Ginkel, Rector of the United
Nations University in Tokyo, explains it this way: “The
cases and issues differ from place to place, and even theories and
concepts can take on a different character. What brings us together
is our common concern for a better, more secure, sustainable future.”
This newsletter introduces Hans as well our other ESD co-chair,
Cheryl Charles, Senior Director of BITS,
The Financial Services Roundtable.
Hans and Cheryl are building on the leadership of Daniella Tilbury,
who guided the CEC’s work in ESD during the previous intersessional
period. We look forward to ongoing involvement and cooperation with
Daniella in her position as head of the Australian Research Institute
in Education for Sustainability (ARIES)
at Macquarie University’s Graduate School of Environment.
In this newsletter, many CEC members and friends share their views
on ESD and news of current activities. I would like to express my
appreciation for this effort. Through your participation, this newsletter
is becoming a popular resource for our global conservation learning
community. Thank you.
Keith Wheeler
CEC Chair
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| Editorial:
Emphasis on ESD, with a Regional Round-up |
This Commission’s major contribution
to Education for Sustainable Development is the World Conservation
Learning Network (WCLN). That’s not the whole story, however.
CEC members are actively engaged in ESD in many different ways, in
many different places. Some grapple with aspects of sustainable development
such as poverty and literacy. Others teach children about nature.
Still others promote the environmental aspects of ESD through their
positions at universities, government offices and NGOs.
Our October 2006 newsletter presents news and views about ESD and
how CEC members are taking action. Special contributions include:
– Interviews
with Khadire Diop and Tommy Garnett about ESD in West Africa and sub-Saharan
Africa;
– Pamela Puntenney’s collection of ESD perspectives
in North America, with Andy Alm, Kathleen Blanchard, Peter Croal,
Mohammad Khan, Gina Sanguinetti and Ke Chung Kim;
– ESD
reports from South and Meso America by Cecilia Amaluisa Fiallos and
Edgar González-Gaudiano.
We are also pleased to profile our two ESD co-chairs and to bring
you ESD-related news, including the exciting agreement to create
a WCLN Institute as joint effort of IUCN and the United Nations
University, and our new membership in the Ubuntu Alliance. See also
the timely update by UNESCO on progress in the United Nations Decade
on Education for Sustainable Development.
Many other news items have arrived from CEC members around the
world, and we collect them here and post them in our ongoing online
news.
Susan Guthridge-Gould, Editor, and the Conservation Learning Team
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| ESD
Profiles: Cheryl Charles and Hans van Ginkel |
Profile: Cheryl Charles, CEC
ESD Co-chair
ESD Co-chair Cheryl Charles is recognized for her work in Environmental
Education, having directed Project Learning Tree and Project
WILD for K-12 educators. She also founded the Center for the Study
of Community. Full bio
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Profile: Hans van Ginkel, CEC
ESD Co-chair
Hans van Ginkel, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Rector
of the United Nations University in Tokyo, is co-chair of the CEC
working group on Education for Sustainable Development. Full bio >>
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| Regional
Round-up of ESD and CEC |
West Africa: ESD and Environmental
Education
Tommy Garnett, founder of the Environmental Foundation for Africa
(EFA) and CEC Regional Chair for West Africa, talks about ESD and
environmental education in West Africa. Regional action grows while
poverty, conflict and instability take their toll.
Full story >>
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Sub-Saharan Africa: ESD Builds
on Past Programmes
A holistic approach to ESD is missing in sub-Saharan Africa, says
Abdou Khadire Diop of LEAD International. He introduces the Training-Information
Programme on the Environment (TIPE) and suggests ways for CEC to members
to build on existing programmes.
Full story >>
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North America: ESD from Seven Perspectives
The following reflections provide a window on North American ESD initiatives. Members and friends in the CEC community featured here: Pam Puntenney, Kathleen Blanchard, Peter Croal, Andy Alm, Mohammad Khan, Gina Sanguinetti and Ke Chung Kim. Full story >>
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Notes from North America:
Reconnecting Children and Nature
Cheryl Charles, CEC ESD Co-chair, reflects on children’s nature deficit disorder, the book "Last Child in the Woods" by Richard Louv, and the Children & Nature Network, a new non-profit education and advocacy organization. Full story >> |
Mesoamerica: ESD Overview
A report from Mexico by Dr. Edgar J. González-Gaudiano,
Asesor del Secretario de Educación Pública.
