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The Role of Education in the Pursuit of a Sustainable Future. Charles Hopkins. UNESCO and UNU Chairs, York University. Presented by Pamela Schwartzberg Executive Director Learning for a Sustainable Future. What is Sustainable Development. Global Change (environment)
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The Role of Education in the Pursuit of a Sustainable Future Charles Hopkins UNESCO and UNU Chairs, York University Presented by Pamela Schwartzberg Executive Director Learning for a Sustainable Future
What is Sustainable Development • Global Change (environment) • Globalization (economic) • Human Development (social/culture) • Sustainable Development Plus concepts of: • intergenerational responsibility • Need verses greed / equity • Social justice, etc.
Many Questions Sustaining what? For whom?
“Education is a key and vital element in moving sustainability forward…”Report of the UN Sec. General • Agenda 21(Rio) • Millennium Goals • Earth Charter • UN Commission for Sustainable Development (CSD) • WSSD (Johannesburg)
The 4 Major Thrusts of ESD • 1 Public awareness and understanding • 2 Access to quality basic education • 3 Reorienting existing education • 4 Training programs for all sectors Agenda 21 -92, UNESCO-96, UNCSD -98, JPOI-2002
Public awareness and understandingThe Power of SD Remains DormantLocked in Isolated Issues CleanAir AIDSPrevention Equity ClimateChange Sustainable Development Peace SustainableConsumption Poverty Eradication Bio-diversity PopulationGrowth
Northern Issues • Sustainable production and consumption • 0.5 trillion in advertising • 50% targeted at USA • Working with “others” • Developing global citizenship • Redistribution of wealth and power • Improving democracy
Many Paths to SD • Good legislation/governance • Economic incentives • Overcoming corruption • Environmental protection • Human rights/security • Infrastructure (roads to banking) • 40 issues identified in Agenda 21
2. Facilitating Development Through Improving Quality Education • 100 million children ages 6 to 11 never attend school in the developing countries • 90% of school aged are in developing/emerging nations • Millions more are “under- educated” in both the South and the North
Northern Problem As Well • Hard to serve students suffer • Preferred learning style other than reading • Poverty related issues • Irrelevant curricula • Home/family related issues • Student/school conflict
Values Principles Perspectives Knowledge Skills Buildings Program Practices and Actions What we value and evaluate 3. Reorienting formal education includes addressing
Strengths Model: A Starting Point • No single discipline/group/teacher can do it all • Every discipline/group/teacher can contribute something • Some can take lead roles in reorientation
UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development 2005 to 2014 • UN General Council Resolution Dec 2002 • UNESCO is the lead UN Agency • Mainly a coordinating role • Integrate with other Decades and programs • Mainly up to each country / state • Organization / institution / private sector etc.
2 Key Websites www.esdtoolkit.org www.earthcharter.org www.unesco.org/education/tlsf