| United Nations | E/CN.17/1996/14 |
Economic and Social Council
Distr. GENERAL
26 February 1996
ORIGINAL: ENGLISH
COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Fourth session
18 April-3 May 1996
Promoting education, public awareness and training
Report of the Secretary-General
CONTENTS
Paragraphs Page
INTRODUCTION .................................................. 1 - 4 2
I. CURRENT STATUS AND PROGRESS SINCE THE UNITED NATIONS
CONFERENCE ON ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT ............... 5 - 11 2
II. CONSTRAINTS TO IMPLEMENTATION ........................... 12 - 19 4
III. MAIN TRENDS ............................................. 20 5
IV. LINKAGES WITH OTHER CHAPTERS OF AGENDA 21 ............... 21 6
V. MAIN POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS ............................. 22 6
VI. ACTION REQUIRED ......................................... 23 7
INTRODUCTION
1. Chapter 36 of Agenda 21 (Promoting education, public awareness and
training) is a cross-sectoral chapter. At the United Nations Conference on
Environment and Development (UNCED), there was unanimous agreement among
developed and developing countries alike that education was critical for
promoting sustainable development and increasing the capacity of the people to
address environment and development issues. 1/ Unlike many other chapters of
Agenda 21, chapter 36 is both virtually non-contentious and applicable to all
countries. But although support for chapter 36 is strong, it could become the
forgotten priority of UNCED.
2. The scope of chapter 36 is extremely broad, ranging from formal education
systems at all levels, vocational training and development of the workforce to
education in agriculture, adult education, and non-formal education and
communication about environment and development. Chapter 36 also emphasizes
that basic education as defined at the World Conference on Education for All
(Jomtien, Thailand, March 1990) is a prerequisite to environmental and
development education, and remains a priority for many countries of the world,
that is, linked to the overall effort to combat poverty.
3. Chapter 36 is divided into three programme areas: (a) "Reorienting
education towards sustainable development"; (b) Increasing public awareness";
and (c) "Promoting training".
4. The present report and its addendum were prepared by the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), as task manager
for chapter 36, with input from sources inside and outside the United Nations
system.
I. CURRENT STATUS AND PROGRESS SINCE THE UNITED NATIONS
CONFERENCE ON ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT
5. The importance accorded to education in Agenda 21 has been reaffirmed,
broadened and deepened within the new international consensus and framework
for action emerging from the series of international conferences organized by
the United Nations after UNCED. 2/
6. It is important to note that the theme "Education, public awareness and
training" is one of the few themes for which explicit recommendations appear
in the action plans for each of the conferences in the above-mentioned series,
as well as in the Convention on biological diversity, the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change and the United Nations Convention to
Combat Desertification in those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and or
Desertification, particularly in Africa. Implementation of chapter 36 of
Agenda 21 therefore needs to be integrated with the implementation of
analogous recommendations within the other action frameworks.
7. At the heart of this new international consensus is a new vision of the
theme "Education, public awareness and training" as the essential underpinning
for sustainable development, a linchpin to support advances in other spheres,
such as science, technology, legislation and production.
8. Education is no longer seen as an objective in and of itself but as a
means to:
(a) Bring about the changes in values, behaviour and lifestyle that are
needed to achieve sustainable development, and ultimately democracy, human
security and peace;
(b) Disseminate the knowledge, know-how and skills that are needed to bring
about sustainable production and consumption patterns and to improve the
management of natural resources, agriculture, energy and industrial
production;
(c) Ensure an informed populace that is prepared to support changes towards
sustainability emerging from different sectors.
9. As to formal education, the implementation of the recommendations
contained in chapter 36 to reorient education towards sustainable development
coincides with a broad rethinking within many countries of their formal
education systems, which are no longer considered adequate to meeting the
needs of society and the workplace. Traditionally, education has been
designed largely to pass on existing knowledge, skills and values. Today,
education is being redesigned in terms of how to prepare people for life: for
job security; the demands of a rapidly changing society; technological changes
that now directly or indirectly affect every part of life; and, ultimately,
the quest for happiness and well-being and quality of life. Education is
therefore being redefined as a lifelong process that needs to be not merely
readjusted but restructured and reformed according to new requirements. One
such requirement is the goal of sustainable development, an overarching
concept that has broad implications for curricula at all levels of education.
