EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC

Transcription

1 EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC Agenda Meeting , Monday 9 October 2006 Location: Piney Lakes Environment Centre Perth, Western Australia, Australia. 9.00am 9.30am 12.00noon 1.00pm Tea and Coffee 1. Introductions and welcome (Peter Woods, DEH) 2. Presentations by participants (10 minutes each) Australian Government Department of the Environment and Heritage (DEH) ENSI Executive UNESCO Bangkok United Nations Environment Programme - Regional Office for Asia-Pacific Centre for Environmental Education - India Centre for Environmental Education Australia Inc New Zealand Government - Ministry of Education Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme University of South Pacific, Pacific Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development Lunch 3. Proposal to establish an Asia Pacific Education for Sustainable Development Network 4. Other business 5. Need for further meetings 4.00pm Meeting close

2 Agenda Item 1: Introductions and welcome (Peter Woods, DEH) Asia Pacific Education for Sustainable Development Network Background The Australian Government Department of the Environment and Heritage, in consultation with the Environment and School Initiatives (ENSI) Executive, have invited delegates with an interest in education for sustainable development (ESD) in the Asia Pacific to meet in Perth, Australia. The meeting will consider current ESD activities in the Asia Pacific and explore the need for, and feasibility of, establishing an Asia Pacific network, along the lines of the ENSI model or otherwise. Participants The meeting will be attended by the following: International delegates Mr Surendra Shrestha, Regional Director and Representative, UNEP Regional Office for Asia-Pacific, Bangkok, Thailand Dr Derek Elias, Programme Specialist, Asia Pacific Coordinator, Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), UNESCO Bangkok, Thailand Dr Kanaythu Koshy, Director Pacific Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development, University of South Pacific, Fiji Ms Tamara Logan, Environmental Education Officer, Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), Samoa Ms Madhovi Joshi, Programme Coordinator, Centre for Environmental Education, Ahmedabad, India Ms Prithi Nambiar, Executive Director, Centre for Environmental Education Australia Inc (CEE) Representative from Indian National High Commission, details to be confirmed. Contact is Shailendra K. Sharma ENSI Executive Mr Günther Pfaffenwimmer, ENSI President, Head of Subdepartment V/11c, Environmental Education, Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Culture Austria Mr. Reiner Mathar, ENSI Country Coordinator, Hessisches Landesinstitut für Pädagogik/ Umwelterziehung, Germany

3 Asia Pacific Education for Sustainable Development Network Mr. Ton Remmers, ENSI Country Coordinator, Senior Consultant,SLO Adviesdiensten, Netherlands Ms. Christine Affolter, ENSI Country Coordinator, Pädagogische Hochschule Solothurn, Switzerland Mr Cam Mackenzie, Principal Advisor (Environmental Sustainability) Queensland Department of Education and the Arts Associate Professor Daniella Tilbury, Australian Research Institute in Education for Sustainability Director Australia Government Representatives Mr Peter Woods, Chief Information Officer, Department of the Environment and Heritage Ms Joan Cornish, Assistant Director Sustainability Education Section, Department of the Environment and Heritage - Ms Kim Forbes, Senior Sustainability Education Officer, Department of the Environment and Heritage Apologies Apologies were received from the Institute for Global Environment Strategies, Japan and New Zealand Ministry of Education, Wellington, New Zealand. Recommendation That the attendance and apologies be noted.

4 Agenda Item 2: Presentations by participants Asia Pacific Education for Sustainable Development Network Background In order to maximise the benefit of the face-to-face meeting, attendees were invited to provide a brief written report on their education for sustainable development activities using the template distributed before the meeting. Issues As a starting point for considering the need for an Asia Pacific education for sustainable development network it is useful to be aware of the nature and extent of ESD activity in the region. Delegates are invited to familiarise themselves with the written updates at Attachment 2.1 with a particular view to identifying areas of synergy with their own work. Each delegate will be invited to given a ten minute presentation at the meeting to draw particular attention to their activities. A light projector and laptop computer will be available. Recommendation That attendees familiarise themselves with the updates at Attachment 2.1 and identify issues for discussion on 9 October Attachment Attachment 2.1: Delegates reports on education for sustainable development activities.

5 Asia Pacific Education for Sustainable Development Network Agenda Item 3: Proposal to Establish an Asia Pacific Education for Sustainable Development Network Background The international community has acknowledged the importance of education by declaring the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (UNDESD). Governments around the world have been invited to strengthen their contribution to sustainability through a focus on education and learning. The International Implementation Scheme for the UNDESD, developed by UNESCO, emphasises improving the basic standard of education, reorienting existing education policies and programmes, developing public understanding and awareness, and providing training, with a particular emphasis on responding to the culture and national needs of individual countries in relation to sustainable development. There are several strategies proposed for the promotion and implementation of ESD throughout the UNDESD. One of these strategies includes partnership and networks. Given the global nature of sustainable development, international collaboration forms an important element of the UNDESD. Many countries in the Asia-Pacific are involved in innovative ESD work which could be strengthened through sharing of information, resources and collaboration. There is also value in learning from the experiences of people in other parts of the world, in particular Europe. In relation to formal schooling, Environment and School Initiatives (ENSI) has proposed that Australia sponsor an Asia-Pacific regional secretariat. ENSI is an international government based network focused on innovation and research in environmental education and education for sustainable development. It was originally established under the auspices of OECD CERI (Centre for Education, Research and Innovation) in Since its inception, ENSI has been involved with school initiatives, school authorities, teacher training, educational research institutions and other stakeholders from more than twenty countries worldwide. Australia is also interested in exploring a broader regional network covering industry, government, further and higher education, and community education, as well as school education. Such a network could assist countries in the region to increase the overall effectiveness and long term impact of education policies and programmes to address the complexities of sustainable development at different levels. It is important to note however that there are various existing education and environment networks in the region and it is important to avoid duplication of effort. Issues Based upon an awareness of the education for sustainable development activities already taking place across the region, as discussed at agenda item 2, consideration will be given to the need and feasibility of establishing an ESD network for the Asia Pacific. The discussion will be informed by: ENSI s vision for an Asia Pacific regional secretariat - Mr Guenther Pfaffenwimmer, ENSI President will discuss the ENSI regionalisation proposal for the Asia Pacific; and existing environment and education networks in the region - A draft list of existing environment and education networks in the Asia Pacific is at Attachment 3.1. The list is not

6 Asia Pacific Education for Sustainable Development Network comprehensive, but rather is intended as a starting point for ensuring that any new network is not duplicative. Delegates are encouraged to consider and note other relevant networks they are aware of. The viability of an Asia Pacific ESD network is dependent upon identification of synergies between participants and articulation of a practical model for collaboration based upon available resources. Consideration will need to be given to projects, policies and institutional objectives of mutual interest, and the ability of participants to resource ongoing collaboration. Possible areas for collaboration include the development of indicators for tracking progress across the UNDESD, work with business schools to improve their sustainable development curricula, and the continued adoption by schools of quality teaching practice through a sustainable development framework and whole of school methodology. As an exploratory meeting, discussion will focus on establishing delegates level of interest in pursuing a network, the resources that may be brought to bear to support its activities, possible models of operation and possible projects or focus areas. Recommendation That delegates draw upon the information provided at attachments 2.1 and 3.1 to identify areas of mutual interest and consider practical models for the operation of an Asia Pacific network for discussion on 9 October Attachment Attachment 3.1: Draft list of existing environment and education networks in the Asia Pacific.