Tomorrow today; 2010 - unesdoc - Unesco

Politics and civil society in the UN Decadeof Education for Sustainable DevelopmentWalter Hirche, President of the German Commission for UNESCOImplementing education for sustainable development (ESD)in all areas of education and learning is a massive reformagenda that requires the participation of all stakeholders inpolitics and civil society. UNESCO National Commissions canserve as effective facilitators for such a process. The Germanimplementation of the UN Decade of Education for SustainableDevelopment (DESD) can serve as an example in this regard.Education for sustainable development as a multi-stakeholderprojectESD means acquiring the values, competencies, skills and knowledgenecessary to shape the future in a humane and responsibleway. A major education reform project would be required to achievethis, as well as a learning process for all society. Such a project willonly become effective when all stakeholders take on responsibilityfor its implementation. The involvement of all major groups for theachievement of sustainable development is a central principle thatwas agreed upon at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992and laid down in Agenda 21. In particular, sustainabledevelopment requires a combination of top-down andbottom-up approaches. Clear and binding politicalframeworks are required. At the same time, resourceefficiency, fair global development and social justicewill only be achieved when every member of societybecomes involved and starts moving toward sustainabledevelopment on their own account. What is more,clear and binding political frameworks will only comeinto being when citizens demand them. What is true forsustainable development is equally true for ESD and theimplementation of the DESD.The role of civil society and partnershipsThe UN General Assembly declared the DESD in 2002and, the UN member states have committed themselvesto actively implementing the DESD in the years 2005 to2014. Indeed, the responsibility of governments is a keyImage: Stckxchng_spekulator.jpgA major education reform project will only become effective when all stakeholders take on responsibility for its implementation[ 123 ]