10. Since UNCED and the above-mentioned series of major international
conferences, there has been ever greater recognition within all sectors of
society that the fuel that will drive changes towards sustainable development
will be public understanding. Therefore, greater emphasis is now placed on
public awareness and beyond that on public action: a new understanding needs
to be inculcated among people in all countries, of all ages and in all walks
of life. This is a formidable challenge that will profoundly affect progress
in implementing all other areas of Agenda 21.
11. Since UNCED, a number of events and studies have taken place that
provide an overview and evaluation of the status of environmental and
development education and directions for future work. These are described in
detail in an addendum to the present report (E/CN.17/1996/14/Add.1); the
attention of the Commission is drawn in particular to:
(a) The International Commission on Education for the Twenty-first Century,
chaired by Jacques Delors and established by UNESCO to formulate suggestions
and recommendations (to be published in April 1996) for policy makers and
officials at the highest levels. The work of the International Commission
incorporates education for sustainable development, and therefore provides the
broad context for implementation of chapter 36;
(b) An inter-sessional workshop on the theme "Education and public awareness
for sustainable development" (Prague, 28 November-1 December 1995), organized
by the Czech Republic in cooperation with UNESCO and the Department for Policy
Coordination and Sustainable Development of the United Nations Secretariat,
which formulated recommendations on the implementation of chapter 36 for
consideration by the Commission at its fourth session.
II. CONSTRAINTS TO IMPLEMENTATION
12. The challenge after UNCED has been to translate into action the
ambitious recommendations agreed upon by participating Governments. The vast
scope of chapter 36, targeting people of all ages in all countries,
constitutes in itself an impediment to implementation, suggesting the
following questions: Where do we begin? What are the priorities? How can
results be achieved quickly? And how can the numerous priority target groups,
namely decision makers, youth, women and non-governmental organizations, be
reached adequately? Nevertheless, the broad scope of the chapter is essential
for addressing the complex issue of sustainability.
13. The theme "Education for sustainable development" is still an emerging
concept that needs to be clarified at the national and international levels, a
lengthy process that must involve all stakeholders. The theme "Environmental
education", which emerged after the United Nations Conference on the Human
Environment (Stockholm, 5-16 June 1972), and focused primarily on the
environment and its protection, is seen as an important part of education for
sustainable development but not its equivalent. The concepts of human
development, social development and economic development need to be integrated
with environmental concerns in a holistic, interdisciplinary conceptual
framework, which is now increasingly referred to as "Education for sustainable
development". The challenge, therefore, is far broader and deeper than the
mere conversion of environmental education to education for sustainable
development.
14. There is also uncertainty and sometimes confusion concerning the content
of the theme "Education for sustainable development". What are its key
messages? Which messages have universal validity? How can its core ideas be
communicated to people who in order to be motivated to effect change must
grasp complex global concepts in terms that relate to the reality of their
experience in their communities and in their daily lives? What is the best
way to communicate such concepts as interconnectedness, complexity, the whole
Earth system and other basic notions related to sustainability, concepts that
can seem overwhelming to many?
15. The gap between science and education compounds the difficulty of
clarifying the content of education for sustainable development. The new
understanding of this concept needs to be based on interdisciplinary,
accurate, up-to-date and unbiased information, which is slow to move from the
realm of academics and experts to the non-specialist users of such
information.
16. The integration of sustainable development into formal education systems
is also hampered by the lack of planners, teachers, and administrators that
are trained in interdisciplinary approaches in general and in environment and
development issues in particular.
17. While restructuring and reform of educational systems, coupled with pre-
and in-service teacher training, offer the best prospects in the long run, the
time required for such change needs to be taken into consideration, together
with the budget restrictions that are prevalent in most countries today.
18. Training at all levels will be essential to change production and
consumption patterns, transfer environmentally sound technologies, alleviate
poverty and achieve full employment. The restructuring and globalization of
the world economy will also require a flexible and adaptable workforce.
Despite the progress that has been achieved in this area, much more will be
required.
19. Finally, the political will needed to successfully reorient education,
public awareness and training towards sustainable development is still
lacking. The kinds of changes that are required will occur only if
Governments, as well as society as a whole, give priority to reorienting
education, a priority that is translated in concrete terms into the necessary
financial investments. In most countries, although education is recognized by
all as fundamental to building a viable future for humankind it is still low
on the political agenda. Education thus risks becoming the forgotten priority
in terms of concrete action, in the follow-up not only to UNCED but also to
all the other international conferences and instruments mentioned above.
III. MAIN TRENDS
20. The main trends that have emerged since UNCED in the area of education,
public awareness and training are as follows:
(a) Numerous countries are undertaking sweeping educational reform efforts
to start to integrate the notions of sustainable development;
(b) Public understanding as a basis for action is being given increasing
priority. The role of the media is seen as critical in this regard;
(c) There is a consensus on the need to clarify the concept of education for
sustainable development and its content. The universal messages of
sustainable development need to be articulated in terms that the public can
understand and that can be easily related to local situations and needs, as a
basis for action by communities, households and individuals;
(d) The new communication technologies, where available, offer significant
opportunities to convey these key messages world wide rapidly and
inexpensively, reaching down to the grass-roots level and promoting dialogue
and exchange of experience;
(e) Increasingly, non-governmental organizations are mobilizing and
networking to become more effective channels for communicating information and
understanding about sustainable development;
(f) New opportunities are unfolding to break down the traditional barriers
between the educational community and other sectors, and to form new
partnerships, in particular with business and industry;
(g) There is a broader appreciation of the need to adapt sustainable
development thinking and education to local environmental, socio-economic and
cultural contexts;
(h) Within the United Nations system, discussions have begun to develop a
new initiative for joint action that will build in part on the 20 years of
experience that have been acquired within the UNESCO/United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP) International Environmental Education Programme
(IEEP). This new cooperative arrangement will provide common elements in
terms of content and methodology that could be applied and adapted by
countries, major groups and local communities to further public understanding
and action. Partners from outside the United Nations system could also be
associated with this new action initiative.
IV. LINKAGES WITH OTHER CHAPTERS OF AGENDA 21
21. Chapter 36 (Education, raising of public awareness and training) is
linked to virtually all other areas of Agenda 21. 3/ In the light of
developments since UNCED, links between chapter 36 and the following chapters
of Agenda 21 are particularly important: 3 (Combating poverty); 4 (Changing
consumption patterns); 5 (Demographic dynamics and sustainability); 6
(Protecting and promoting human health); 8 (Integrating environment and
development in decision-making); 37 (National mechanisms and international
cooperation for capacity-building in developing countries); and 23-32 (all
dealing with major groups).
V. MAIN POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS
22. The following policy recommendations are proposed to Governments and
civil society in general and the Commission in particular:
(a) National educational policies need to be rethought so that they may
achieve the most fundamental goals of society, namely people-centred,
equitable and sustainable development, and ultimately democracy and peace.
Therefore, the revamping of education for sustainable development needs to
involve all sectors of society and not merely the traditional educational
community or elements within Governments and ministries of education;
(b) Translating into reality the new vision of the role of education and
public understanding will require imagination and innovation. A dynamic
process of reflection, experimentation and sharing of knowledge and experience
needs to be encouraged at all levels;
(c) Education needs to become a lifelong process. In addition to schools,
households should be made a key entry point in order to ensure that women and
girls, as well as the large number of children who are not part of the formal
education system, receive the benefits of education;
(d) Through primary education for all, in particular in the developing
countries, some basic messages concerning environment and development can be
transmitted;
(e) Greater emphasis needs to be given to the role of education, public
awareness and training in changing wasteful consumption patterns and
lifestyles;
(f) The increasing emphasis on raising awareness and taking action at the
community and municipality levels needs to be reinforced;
(g) The content of educational and teaching materials needs to receive
special attention in order to ensure scientific accuracy, a global perspective
and interdisciplinarity;
(h) Scientists need to be closely associated with education, public
awareness and training for sustainable development;
(i) The training of teachers and communicators of all kinds, including
journalists, must be a priority;
(j) Greater attention needs to be given to the role of the media, the arts
and religion;
(k) Business and industry, with their expertise, distribution
infrastructures, marketing know-how and financial resources, need to be key
actors and stand to be major beneficiaries of an environmentally literate
workforce, informed consumers and citizens ready to support the imminent
changes in production and consumption patterns.
