Education for Sustainable Futures
Some Key
Resources
Education for Sustainable Futures
IFUW believes that education is the key to implementing sustainable futures. Sustainable futures can only be ensured by protecting the environment and using its resources wisely. Graduate women, as agents for change in building sustainable futures, have a responsibility to educate citizens and policy makers about the benefits of responsible land use, advocating for healthy communities and protection of economic, cultural and natural resources.
- Today there are two main international frameworks for sustainable development to follow:
UNESCO - Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014), seeks to mobilize the educational resources of the world to help create a more sustainable future. Many paths to sustainability (e.g. sustainable agriculture and forestry, research and technology transfer, finance, sustainable production and consumption) exist and are mentioned in the 40 chapters of Agenda 21, the official document of the 1992 Earth Summit. Education is one of these paths.
UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development
UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for 2015
The MDGs were introduced by the UN Secretary General for the implementation by 2015 of the 2000 Millennium Declaration. They provide concrete, numerical benchmarks for tackling extreme poverty in its many dimensions. The eight MDGs break down into 21 quantifiable targets that are measured by 60 indicators.
Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability
Target 7a: Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes; reverse loss of environmental resources
More information
Millennium Development Goals Progress Reports
- IFUW - Women: Building Sustainable Futures, for us and the generations to come
Full Summary of IFUW online discussion (10 November – 8 December 2008)
Summary (pdf)
- iNSnet Foundation - Internetwork for sustainability
The iNSnet Foundation is a not-for-profit communications network advocating a sustainable society. The iNSnet website delivers news services on sustainable development and connect people and organizations working on sustainable projects.
iNSnet Foundation Website (main information in Dutch only)
- WiserEarth
WiserEarth is a community directory and networking forum that maps and connects non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and individuals addressing: climate change, poverty, the environment, peace, water, hunger, social justice, conservation, human rights and more.
WiserEarth Website
Sub-Themes
Reconciling development and conservation
Economic development & employment
Impacts of population growth
Land status, land use, inheritance laws
Food supply, health and nutrition
Water distribution & sanitation
Waste management, especially toxic waste and recycling
Consumption of non-renewable resources
Renewable energy production and use
- Energy [R]evolution: a Sustainable World Energy Outlook - Report from the European Renewable Energy Council
The report provides a detailed practical blueprint for cutting carbon emissions while achieving economic growth by replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy and energy efficiency. This phase-out of fossil fuels offers substantial benefits such as energy security, independence from world market fuel prices as well as the creation of millions of new green jobs.
Energy [R]evolution Website
Report (pdf)
- The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) - Environmental Sustainability
The United Nations Population Fund promotes the integration of population factors in national development frameworks, poverty reduction strategies and environmental planning and management. The Fund works to raise awareness and promote a deeper understanding among policymakers of the relationship between population, environment and development.
UNFPA's projects on Environmental Sustainability
- Women's Environment & Development Organisation (WEDO)
WEDO's work in the area of sustainable development aims to foster development that is ecologically sound, economically viable, and socially just and works to strengthen alliances between the women’s and environmental movements. Much of WEDO's work in this area is focused on advocacy towards understanding the linkages between gender and climate change (i.e. the differential cause and effect of environmental degradation on men and women and importantly, the role of women as agents of change in regards to mitigation and adaptation to climate change.)
WEDO's projects on Sustainable Development
- NFAs could take action by assembling data on loss of natural resources. Two sources for such data are
Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB)
The Earth Negotiations Bulletin is an independent reporting service that provides daily information in print and electronic formats from multilateral negotiations on environment and development. It is published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), a non-profit organization based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The office of the Earth Negotiations Bulletin is based in New York City, two blocks from the United Nations.
ENB's Archives
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
UNEP aims at catalysing action to protect the environment through enhanced engagement and collaboration with the multitude of major groups actors who share the same purpose around the world. This strategy is based on engagement at the policy level to take into account major groups expertise and views at the intergovernmental level, and on the programmatic level in implementation of UNEP's work programme.