Full story >> |
South and Meso America: ESD is the Global Environmental Citizenship Project
Project leader Cecilia Amaluisa Fiallos reports on the success of the Global Environmental Citizenship Project, a region-wide effort to engage citizens in sustainable development. Full story >> |
Oceania ESD Update: Six Recent Developments
Daniella Tilbury and Wendy Goldstein, CEC members from Australia, report on six recent developments in their region: ESD indicators project, national UNDESD strategy, Pacific ESD Framework, university ESD policy, online EfS resources, WCLN Oceania. Full story >> |
IUCN joins the Ubuntu Alliance
to strengthen education for sustainability
CEC, on behalf of IUCN, has joined the Ubuntu Alliance, a group of
eminent organizations working together towards a new “global
learning space” for education and sustainability. Members are
signatories of the Ubuntu Declaration.
Full story >>
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WCLN Institute Established
in MOU of United Nations University and IUCN
A new WCLN Institute will offer certificate courses for the career-development
of conservation and sustainability practitioners worldwide. Agreement
signed by IUCN and United Nations University in October.
Full story >>
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ESD Decade Progress Report:
Highlights from UNESCO
From UNESCO, “Highlights on Progress to Date: September 2006”
reports on the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development.
Nine pages, with regional examples and links to information and publications.
Full story >>
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BCGI Speech on New Learning
for Sustainability’s Leaders
This keynote address on “New Learning for Sustainability’s
Leaders” was presented by Gillian Martin Mehers, CEC Conservation
Learning Coordinator, at a meeting of botanic garden educators. Julia
Willison reports.
Full story >>
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El Master Interuniversitario
en Espacios Naturales
Aprovecho para comunicarles que acaba de abrirse la convocatoria de
inscripción para el Master Interuniversitario en Espacios Naturales.
From CEC member José de Lucio, Madrid, Spain.
Full story >>
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Postgraduate Semester in Land-Use
Science, Brown University
Sarah Zisa sends word of The Watson International Scholars of the
Environment Program, a UNEP-certified program that convenes environmental
leaders from the developing world.
Full story >>
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Revista especial sobre educación
para el desarrollo sustentable
Les informo que ya ha sido publicado el número 40 de la Revista
Iberoamericana de Educación, que está dedicado al tema
de la Educación para el Desarrollo Sustentable. From CEC member
Dr. Edgar J. Gonzalez-Gaudiano. Full story >>
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Accelerated Learning for a
Clean Energy Transition, 29 August 2006
From the newsletter of the Planet2025 News Network comes an article
flagged by Gillian Martin Mehers, CEC Conservation Learning Coordinator.
Full story >>
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Three ESD Books Launched at
European ESD Fair
Baltic, European and global perspectives on ESD are featured in three
books edited by Walter Leal Filho, and recently launched at the 2nd
European Fair on Education for Sustainable Development.
Full story >>
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Environmental Education, Ethics
and Action: A Workbook to Get Started
A workbook for environmental educators is the work of CEC member Heilia
Lotz-Sisitka and colleagues. It’s a professional development
resource for teacher trainers, college instructors and university
professors.
Full story >>
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| News from
CEC Members |
IUCN E-Discussion: 430 Conservationists
Debate Future of Sustainability
The first-ever IUCN electronic debate on global challenges to sustainability
inspired participation by 430 people from more than 70 countries,
including 15 CEC members.
Full story >>
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Creating an Ethics Code for
Biodiversity Conservation
The task of creating a biodiversity code of ethics is off to an enthusiastic
start, reports CEC member John Callewaert. The code is to be ready
for the next World Conservation Congress and CEC is participating
in the IUCN’s specialist group.
Full story >> |
Ramsar CEPA Resolution Revised
With Help From CEC Members
CEC members are contributing to the next Ramsar Convention Programme
on communication, education and public awareness (CEPA), writes CEC
member Sandra Hails. A wetlands CEPA handbook is online.
Full story >>
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Coalition Formed to Manage
Conservation during Armed Conflict
Promoting intersectoral and multicultural dialogues to increase awareness
and public support is a key aim of the coalition, reports CEC member
Mangal Man Shakya.
Full story >>
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India’s Honey Bee Network
Joins CEC
The Honey Bee network disseminates indigenous knowledge in seven regional
languages in India, in part through newsletters and websites. The
network’s coordinator, P. Vivekanandan, introduces the group.
