Tomorrow today; 2010 - unesdoc - Unesco

ten provinces and three territories – departments or ministries ofeducation are responsible for the organization, delivery and assessmentof education at the elementary and secondary levels. Theinstitutions in the post-secondary system have varying degrees ofautonomy from provincial or territorial government control.In 2008, the CMEC included ESD as one of the key activity areasin Learn Canada 2020, its framework to enhance Canada’s educationsystems, learning opportunities and overall education outcomes at alllevels. The goal for ESD is to raise students’ awareness and encouragethem to become actively engaged in working for a sustainable society.To achieve this goal, a CMEC ESD working group was created in 2008to coordinate action to support and strengthen the implementation ofESD in all provinces and territories, and to develop a pan-CanadianESD framework for collaboration and action that builds on currentactivities for enhanced collaboration at the jurisdictional level.The DESD has had a considerable impact on education at all levelsin the provinces and territories of Canada, and a large number ofpartners have joined efforts to make ESD a reality. Since the EarthSummit in 1992, these efforts have built on many initiatives to createa culture of sustainability through education. For example:• As a community of environmental educators andcommunicators, the Canadian Network for EnvironmentalEducation and Communication has continued to play afundamental role in building capacity for environmental learningand Learning for a Sustainable Future, and is working with otherorganizations to lead the Canadian response to the UN DESDthrough the implementation of a series of initiatives, includingcoordinating ESD Canada• The Canadian Commission for UNESCO plays a pivotal rolein ESD through extensive collaboration and consultations onthe issue with government, non-governmental organizations(NGO’s) and civil society• Regional Centers for Expertise in Canada work towards achievingthe UN DESD by translating its global objectives into thecontext of local or regional communities• Postsecondary institutions are undertakingresearch in sustainable development and ESD. YorkUniversity (Canada) is designated as the UNESCOChair in Reorienting Teacher Education towardsSustainability. There are two other universitieswith UNESCO chairs that focus on educationsustainability and ESD.The CMEC pan-Canadian ESD framework for collaborationand action, released in the fall of 2010, seeks toensure that there is a coordinated approach on educationfor sustainable development at the K-12 level. Theframework sets out the actions the CMEC will take insupport of the DESD. It is not a substitute for initiativesalready underway within each province and territory,but rather it is intended to build on what jurisdictionsare already doing, while enabling further informationsharing, collaboration and monitoring of progress. Theframework is focused on four priority areas.Priority 1: infusing ESD competencies into theprovincial or territorial curriculaCMEC believes every K-12 student in Canada, regardlessof grade level and course selection, should developand use skills to acquire knowledge, to adapt behaviourand to take action to ensure a sustainable future. ESDcompetencies (knowledge, skills, attitudes and values)are the means by which students can gain a deeperunderstanding of their own and others’ diverse perspectiveson sustainability issues.Efforts have been made across Canada to integrate ESDinto curricula, policies and legislation targeting primaryand secondary education. The provinces and territorieshave introduced the concept of sustainable developmentin the curriculum as essential elements of core courses, asImage: Learning for a Sustainable Future’s Project FLOWGrade 10 students from Norwell Secondary School in Ontario undertake peer mentoring with Grade 5 students about water sustainability issues[ 81 ]