UNEP Website
Climate change
Rising ocean levels
Acid rain, ocean acidity levels
Desertification
- Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy advances conservation around the world. Its mission is to preserve the plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive.
The Nature Conservancy Initiatives
- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is an international body for the assessment of climate change. It was established by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) to provide the world with a clear scientific view on the current state of knowledge in climate change and its potential environmental and socio-economic impacts.
IPCC Assessment Reports
Biodiversity
Maintain biodiversity
Protect endangered species and habitats
- Encyclopedia of Earth
The Encyclopedia of Earth (EoE) is an electronic reference about the Earth, its natural environments, and their interaction with society. The EoE is a free, expert-reviewed collection of content contributed by scholars, professionals, educators, practitioners and other experts who collaborate and review each other's work. The content is presented in a style intended to be useful to students, educators, scholars, professionals, as well as to the general public.
The Encyclopedia of Earth Website
- World Wild Life Fund (WWF)
WWF's mission is the conservation of nature. WWF works to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth and the health of ecological systems by protecting natural areas and wild populations of plants and animals, including endangered species; promoting sustainable approaches to the use of renewable natural resources; and promoting more efficient use of resources and energy and the maximum reduction of pollution.
WWF Website WWF's work on Biodiversity
Sustain cultural & social diversity
Balancing social harmony and individual needs and rights
Preventing discrimination
- The Enviroschools Foundation
The Enviroschools Foundation supports a whole school approach to sustainability, in schools and early childhood centres with strong links into the community. The website showcases hundreds of small projects and actions carried out by pupils and their communities which could serve as inspiration to members.
The Enviroschools Foundation Website
- UN - Human Rights - The Challenge of Human Rights and Cultural Diversity
by Diana Ayton-Shenker
Background Note
- The Spirit Level - why equality is better for everyone (2010)
by Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett
The publication explains how growing inequality in some countries has negative effects on all population, creating social and political unrest. A well researched and easy to read publication. The statistics in it are good as ammunition for member’s applications for support for action!
The publication is available on amazon.co.uk
Toolkits, training tools & classroom resources
- EarthCAT
EarthCAT was developed by the Earth Charter Partnership for Sustainable Communities (ECPSC). ECPSC is a partnership consisting of the Earth Charter Secretariat, Global Community Initiatives, the World Resources Institute and communities and organizations around the world. ECPSC has developed two complementary resources for communities to use when developing sustainability programs: EarthCAT and Taking Action: A Workbook for Sustainable Communities.
Taking Action: The EarthCAT Guide to Community Development
- United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) - National Human Development Report Unit (NHDR) - Training in Human Development
The UNDP NHDR Unit provides links to reports, courses, and training materials.
UNDP NHDR Unit Website Human Development Journey e-course
- UNESCO - The Education for Sustainable Development Toolkit
The Education for Sustainable Development Toolkit is designed to help schools and communities to develop a process to create a locally relevant and culturally appropriate education. This toolkit is based on the idea that the communities and local educational systems need to integrate their sustainable efforts.
Education for Sustainable Development Toolkit Website
- UNESCO - CD-ROM "Teaching and Learning for a Sustainable Future"
Teaching and Learning for a Sustainable Future is a multimedia teacher education programme published by UNESCO. It contains 100 hours (divided into 25 modules) of professional development for use in pre-service teacher courses as well as the in-service education of teachers, curriculum developers, education policy makers, and authors of educational materials.
Multimedia Teacher Education Programme
- The World Bank - The Development Education Program (DEP)
The Development Education Program (DEP) team designs tools and resources to help teachers and students, principally at the secondary school level, study -- and think critically about -- the often complex social, economic, and environmental issues of sustainable development affecting their countries, their regions, and the world.
The World Bank's Development Education Program
- Think Green
Think Green is a promotion lead by Waste Management, North America's leading provider of integrated environmental solutions. Think Green website provides educational resources, including lesson plans and classroom materials suitable for a wide range of subjects and grade levels.
Teacher Resources Student Resources
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