trends and future of sustainable development - TransEco

for all humankind in harmony with the nature. They called on faculties, administrative staff and studentsto contribute for achieving this goal. In addition they recommended ‘creating programs to develop thecapability of university faculty to teach environmental literacy to all undergraduate, graduate andprofessional school students.’ It also encourages universities to ‘convene deans and environmentalpractitioners to develop research, policy, information exchange programs and curricula for anenvironmentally sustainable future.’The Halifax Declaration: the conference on University Action for Sustainable Development was heldin Halifax in 1991. The main objective of this conference was about role of universities in capacitybuilding to address environmental issues as a follow up to implement the Talloires Declaration inCanadian universities. This declaration provided an action plan for universities to follow. The plan hasset for short and long term achievement to work toward SD. The Halifax Declaration morally obligeduniversities to take responsibility toward environmental challenges.The Kyoto Declarations: it was declared at the Ninth International Association of UniversitiesRound table in 1993 and was adopted by 90 international university leaders. The declaration advisesuniversities to promote ES in education, research and physical operations (Wright, 2004).Thedeclaration encouraged universities to take a certain actions including promoting environmentalliteracy, community outreach, industry and government partnership, sustainability research and Ecofriendlyphysical operations.The Swansea Declaration: in August 1993, participants in the Association of CommonwealthUniversities 15 th Quinquennial Congress at the University of Wales gathered to respond appropriately tothe environmental challenges. The main theme of this Congress with participants from 400 universitiesfrom 47 countries was ‘People and the Environment- Preserving the Balance’. The declaration reiteratedmost of the objectives which issues in the previous declarations. In addition to them, it stress the issue ofequality among countries as a crucial point toward a sustainable future and requested the universities inthe more fortunate countries support the less fortunate courtiers HEIs to achieve their environmentalsustainability objectives.The CRE Copernicus Charter: it was created by Co-operation Program in Europe for Research onNature and Industry through Coordinated University Studies in 1994. This program was established byAssociation of European Universities. It was an effort to evaluate and follow up the other declarations aswell as Agenda 21 to develop universities efforts and understanding of sustainability. The charter wassigned by 213 European university rectors who aimed at making universities as an influential actor forcreating sustainable societies. It emphasized on technology transfer, public outreach, Environmentalliteracy program, developing environmental ethics, collaboration and partnership with other sectors ofnations to achieve ES.The Thessaloniki Declaration: It was after the UNESCO Conference on Environment and Societywith regards to Education and Public Awareness for Sustainability in 1997. It urged universities to notonly consider Es on their educational program but also in various dimension of HEIs such as research,operation, public outreach. It also called for government to support and prove their commitments whichthey have made in the previous declarations.Luneburg Declaration: it stated as a result of the Higher Education for Sustainability- Towards theWorld Summit on Sustainable Development Conference (Rio+10). The declaration was drafted bymembers of the Global Higher Education for Sustainability Partnership. It emphasizes on257