Information on implementation of Environmental Education and Education for Sustainable Development Programme in Central Asia (CAREC) CAREC has launched the Environmental Education (EE) Programme at the beginning of 2003. The Programme purpose is to solve priority regional environmental education problems:  Arrange stable relationship, experience and methodic life lengths exchange in the field of EE between educational institutions in CA countries;  Attract investments for programme and projects implementation in the region;  Develop common approaches and principles for EE programme forming;  Work out public database in the field of EE;  Create informational, methodic and training centres network in the region countries;  Introduce modern textbooks, manuals and methodic books in the field of EE and Education for Sustainable Development. Second Sub-regional Consultative Meeting “Environmental Education for Sustainable Development in Central Asia” April, 2003, (Bishkek) held by the initiative of the Ministry of Education and Culture of Kyrgyz Republic under CAREC support started active work of EE Programme. The Meeting was a CA countries response to WSSD decisions, where EE and ESD were declared as prior directions of the global environmental policy. EE Programme and Review “Status, Prospects and Ways of Environmental Education Development in Central Asia Countries” (www.carec.kz) were approved at the Bishkek meeting, and Joint Working Group on implementation of CA Sub-regional Project on EE was organized.

Review was presented at the Kiev Conference of Environment Ministers, May 2003. At the Plenary Session “Education for Sustainable Development” (ESD) in Kiev presentation of the CA sub-regional position on EE and ESD, the new CA EE Programme, the CA Sub-regional Project and Report on EE were made. Outcomes of the Bishkek Meeting on EE were included into main documents of the Kiev Ministerial Conference. While planning EE Programme activity special attention was paid to development of regional experts and specialists in the field of EE networks development – Ministries, Departments, Non- governmental organizations (NGOs), scientific institutions representatives and pedagogues. By the moment we have created data bank on experts and organizations, donors and partners specializing in the field of EE; and data bank on legal and methodic maintenance (laws, programmes, methodic books, manuals, text-books on EE and ESD). All data are presented at the CAREC official website www.carec.kz with an objective to provide free access for public. Central Asian Working Group on ESD sub-regional project implementation is actively implementing its work (trainings and EE centres network). Thus, CAREC at the expense of its resources (under European Commission support) started implementation of the CA Sub-regional Project on EE and ESD training component: on a selection basis team of experts-trainers on EE and ESD in CA was established. WG members, experts on EE and team of experts-trainers on EE and ESD had the introduction workshop training “EE and ESD Theory and Practice” at the CAREC on 5-6 October 2003, under the leadership of trainer prof.Moscow State University Dmitry Kavtaradze. Work on preparation the ESD textbook for secondary school has been finished. The textbook was written by team of teachers and NGOs’ representatives – specialists in the field of ESD under British Council and FSCEE NGO (UK) support. In February 2004, we have got affirmative decision of the ME&S of RK expertise for using it in Kazakhstan secondary schools (SS). Textbook presentation and training for Kazakhstan SS teachers were held with participation of CA WG on EE members on March 30-31; on May 12, textbook presentation in cooperation with British Embassy and British Council was organized at the ME&S, Astana. “TAU” NGO translated textbook into Kazakh language under Soros Foundation-Kazakhstan support. Project team prepared methodic manual on textbook application and disseminated it among 20 experimental schools of Almaty and Karaganda-cities, as well as the textbook. Since approbation is over, Project executors

1 will get comments and feedbacks on textbook through teachers’ survey. We suppose to prepare applications for textbook farther elaboration and spread in CA region to forward them to donor organizations. New project ”Posters and Video on Climate Change” has been started under British Embassy in Kazakhstan support in April 2004 – project on textbook dissemination in CA through trainings for teachers, posters and video on climate change. The project supports development of EE and ESD and assists Kyoto Protocol ideas promotion in CA region. Meeting of Kazakhstan project WG and CA WG on EE and ESD was held on May 6-11, and we plan to hold regular Working Groups meetings on the project in July and November. UNESCO Representative Office in the Republic of Kazakhstan rendered additional support to the project through preparation and carrying out CA Conference on ESD; presentation of textbook on ESD in Almaty for Kazakhstan and CA countries with posters and video film use. 100 copies of textbook on ESD are being prepared for publishing for participants of the Conference on ESD in November 2004. On May 6-11, Project and CA Working Groups prepared posters and video film’s scenario drafts. After discussions with students and teachers, elaboration by professional designers and specialists on video, they will be presented at the Conference in November 2004. CAREC under support of OSCE centre in Almaty started implementation of “Promotion of Environmental Education in secondary schools in the Republic of Kazakhstan” project in January 2004. The project foresees development of educational module on Environmental Education for secondary schools teachers, reforming of legislation in the field of EE and development of library and video archive with methodic materials, authoring programmes, educational and informational sources, including multi media technologies in the field of EE and ESD. At the moment the following materials on the project are prepared:  Analysis of international and Kazakhstan EE legislation. Proposals on amendments of national legislation to be forwarded to MEP, ME&S, and Parliament of RK.  Two days training module on EE and ESD to introduce them to the system of re- training and improvement natural sciences teachers’ qualification through institutions of improvement teachers’ qualification (IITQ).  Project on development of coordination and EE interaction mechanisms.

Training for SS of RK teachers on EE and ESD was held. Mr. Vadim B. Kalinin, specialist in the field of EE and ESD, Director of Centre for Environmental Research of Obninsk city, Coordinator of “Environmental Education” Association, Editor-in-Chief of “Vestnik AsEcO” magazine, took part in the training for Kazakhstan teachers. Information of SD course worked out by author was presented to teachers: SD concept, environment, EE and ESD. Experience of Russian Federation in the field of EE and ESD at legislative, governmental, public and pedagogical levels was presented. 20 teachers, NGOs and specialists on EE and ESD of 9 Kazakhstan cities: Almaty, Astana, Karaganda, Temirtau, Balkhash, Taldy-Kurgan, Shymkent, Kokshetau, Pavlodar were taught SD, EE and ESD theories and raised their potential.

Information on the project. Legal review materials, EE module and project on coordination mechanisms are disseminated and spread by electronic networks through CA WG on EE and ESD, and presented at CAREC website, forwarded to the Ministry of Education and Science and Ministry of Environment Protection of the Republic of Kazakhstan for consideration and further introducing. Expert on project Legal Issues will give consultations on legal proposals promotion in July-August 2004 it MEP and ME&S of Kazakhstan. ********************************************** For additional information please contact Ms. Tatiana Shakirova, Environmental Education Programme Manager, Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC), Orbita-1, 40, Almaty, Kazakhstan tel: +7 (3272) 292619, 296646, 785110, 785022; fax: (3272) 705337; www.carec.kz 2