Educating for Sustainable Living with the Earth Charter
© Earth Charter International (ECI)
The Earth Charter reflects a broad convergence of values and principles for sustainability and therefore represents a critical ethical framework for the Decade. Not surprisingly, it addresses all the key themes critical for planning programmes and activities in support of the Decade identified by UNESCO’s Implementation Scheme Framework.
UNESCO already recognizes the Earth Charter as a useful educational tool in its “Teaching and Learning for Sustainable Living” material. The Earth Charter is listed on UNESCO’s Education for Sustainable Development website under ‘International Framework’, and it can in effect serve as such. Within this context, groups and organizations working towards the Decade should not hesitate to refer back to the Charter as they seek to define what it means to educate for sustainability.
The Earth Charter International Secretariat is focused on facilitating the implementation of the partnership titled, ‘Educating for Sustainable Living with the Earth Charter’ which was launched at the Johannesburg Summit. The main goal of this partnership is to ensure that the concept and principles of sustainable development are incorporated into educational systems as well as local community programmes. In many ways, this partnership can be seen as a laying the groundwork for the Decade. UNESCO, along with governments of Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico, and Niger, and thirteen NGOs are partner organizations.
The partnership’s Plan of Action, focuses on two of the four major thrusts of education for sustainable development, as identified in the UNESCO’s framework implementation scheme.
Weblinks: