PROGRAM FOR EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE CARPATHIAN ECO-REGION Living with nature - WORKBOOK - By Carpathian EcoRegion Initiative (CERI), Bratislava, Slovak Republic & Ecological Society ENDEMIT, Belgrade, Serbia Published in Belgrade, March 2007 1 Introduction Dear beneficiaries of the Workbook for Education for Sustainable Development of the Carpathian EcoRe- gion, In front of you is the first issues of a manual which contains basic instructions on how to learn about sustainable de- velopment in the Carpathians. In this workbook you will find very useful information about different issues which, all together, indicate what does the sustainable development actually means. The main purpose of the manual is to provide basic information on sustainability in the Carpathian EcoRegion and to provide a good and comprehensive discussion about various social, environmental and economic problems of local communities in light of efforts towards sustainable development. It is a tool for conducting trainings on sustainable development in local communities. Do not expect that you will learn what the sustainability actually is just by reading one of the given chapters of the workbook. In order to get a broad picture about how to make sustainable living, you will have to go trough all the is- sues, and practice upon each of them. For your convenience, we have provided case studies, examples of good practice and tasks in the end of each chapter. This will help you to summarize your knowledge and discussions and, perhaps, create some new ideas and solutions for solving some of your local communities’ problems in a sustainable manner. With respect to your previous knowledge, we strongly suggest you to have critical approach to each of the chapters and upgrade them with your own experiences and information. The more different stakeholders you have in this dis- cussion, the better and diverse will be solutions for the local problems. Due to the fact that the workbook is made for the trainers in sustainable development on local scale level, it is strongly recommended that, before organizing a training, first perform research within local community in order to adjust your presentations with the level of knowledge of your target groups. Most important thing to do, before starting with the training, is to provide participation of different stakeholders of local communities in the training sessions. This is important because of the fact that sustainable development is a mul- tisectoral issue and can only be achieved by involving all those sectors which can actually make a change and make sustainable development a reality (local governments, nongovernmental organizations, business sector, media, schools etc.). On the first pages of the workbook, you will find the Program for Education for Sustainable Development. This Pro- gram is made in order to facilitate the implementation of training seminars in local communities. If you go carefully trough the Program, and fulfill as much requirements as possible, you will have a solid basis for conducting the train- ing in most effective way, with less expenses. Also, once you complete the Program requirements, you will have a solid basis for any other activities regarding envi- ronment and sustainable development on local community scale level. And, in the end of this introduction, I would strongly suggest you to be creative, innovative and critical as much as it is possible on your way towards sustainable development of your local communities. In the name of Ecological Society ENDEMIT, I’m wishing you the most of success in spreading the information and knowledge about sustainability of the world. Miroslav Tadic, Coordinator/Editor 2 Climate change already has begun Danijela Bozanic Life on the earth is made possible by energy from the 18th century. The enhanced greenhouse effect is the sun. The sunlight arrives mainly in the form of term used to refer "enhancing" of the natural green- visible light and about 30 per cent is scattered back house effect. This “enhancing" is result from increased into space by the outer atmosphere, but the rest reaches amounts of greenhouse gases from human activities the earth's surface. Most of the sun's energy that which mean, as is mentioned above, that more heat reaches the earth is absorbed by the oceans and land may be trapping near the earth’s surface. masses and radiated back into the atmosphere in the In fact, some scientists suggest that recent trends form of heat or infrared radiation. Most of this infrared in global warming are part of the natural patterns of energy is absorbed and reradiated in atmosphere, by warming and cooling that have taken place over the atmospheric gases called greenhouse gases (GHGs). past million years. Other says that the enhanced green- Some of the greenhouse gases are naturally occur- house effect causes an unnatural increase in global ring in the atmosphere, while others result from differ- temperatures. However, from the end of the last Ice ent human activities. Naturally occurring greenhouse Age episode about 10,000 years ago until the end of gases include water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, the 18th century, the levels of greenhouse gases in the nitrous oxide and ozone. There are also several long- atmosphere remained fairly constant. Since the Indus- lived industrial gases that are almost entirely due to trial Revolution 200 years ago, mankind has been re- anthropogenic sources such as: chlorofluorocarbons, leasing extra quantities of greenhouse gases into the hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur atmosphere, which trap more heat, enhancing the natu- hexafluoride. At the same way, by certain human ac- ral greenhouse effect. During the 20th century, the tivities, such as: the burning of coal, oil, and natural earth's surface warmed by about 0.6°C. gas; farming activities; changes in land use and waste In generally, the rising of temperatures mean management, levels of naturally occurring greenhouse greater evaporation, a warmer atmosphere is able to gases are being supplemented. Increased emissions of hold more moisture and the result is more water aloft greenhouse gases mean that the amount of energy be- that can fall as precipitation. This also means more ing trapped in the atmosphere increases. As a result, frequent and powerful cyclones and hurricanes, more the lower atmosphere is likely to warm, changing frequent and intense floods and droughts. At the same weather and climate. time dry regions are apt to lose still more moisture The term used to describe this role of the atmos- which exacerbates droughts and desertification. It is phere, in insulating the planet from heat loss, is the validated that even a small rise in temperature is ac- greenhouse effect. The term greenhouse effect may be companied by changes in climate what exactly more used to refer either to the natural greenhouse effect or frequent "extreme weather events". For a recent in- to the enhanced greenhouse effect. crease in "extreme weather events" which has been explained away as random scientists say it's an indica- The term natural greenhouse effect describes the tion that climate change already has begun. role of the naturally occurring greenhouse gases. Without the presence of these gases the average tem- One of the regions where the effects of global perature of the earth would be about 33ºC cooler. warming and climate change are already felt is the About three-quarters of the natural greenhouse effect Carpathian Basin. The Carpathian Basin is susceptible is due to water vapor. The next most significant green- to droughts, because of it relative isolation. According house gas is carbon dioxide. Since the industrial revo- to many scientists, in the latest decades the climate of lution and expansion of agriculture around 200 years the countries in the Carpathian Region became drier, ago, we have been pumping additional carbon dioxide as droughts are quite common. Summers are hotter and gas into the atmosphere. Today, the concentration of winters became milder. this gas is approximately 30 per cent greater than in 3 Climate change already has begun Danijela Bozanic For these reasons snow is not often as before. for it in Annex B, of the Kyoto protocol, of its aggre- There is an opinion that the four-season system be- gate anthropogenic carbon dioxide equivalent emis- came a two-season system as spring and autumn are sions of the greenhouse gases listed in Annex A in becoming shorter and shorter, even vanishing some 1990, or the base year or period, multiplied by five. years. In the last few years serious flood events oc- These add up to a total cut in greenhouse-gas emis- curred at the watershed of the rivers, at the first place sions of at least 5% from 1990 levels in the commit- the Danube and the Tisza. In the Carpathian Region ment period 2008-2012. To achieve their targets, An- emissions from human activities and primarily fossil nex I Parties must put in place domestic policies and fuels as well as significant change in land-use/land- measures. The Protocol provides an indicative list of cover contribute to climate change, global warming policies and measures that might help mitigate climate and the greenhouse effect. change and promote sustainable development. Evidence, in the 1960s and ‘70s, that concentra- All countries in the Carpathian Region, except tions of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere were in- Serbia, are Annex I Parties. In the first commitment creasing and this may be the cause of climate change period quantified emission limitation or reduction for first led climatologists and others to press for action. It each of these countries are: for Austria, Czech Repub- took years before the international community re- lic, Romania and Slovakia 8%, for Poland and Hun- sponded. gary 6% and the obligation for Ukraine is stabilization of emissions at the level of basic year.