Environmental Pillar Submission on the Consultation National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development in Ireland Effects of investments in education for sustainability Carayannis et al. Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship 2012 1:2 doi:10.1186/2192-5372-1-2 Download authors' original image Environmental Pillar Submission on the Development of a National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development in Ireland Sept 2013 Page 1 of 24 Environmental Pillar Submission on the Consultation National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development in Ireland Introduction The Environmental Pillar welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Development of a National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development in Ireland . We offer the following comments which we believe will be helpful in developing an holistic National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development. The incorporation of sustainability into all aspects of life is essential, if we are to successfully face the challenges of climate change, declining biodiversity, resource scarcities and a range of negative human impacts on water, air and soils. The continuing success of human society and social systems depends fundamentally on the preservation of the overall productivity, health and long term sustainability of the ecosystems and environmental services that underpin and supply many of the most basic components of human welfare such as healthy soils, clean water and clean air. These are the real assets that we have inherited and that we should hand on in good order to future generations. This is our real wealth and we are destroying so much of it often without giving it a thought. As agreed in 1992 in Rio, the most appropriate way for human society to proceed towards sustainability is through the guidelines laid down in Agenda 21. Ireland was a signatory and yet has done very little since to implement it. Implicit in this is the need to take an ‘ecosystems approach’ when designing, planning and reviewing all plans and programmes. A national strategy for ESD must be based in these fundamentals and be extended well beyond the formal education system. The Environmental Pillar is a national Social Partner established by Government decision in 2009. It is an advocacy coalition of 27 national environmental NGOs. Environmental Pillar members: An Taisce . Bat Conservation Ireland, BirdWatch Ireland . CELT - Centre for Ecological Living and Training . Coast Watch . Coomhola Salmon Trust . Crann . ECO UNESCO . Feasta . Forest Friends . Friends of the Earth . Global Action Plan Ireland, Gluaiseacht . Grian . Hedge Laying Association of Ireland . Irish Doctors Environment Association . Irish Natural Forestry Foundation . Irish Peatland Conservation Council . Irish Seal Sanctuary . Irish Seed Saver Association. Irish Whale and Dolphin Group . Irish Wildlife Trust . The Organic Centre . Sonairte . Sustainable Ireland Cooperative . VOICE . Zero Waste Alliance Ireland Whilst this document was developed through the processes of the Environmental Pillar it does not necessarily represent the policies of all its members. Page 2 of 24 Environmental Pillar Submission on the Consultation National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development in Ireland Contact information: For further details please contact Michael Ewing, Coordinator. Environmental Pillar Knockvicar, Boyle, Co Roscommon. Telephone: 01 8780116 Mobile: 00353 (0)86 8672153 Email: [email protected] Skype: michaelk.ewing _________________________________________________________________________________ Section I - Definition A definition of sustainable development is provided on the background paper as `development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’. (Defined by the Our Common Future (The Brundtland Report) - Report of the 1987 World Commission on Environment and Development; Quoted in Our Sustainable Future - A Framework for Sustainable Development in Ireland, p.10) 1. How would you define `education for sustainable development'? Building on the definition above… Education for Sustainable Development involves learning experiences which develop and strengthen the capacity of individuals, groups, communities and organisations to make judgements and choices in favour of sustainable development. ESD doesn’t teach a particular subject but rather asks participants to consider different issues related to sustainable development and come to a deeper understanding of issues. The primary characteristics of ESD are; 1. It is holistic and interdisciplinary- Looking at how social, environmental and economic issues are interconnected. 2. Values driven- questioning current values and sharing the values underpinning sustainable development. Page 3 of 24 Environmental Pillar Submission on the Consultation National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development in Ireland 3. Critical thinking- developing a competency in addressing the challenges and opportunities of sustainable development. 4. Locally relevant- addressing local and global issues and using the language(s) and communication methods that learners most commonly use. 5. Multi –Method- Experienced learning. Many methods used in ESD are the same as those used in Development education and Youth work. 6. Participatory Decision-making- learners participate in decisions that affect them and decisions about how they are to learn. Education for Sustainable Development is intergenerational in its nature and purpose; it requires us to learn from past experiences and to act to shape a just, equitable and sustainable future. It implies that economic, social and environmental development are inextricably linked and must be considered together. Education for Sustainable Development is about understanding the interdependencies and interconnectivities that exist within the world, and using this to address problems such as wasteful consumption, environmental degradation, urban decay, population growth, gender inequality, health, conflict and the violation of human rights (UNESCO, 2002:10). Education for Sustainable Development aims to empower people of all ages to assume responsibility for creating a sustainable future (UNESCO, 2002: 7). Essentially it is about reorienting education systems, policies and practices to enable the learner to address issues of sustainability and make clear decisions for action that are culturally appropriate and locally relevant UNESCO, 2002:10) ESD is far more than teaching knowledge and principles related to sustainability. ESD, in its broadest sense, is education for social transformation with the goal of creating more sustainable societies. ESD touches every aspect of education including planning, policy development, programme implementation, finance, curricula, teaching, learning, assessment, administration. ESD aims to provide a coherent interaction between education, public awareness, and training with a view to creating a more sustainable future (UNESCO, 2012b). 2. What is the key priority for making education for sustainable development a reality? A key priority of ESD is recognising the imperative role of a high quality natural environment as a basis for sustainable development and the important role of education for change in the protection of the natural environment to achieve a sustainable world. Building upon existing educational opportunities for ESD within non formal and formal education, and putting structures in place to strengthen and support these including the scaling up of successful programmes. According to UNESCO’s Proposal for a Global Action programme on Education for Sustainable Development as Follow up to the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development the overall goal is to “generate and scale –up in all levels and areas of education and learning in order to accelerate progress towards sustainable development.” This is developed further in two objectives; Page 4 of 24 Environmental Pillar Submission on the Consultation National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development in Ireland 1. to reorient education and learning so that everyone has the opportunity to acquire the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes that empower them to contribute to sustainable development. 2. to strengthen education and learning in all agendas, programmes and activities that promote sustainable development. Five priority action areas identified are; 1. Policy support- integrating ESD into national policies in education and sustainable development. 2. Whole-institution approach – to promote whole institution approaches to ESD at all levels and in all settings. 3. Educators- strengthen the capacity of educators, trainers and other change agents to become learning facilitators for ESD. 4. Youth- support youth in their role as change agents for sustainable development. 5. Local communities- accelerate the search for sustainable development solutions at the local level through ESD. Page 5 of 24 Environmental Pillar Submission on the Consultation National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development in Ireland Section II - Objectives, challenges and actions Objective 1: Embedding education for sustainable development at every level of the education system 3. How can education for sustainable development be most effectively embedded at every level of the education system? Please give practical examples if possible. Our sustainable Future – speaks of Integrating ESD into all areas of the curriculum in schools and