VI. ACTION REQUIRED
23. The Commission on Sustainable Development may wish to make the following
recommendations concerning action needed to improve the implementation of
chapter 36:
(a) Governments, major groups and the United Nations system should promote a
lifelong learning society by ensuring democratic access by all to education,
information and learning materials;
(b) Governments, the United Nations system and major groups should promote
an interdisciplinary approach and a broadening of the traditional objectives
and scope of education and training, including a linking or integration of
educational activities and budgets within different ministries, departments
and other concerned entities;
(c) Governments, major groups and the United Nations system should develop
an integrated approach to implementing chapter 36 of Agenda 21 in conjunction
with other relevant chapters of Agenda 21, as well as with relevant sections
of the action plans of the other recent major United Nations conferences
(especially the International Conference on Population and Development, the
World Summit for Social Development and the Fourth World Conference on Women),
and of the above-mentioned conventions dealing with biological diversity,
climate change and desertification;
(d) Governments, major groups and the United Nations system should give
greater emphasis to education, public awareness and training within the work
programme of the Commission under the programme "Changing production and
consumption patterns", with particular emphasis on the subprogramme
"Evaluating the effectiveness of policy measures intended to change
consumption and production patterns, such as command-and-control, economic and
social instruments, government procurement policies and guidelines".
Particular attention should be paid to encouraging the adoption of sustainable
consumption habits and lifestyles by individuals and households, through
public awareness campaigns, education and community-based action;
(e) Governments, the United Nations system and the international financial
institutions should seek to develop indicators and other statistical methods
to measure the economic and social benefits of education, public awareness-
building and training to society as a whole in order to pave the way for new
policies and investments that will revamp formal and non-formal education;
(f) Investments in education and training made by both national and
international institutions should reflect the real value and impact of
education in achieving sustainable development by improving both
socio-economic development and environmental conditions;
(g) Governments, major groups and the United Nations system should ensure
that education programmes contribute to a better understanding of the need to
internalize environmental costs and to gain public acceptance of such policy
measures as environmental taxes;
(h) Governments, the media, and business and industry should work together
to ensure through the media and the advertising industry that key messages
about sustainable development are communicated to the public;
(i) Governments, major groups and the United Nations system should make full
use of the new communications technologies to promote education, public
awareness and training. Public-private partnerships should be encouraged in
this regard;
(j) Governments should ensure that national committees or councils for
sustainable development involve persons knowledgeable about education, public
awareness and training. National action plans for sustainable development
should ensure that the concerns of chapter 36 are well represented, and should
draw on assistance, as appropriate, from the United Nations system;
(k) The United Nations system should be encouraged to develop a broad
cooperative international initiative to promote education, public awareness
and training for sustainable development, building on past experience, in
particular that of the UNESCO-UNEP International Environmental Education
Programme. This new cooperative arrangement should be bold and imaginative,
and should concentrate on a limited number of key undertakings during the next
four or five years;
(l) The United Nations system, in cooperation with major groups, should
develop guidelines for education for sustainable development, and should
thereby clarify the concept and its key messages;
(m) Given the essential role of education in its broadest sense for the
future implementation of the whole of Agenda 21, the United Nations system
should report to the Commission at its fifth session on progress made in
implementing the present set of recommendations, to be considered in the
context of the 1997 overall review of the implementation of Agenda 21.
Notes
1/ See Report of the United Nations Conference on Environment and
Development, Rio de Janeiro, 3-14 June 1992, vol. I, Resolutions Adopted by
the Conference (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.93.I.8 and
corrigenda), resolution 1, annex II, para. 36.3.
2/ Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island
Developing States, Bridgetown, Barbados, 25 April-6 May 1994; International
Conference on Population and Development, Cairo, 5-13 September 1994; World
Summit for Social Development, Copenhagen, 6-12 March 1995; Fourth World
Conference on Women, Beijing, 4-15 September 1995; and United Nations
Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II), to be held in Istanbul from 3-14
June 1996.
3/ See Report of the United Nations Conference on Environment and
Development ..., para. 36.1.
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