1. Education for Sustainable Development
~ Making the abstract real ~

2. Structure Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
The Earth Charter and Education
Resources
Conclusions
Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
The Earth Charter and Education
The Teacher’s Guidebook
Conclusions

3. What is Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)?
“It seeks to develop the knowledge, skills, perspectives and values to empower people of all ages to assume responsibility for creating and enjoying a sustainable future.”(1)
ESD is also a process of learning how to make decisions that consider the long-term future of the economy, ecology and equity of all.
(1) UNDESD Framework for the Int’l Implementation Scheme, UNESCO

4. ESD helps us to shift from a fragmented to an integrated approach of problem solving

5. Some Key Themes of ESD Human Rights Overcoming Poverty
Intercultural Understanding and Peace
Sustainable Production and Consumption
Cultural Diversity
Participatory
Processes
Overcoming Poverty
Gender Equality
Health
Environmental Protection
Rural Transformation

6. ESD brings together different spheres
SOCIAL
ECONOMIC
ENVIRONMENT
ESD

7. ESD helps one to: Collaborate & cooperate with others Think critically
Move from awareness to action
Be a life-long learner
Have a systemic view of the world
Motivate others towards sustainability
Think critically
Make good decisions
Solve problems
Plan with an integrated approach
Resolve Conflicts
Communicate effectively

8. Pedagogical approaches for ESD
Educational process should be:
Participatory and inclusive
Inter-disciplinary
Student-centered
View students as both learners and teachers
Contextualized and flexible
Collaborative
Transformative …
The ‘how’ we educate needs to be just as important as the ‘what’!

9. Why ESD?
Sustainable development is an urgent social and ecological need, and education is an indispensable element for achieving it.
The United Nations declared the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development which began in 2005.
LINKING SLIDE!

10. Structure Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
The Earth Charter and Education
Resources
Conclusions
Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
The Earth Charter and Education
The Teacher’s Guidebook
Conclusions

11. What is the Earth Charter?
A declaration of ethical principles for building a just, sustainable, and peaceful global society.
A process of dialogue, partnerships and activities that have become an ‘Initiative’.

12. A Brief History of the Earth Charter Initiative
Origins - The Brundtland Commission calls for “a new charter or universal declaration” on environment and development to “guide state and inter-state behavior.” UN Earth Charter process is stopped at Earth Summit; Rio Declaration adopted instead (1992)
Phase 1 - Development and Global Consultation
Maurice Strong and Mikhail Gorbachev relaunch Earth Charter as a civil society initiative; drafting and consultation process begins (1994); Earth Charter Commission created (1997); 5,000 people contribute comments
Phase 2 - Launch and Establishment
Final text approved and launched, and endorsement campaign begins (2000); Earth Charter promoted strongly at WSSD in Johannesburg, but not formally adopted (2002); local and grassroots action grows, important international endorsements continue (such as IUCN, 2004)
2006 -
Phase 3 - Expansion with Action Orientation
Strategic review conducted (2005); decision taken to expand the Initiative, with new international centers and programs, and intent to greatly increase awareness, impact, and active commitment to sustainable development
PHASES?????????

13. The Earth Charter represents a Global Consensus on Sustainability and an Ethical Call to Action
Core sustainability values
Responsibility to act =
I. Respect for
nature
II. Universal human
rights
III. Economic justice
IV. Culture of peace
Protect ...
Care ...
Transmit ...
Adopt ...
Support ...
Reduce ...
Require ...
Eliminate ...
Honor ...

14. The Earth Charter is a Unifying Platform for Change
Clarifies sustainability
Covers all aspects
Builds legitimacy
Inspires and informs
Links local to global
Reaches from boardroom to community
Provides a common platform for action
Sets a high performance standard

15. The core themes of the Earth Charter answer the needs of our society
Need: An advanced understanding
of our shared global problems
Need: A framework for being able
to critically evaluate one’s situation
Core Themes
Interdependence
Partnerships
The Community of Life
Peace and Non-violence
The Earth Charter uniquely meets the educational challenges of
the 21st century
Need: A culture of collaborationNeed: An advanced understanding of our
shared global problemsNeed: A framework for being able to critically evaluate one’s situation
Universal Responsibility
Differentiated Responsibility
Critical Challenges and Choices
Need: A culture of collaboration

16. The Earth Charter can help advance three fundamental educational objectives
Creation of partnerships:
Civil society
Business
Governments
Consciousness
–raising
Application
Of values
Call for action
Environmental problems
Social problems
Economic problems
Guiding principles

17. Why is the Earth Charter an important tool for ESD?
Offers and integrated approach
Articulates the principles for promoting a sustainable future
A pedagogical tool for a culture of peace

18. The Earth Charter helps provide a high-level perspective, while empowering to act locally
??????????????
People have different perspectives and ways of thinking about stuff – ESD solves this??

19. Structure Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
The Earth Charter and Education
Resources
Conclusions
Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
The Earth Charter and Education
The Teacher’s Guidebook
Conclusions

20. The Earth Charter Initiative had developed a number of resources
Posters
Brochures
Videos
Earth Charter in Action Book
Earth Charter Bibliography
Earth Charter Case Studies
Workbook for schools
Guidebook for teachers
Univ. course on ESD
Presentations
An Online Resource Center is available at

21. Earth Charter in Action Book
Demonstrates what sustainability principles mean in practice
Examples from all over the world ... from biodiversity to business to rehabilitating child soldiers
Authors include Mikhail Gorbachev, Wangari Maathai, Jane Goodall, Ruud Lubbers, HRH Princess Basma Bint Talal ... over 70 co-authors
Is available to download at
For Universities/professionals

22. Conclusions ESD is about content as well as skills and values
The ‘how’ is often more important than the ‘what’
The Decade offers an opportunity to advance ESD initiatives at all education levels
The Earth Charter provides a valuable educational framework

23. Earth Charter International info@earthcharter.org
T H E E A R T H C H A R T E R
I N I T I A T I V E
Contact:
Earth Charter International