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 The
concept of sustainable development
was first brought to the public's
attention through the 1992 Earth Summit
in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This global
gathering of presidents, governments,
experts and non-governmental organisations
came together in response to widespread
concerns about the impact of human
activity on our world.
In addition to the concern that our
use of finite resources and the harm
we are causing the environment threatens
all life on the planet, was the important
recognition that the Earth's limited
resources are unequally shared and
the responsibility this brings for
governments and individuals.
While there are disagreements
over the finer points of what sustainable
development means in practice and
how it affects our everyday lives,
the aims of sustainable development
are clear. At its most simple, sustainable
development is about ensuring a better
quality of life for all, now and for
generations to come.
A
widely used international definition
is:
"development that meets
the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of
future generations to meet their
own needs"
(Brundtland Commission, 1987)
If this goal is to become a
reality, changes have to be
made to how we live our daily
lives especially for people
living in 'developed countries'
in the North who consume a larger
proportion of the world's natural
resources.
The process of sustainable
development is affected by the
choices we make at personal
and community levels, as well
as national and international
decisions made by governments
and global institutions about
national economies and the
global environment.
Working
towards sustainable development requires
two key changes:
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people
across the world, and especially
in economically developed countries,
need to understand the social
and environmental impacts of the
choices they make (their local
and global footprints); and |
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we
need to be empowered to take action
to ensure that our decisions,
and those that our governments
make on our behalf, do not jeopardise
the quality of life of current
or future generations. |
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This includes access to education and
employment, community cohesion and our
relationship to the natural environment.
To address these aims, changes in the
education of young people are required,
hence the term education for
sustainable development.
What
is education for sustainable development
(ESD)?
"[Education for sustainable development]
enables people to develop the knowledge,
values and skills to participate in
decisions about the way we do things
individually and collectively, both
locally and globally, that will improve
the quality of life now without damaging
the planet for the future."
(What sustainable development means for youth services and youth workers, DETR, 2000)
Sustainable
development is a process that can
permeate our whole lives. It is appropriate,
therefore, that ESD should be delivered
effectively within informal settings,
by youth workers, peer educators and
others committed to sustainable development.
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Key
concepts
Education
for sustainable
development
in the UK
has been defined
as encompassing
seven key
concepts (CEE/DEA
Youth work
briefing paper,
2001, PDF
file):
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Diversity:
Respecting and
valuing both
human diversity
- cultural,
social and economic
- and biodiversity. |
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Quality
of life:
Acknowledging
that global
equity and justice
are essential
elements of
sustainability
and that basic
needs must be
met by everyone. |
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Interdependence:
Understanding
how people,
the environment
and the economy
are inextricably
linked at all
levels, from
the local to
the global. |
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Citizenship
- rights and
responsibilities:
Recognising
the importance
of taking individual
responsibility
to ensure the
world is a better
place for yourself
and others. |
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Needs
and rights of
future generations:
Understanding
our own basic
needs and the
implications
for the needs
of future generations
of actions taken
today. |
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Sustainable
change:
Understanding
that resources
are finite and
that this has
implications
for people's
lifestyles,
and for commerce
and industry. |
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Uncertainty
and precaution:
Acknowledging
that there is
a range of possible
approaches to
sustainability
and that situations
are constantly
changing, indicating
a need for flexibility
and lifelong
learning. |
These
concepts inform
the development
of ESD in a
youth work context. |
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