Environment and Development Carol Healy Su-ming Khoo Development Education and Research Network NUI Galway (DERN)

Synopsis 1.Environment and development cooperation 1.Environment and development cooperation 2. Environmental education and development education 2. Environmental education and development education 3. DERN 4. Environmental sustainability: Bridging development education and research 4. Environmental sustainability: Bridging development education and research

Environment and Development Cooperation Poverty and environment inextricably linked –Global environmental threats compound local environmental problems –Health is closely related to quality of environment –MDG Goal 7:Ensure Environmental Sustainability –Ireland has obligations to help developing countries address climate change –Environmental issues are often addressed through the “three pillars” of cooperation.

3 “Pillars” of Cooperation Link to environmental justice Livelihood security Impact on/ Participation of poor and vulnerable Link to environmental justice Livelihood security Impact on/ Participation of poor and vulnerable Environmental Social Economic Future generations Commons Environmental Social Economic Future generations Commons Link environment to rights and law Accountability and participation Rights involve duties Non-discrimination Vulnerable groups come first Link environment to rights and law Accountability and participation Rights involve duties Non-discrimination Vulnerable groups come first Rights based Sustainability Poverty focused International policy – UN framework National policy directions set by Irish Aid White Paper on Development (Sept 2006)

What is Development Education? Development Education Critical Engagement with development Critical Engagement with Social Justice issues Understanding Local/global Interdependence Responsible Action Knowledge and understanding Attitudes and Values Skills and Capacitie s Builds on: Promote: Leads to:

What is Development Education? Concerned with building of knowledge and understanding, skills and capacities, and attitudes and values necessary that enable individuals to critically examine the world, its development and its interdependencies and to act, both locally and globally to make it a more just, equitable and sustainable place. “Development Education aims to deepen understanding of global poverty and encourage people towards action for a more just and equal world” – Irish Aid Development Education Strategy Plan May Aims to promote critical engagement about development and global justice issues

Linking Development Education and Environmental Education Development Education + Environmental Education = Education for Sustainable Development (UNESCO) DE + EE = ESD Increase knowledge, values, attitudes, commitment, skills to protect environment Active participation Recognise local- global connections Understand causes of poverty and inequality Enable people to achieve a more just and sustainable world Joined up approach to environment, society & economy Ensure people have a healthy and productive life (esp. FOOD); Assess, care for and restore the state of our Planet; create and enjoy a better, safer, more just world; Caring citizens who exercise their rights and responsibilities locally, nationally and globally.

Development education and environmental research Bridging the gap between environmental research and development is essential for sustainable development Sustainable development requires 3 pillars to be balanced –Environmental protection –Economic development –Social justice/ inclusion – participation How to integrate these into research? Examples: –IIED: Impacts of climate change on economic growth –PEP: Research in the area of the environment and development –NUIG: IA-HEA research groups Can Development Education be integrated with environmental research through focus on rights, poverty and sustainability ?

IA-HEA Research Clusters Trade Sustainable technologies Law and Policy reform Community based health HIV/AIDS Creating and sharing knowledge for rights-based and sustainable development cooperation – A research and training programme for NUI Galway Creating and sharing knowledge for rights-based and sustainable development cooperation – A research and training programme for NUI Galway Coordinated by DERN

Law and Policy Reform Building Capacity for Good Governance - developing frameworks for law and policy reform Social, Economic and Cultural Rights and the Right to Development: Concept, Law and Practice Disability Law in Foreign Policy and Development Cooperation Building research capacity: Sex in Post-Conflict societies: rights, responses and public policy Regional capacity building in oceans and marine resource and technology law

Appropriate Techonolgies Building Capacity to deliver Environmental Sustainability through appropriate technologies GIS mapping & analyses of relationships between environment and human health in China and South Africa. Sustainable, low-cost technology systems for treating water and wastewater Sustainable, low-cost technology systems for treating and recovering energy from wastes

What is DERN? Development Education and Research Network Interdisciplinary, cross-faculty network, which includes over 100 members. Three main objectives: 1.Mainstream development education Embed Development Education in existing professional education Identify demand for development education content, deliver modules where appropriate 2. Develop research capability and professional expertise relevant to Dev. Ed. Research fellowships in Development Education Support networking through DERN to build capacity for collaboration and professional work 3. Connect Dev. Ed. and civic engagement Web based resource + forum Interdisciplinary seminars

DERN activities Coordinated NUI Galway research bid for the IA-HEA Programme of Strategic Cooperation (€1.5m, 13 Projects) Mainstream development education into research activities DERN website: Seminars: –Organic growing as national policy in Cuba, –The Jaipur foot –Career Options in Development –Funding opportunities and research needs for Development. –Development as Global Responsibility Development’s Futures Conference - Nov 2007 Networking with with other third level institutions, NGOs etc. Publications contributing to current thinking on the development education landscape Next priority: develop content for development education (lectures, modules) WE ARE LOOKING for staff who want development education in their teaching and research

What Next? Staff interested in development education content for their teaching and research to contact Carol Waiting for result of IA-HEA bid (July?) Other research proposals/ needs? Contact Carol/ Su-ming Upcoming seminars – Rainforest Day! Topic/speaker suggestions welcome Conference – Nov

Incorporating ESD- some questions Already overloaded curriculum Buy – in To what extent can ‘mainstreaming’ and the integration of third level serve to realise the vision of Development Education? How to capture the complexity of development through educational processes? How to ensure genuine discourse? How can short term funding achieve the long term aims Dev Ed? Critical engagement versus policy relevance

Some Resources Africa Up in Smoke: Working Group on Climate Change and Development Stern Review, 2006 Stop Climate Chaos IIED- PEP Comhar’s Principles for Sustainable Development. M. Gorman, D. O’Connor; Ireland’s Overseas Aid Programme and Agenda 21 Irish Aid Environmental Policy