Tomorrow today; 2010 - unesdoc - Unesco

Everyone counts: all cultures contribute towards learning for a sustainable worldEnvironmental changeFew of the ESD programmes reviewed measured theirsuccess in terms of environmental outcomes. Therewas a common understanding that there is a need tochange the way we think and act to address unsustainabledevelopment. Therefore, most programmes soughtprimarily socio-economic or educational outcomes, as itwas understood that this would lead to environmentalchange 11 in the long term.Nevertheless, many of these initiatives did make directand indirect contributions to environmental change.These contributions included improving environmentalmanagement practices of schools and universities;protecting biodiversity and natural resources in smallrural communities; changing the consumer choicesof shoppers; reducing the environmental impact ofbusinesses; adoption of environment-friendly technoloissuesare often intertwined, it is helpful to consider the dynamicsand priorities at each level.Social changeA review of the case studies indicates that every project soughtsocial change 10 for sustainable development. Social change occursat a number of levels and in various contexts; for example, it canrange from changing consumer choices, to challenging businesspractices, to rediscovering (or revaluing) traditional knowledge andlocal languages. The ESD initiatives under review focus on particularsocial groups such as business leaders, youth, students, farmers,academics or vulnerable/socially excluded communities. They aimto empower these groups through capacity-building to develop newambitions for the future and to engage in social change to achievethem. These types of initiatives challenge visions, personal andprofessional practices, and lifestyle and consumer choices.At the heart of the ESD initiatives is an assumption that currentsocial frameworks and practices are exploiting people and theirenvironments. This means that the attainment of sustainable developmentrequires transformative change at the social and/or culturallevel. Some programmes and strategies explicitly refer to the creationof social capital as a key outcome of ESD initiatives. This requiresbuilding the confidence and skills to support engagement amongstakeholders, to improve their own and others’ lives, livelihoodsand environments.Many initiatives encourage consideration of new social frameworks,which link the protection of traditional cultural practices andindigenous knowledge to the exploration of new economic marketsand technological innovations that are more beneficial to peopleand to the planet. The type of capacity-building that is promoted isoften culturally sensitive and responsive to local needs and cultures.Intercultural dialogue and respect for cultural diversity underpinmany of these efforts to promote ESD and these kinds of outcomesare used to measure the success of initiatives.Some ESD initiatives measured their success by assessing thedegree of participation by target groups in sustainable developmentissues. Many such programmes prioritise citizen/employee/learnerparticipation and view active engagement in social issues as keyto the attainment of sustainable development. Other projects focusupon engagement of organizations or institutions, and their goalsImage: © UNESCO/Michel Ravassardtake the form of leadership for change towards sustainabledevelopment.Increasingly, notions of building social capital orcapacity for transition feature prominently in the goalsof ESD programmes. The notion of transition considersthe need for social adaptation to address current andfuture socio-economic and environmental realities. Itinvolves civil society, governments and professionalsin projects that illustrate social practices more clearlyaligned with sustainability. These projects’ impacts areassessed in terms of whether the ‘demonstration’ initiativeshave influenced mindset and social practices.Economic changeA large number of the case studies sought economicchange. These varied from improving the employabilityprospects of young people, to seeking costreductions in operational management, to providingincentives and/or skills to develop local economies.Many of these initiatives also sought improvementin the management of existing human, financial andnatural resources, with the aim of reducing environmentalimpact as well as expenditure.Interestingly, there was a clear sense across these initiativesthat it is important to develop economic literacyalongside environmental literacy. The need to changecurrent models of economic practice and not just pursuefurther economic development in line with existing modelsalso underpinned the ESD programmes featured. Neweconomic models, which were more responsible towardspeople and environments, were often explored as part ofthese initiatives. Such programmes often offered an opportunityfor stakeholders to consider commercial venturesaligned with sustainable development (e.g. organicfarming or ecotourism). Capacity-building for economicchange was a common feature of most programmes andthis involved the development of new skills and experiencesto support more sustainable forms of development.The capacity-building components supported individualsand groups to change their own practices as well as thoseof the systems within which they operate.[ 147 ]