Full story >>
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ASEAN Survey on Chemical Safety
Communication
CEC member Ella Antonio invites you to fill out this Earth Council
survey on chemical safety and chemical hazard communication. It’s
to strengthen public interest and labor organizations in the Association
of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Full story >> |
E-Learning on the Development
Gateway Adds 21 New Resources
The Development Gateway puts the Internet to work for developing countries.
It provides Internet solutions for aid and e-government, increasing
access to critical information. CEC member Ana Puyol shares this list
of resources.
Full story >>
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E-Learning: Open Access in
Action
From the Development Gateway Foundation, a list of resources sent
in by CEC member Ana Puyol.
Full story >>
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Boletín Electrónico
de la Red TICBolivia
CEC member Ana Puyol shares the September issue of the Boletín
Electrónico de la Red TICBolivia, in Spanish. Full story >>
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FODEPAL Informa, September
Newsletter
CEC member Ana Puyol sends a preview of the newsletter FODEPAL Informa,
in Spanish.
Full story >> |
| News from the IUCN Conservation
Learning Unit |
Ana Puyol joins UNDP in Ecuador
Ana Puyol sends warm wishes to CEC friends as she accepts a new position
as Officer of the Sustainable Development Programme with UNDP Ecuador.
Full story >>
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Introducing CEC Researcher
for Oceania WCLN Study
Sonja Janousek appointed to conduct a scoping study for an Oceania
regional branch of the World Conservation Learning Network. Full story
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Introducing CEC e-Newsletter
and Portal Editor
Writing a reader-friendly newsletter for a global audience is the
mission that was assigned last February to Susan Guthridge-Gould. Full story
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| Awards |
CEC Member Wins New Zealand
Book Award
The book "Pohutukawa and Rata: New Zealand's Iron-hearted Trees"
by CEC member Philip Simpson won the Montana New Zealand Book Award
for the Environment Category.
Full story >>
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Apply by 17 Nov: Awards from
Development Marketplace
This year, the World Bank seeks to recognize and support initiatives
that improve health, nutrition and population outcomes for poor people
in developing countries. The call for proposals was sent to CEC by
John Waugh of the IUCN US office. Full story >>
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| Coming Events |
30 Oct-3 Nov 2006: Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning
Open and distance and technology-mediated learning can support sustainable
development goals. A forum organized by the Commonwealth of Learning
explores opportunities. Full story >> |
31 Oct-2 Nov 2006: Conference on Building ESD in Latin America,
Costa Rica
The Earth Charter is a frame for planning ESD action in Latin America
at an upcoming conference announced by CEC member Mirian Vilela. CEC
members may be interested in exploring methods and strategies to advance
the United Nations DESD. Full story >> |
28-30 Nov 2006: Training Course “Good Practice in Stakeholder
Participation”
CEC member Diana Pound develops skills to facilitate dialogue and
participation among stakeholders for better management of the natural
environment in her three-day training course at Imperial College London’s
Wye Campus, Kent, England. Full story >> |
4-9 Dec 2006: International Conference on Humid Tropical Ecosystems,
Sri Lanka
This conference is about ensuring the future survival of the biologically
rich humid tropical ecosystems. It invites stakeholders to exchange
knowledge, identify gaps and make recommendations. Full story >> |
1-5 July 2007: Society for Conservation Biology, Meeting in
South Africa
The SCB is calling for proposals by 16 October 2006 for symposia,
workshops, organized discussions and training courses for its annual
meeting in July 2007. The theme is One World, One Conservation, One
Partnership. Full story >> |
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2-7 July 2007: World Environmental Education Congress,
South Africa
CEC members are invited to participate in this five-day WEEC event.
Submit abstracts by 30 November 2006 related to the theme “Learning
in a Changing World”. Full story >> |
If you have any trouble
with the above links to full CEC Member news stories, go to the
following web address:
http://iucn.org/themes/cec/newsletters/newsletter_oct_2006.htm
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All CEC members are invited to send brief items of interest for posting
in News from CEC Members a new feature of CEC newsletters
in 2006. Submissions should be sent using
this form to cecnews@iucn.org.
Thank you for your participation. |
Next Issue Coming soon:
CEC and STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION |
| Previous CEC Newsletters 2006 |
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