Transcript MIO-ECSDE activities in the framework of Education for

LEBANON WATER WEEK FEBRUARY 2009
Role of Education for Sustainable
Development (ESD) and of Higher
Education in developing Water Culture
Prof. Michael Scoullos, University of Athens
Chairman of GWP-Med, Chairman of MIO-ECSDE,
Coordinator of MEdIES
Water in the
Mediterranean
Water is one of the most valuable and vulnerable
natural resources anywhere on earth, but this is
especially true for the Mediterranean . Water
shortage and the increased demand associated to
uncontrolled development, intensive agriculture,
mass tourism, overpopulation and overconsumption
result in a complexity of interrelated problems
affecting social, economic and natural aspects of
everyday life. The climate change is expected to
exacerbate the difficulties and complicate problems.
Water Culture
Follows the three levels of man’s attitude
vis-a-vis nature and the environment:
Individual/utilitarian: water as prerequisite of health,
personal pleasure and comfort; As a means for
prosperity (use in agriculture, energy generation,
manufacturing, etc.)
B. Sociocentric/utilitarian: Water as a social good and
as part of the commons needed for social welfare and
economic sustainability; Access to safe water as human
right.
C. Ecocentric/idealistic: Water as nature’s
indispensable part having intrinsic value; Water as
perpetual source of inspiration and creativity.
A.
Water Culture: Water’s
values & people’s attitudes;
Educational perspectives
A.
B.
C.
D.
Realistic approach towards “water valuing”;
the economic value of water being one of
the important aspects among others.
Full understanding and implementation of
IWRM.
Rational water use, including demand
management.
Future perspectives to meet the demand
with wise combinations of conventional and
non-conventional resources.
Water Culture: Water’s values &
people’s attitudes;
Educational perspectives

Potential of all types of Education – formal,
non formal, informal, lifelong learning &
adult/vocational, etc. – involving all related
stakeholders – educational community,
administrators, technocrats, civil society,
media- to stimulate and develop the
necessary water culture in order to reach
consensus, in particular in view of the
emerging climate change.
Water as an integral part of the evolution of Environmental
Education (EE) to Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
- Belgrade (1975) & Tbilisi (1977): Basic documents on EE
emphasized the need to build knowledge, acquire skills and
adopt values & attitudes which could protect the aquatic
environment and water resources.
ABOUT (knowledge), IN (in direct contact with), FOR
(commitment in favour of) the aquatic environment and
abate water pollution.
- Moscow Congress on EE & Training (1987): more
emphasis on water issues related to the gender issue,
health, poverty & peace.
Introduction of a series of “targeted” forms of education
which all touch upon water problems i.e. Education for
Development, Global Education, Education for Peace and
Human Rights, Education for Women, Education for
Citizenship, even, Water Education per se.
Historical Background of EE-ESD
International Conference, Thessaloniki 1997 : Need to
reorient education towards sustainable development.
-
In the light of WSSD several initiatives were launched
demanding a stronger link between education and
sustainable development (among them the ERA 21
Campaign and MEdIES by MIO-ECSDE & GWP-Med).
-
In WSSD (Johannesburg, 2002) a formal proposal for a
Decade on Education for Sustainable Development was
made, in parallel to the initiative to develop a European
Strategy on ESD undertaken by UNECE and Member States.
-
Current major initiatives for ESD
-
The UNECE Strategy on ESD
Adopted in Lithuania, March 2005. Goal: to encourage the 56 developing
and developed countries of the vast UNECE region (and beyond) to develop
and incorporate ESD into their formal education systems, in all relevant
subjects, as well as in non-formal and informal education and to serve as a
flexible framework in order to be adapted to each country’s priorities, specific
needs and circumstances.
Plan of Implementation - Set of Indicators of the Strategy implementation Set of educators competences (under development).
Water is a central theme of the Strategy approached from many different
angles.
-
The UN Decade on ESD (2005-2014)
Goal: to promote education as the base for a sustainable society and the
diffusion of principles of sustainable development in all forms of education formal, non formal and informal- and in all educational systems (including
adult education). The Decade seeks to integrate the values inherent in
sustainable development into all aspects of learning to encourage behaviour
changes that allow for a more sustainable and just society.
Water is one of the central themes of the Decade.
Sustainable Development
The pillars of Sustainable
Development
The content of Education for
Sustainable Development
(ESD)
Water: a basic topic within the ESD

Sustainable management of water = key priority
among the issues related to ESD.
 Water as a cross-cutting topic serves as the
appropriate “vehicle” to introduce the students
to the entire cluster of sustainability concepts,
principles & practices.
 Relevant researches reveal that water issues
are placed very high in the lists of
environmental and sustainability concerns of
young people.
 Water issues are of common concern in the
Mediterranean region, a fact also reflected in
the majority of curricula of EE/ESD
Programmes in all Mediterranean countries.
The Mediterranean Education
Initiative on Environment &
Sustainability – MEdIES
MEdIES = a Mediterranean Network for ESD with
an initial thematic focus on Water and Waste,
launched as a Type II Initiative on ESD during the
WSSD (2002) by Greece, UNESCO, UNEP/MAP,
MIO-ECSDE and GWP-Med.
MEdIES Objectives:
 To raise public awareness and provide education
on topics related to sustainable development,
starting with Water and waste, and later on, with
consumption, cultural & biological diversity, food,
protected areas, etc.
 To facilitate networks on ESD and develop a
methodological framework for such networks ( to
be adapted in other regions).
MEdIES Fields of Activity

Facilitate the communication and cooperation among
schools, non - governmental (NGOs) and
governmental organisations, institutions and educators
(2200 individual e- members).

Promotes ICTs (Information & Communication
Technologies) through its interactive webpage
www.medies.net

Supports the educational community by means of
Training Seminars, Workshops & Educational
Materials
“Water in the Mediterranean”
MEdIES approach to water education

Developed by a group of educators from 7
Mediterranean countries: Secondary school
teachers, University Professors, members of
NGOs.

Produced in Arabic, English, Italian, French ,
Greek, Turkish, Croatian.

Since 2003, implemented by schools in Greece,
Italy, Turkey, France, Morocco, Egypt, Lebanon,
Tunisia, Croatia.

Available at WWW.MEDIES.NET
Water in the Mediterranean- Contents
Part I: THEORY

WATER on EARTH
The origin of life; All life depends on water; Water’s distribution on
earth; The hydrological cycle; Climate change; Water in traditions.

The MEDITERRANEAN
Geographic setting; Geological characteristics & morphology;
Climate & water circulation; Biological & chemical characteristics;
Pollution.

USES & ABUSES
Water consumption; Agricultural use of water; Water & industry;
Domestic use of water; Water and health issues for humans and
ecosystems; Tools & Methods to deal with water problems
(Integrated Water Resources Management).
Part II: ACTIVITIES (45)
Section 2
Unique properties
of water
Section 9
Wetlands
Section 8
Industry & Energy
Section 1
Water
Section 7
Section 3
always present
The water cycle
Section 4
Water, Soil &
Agriculture
Our drinking water
Section 6
Water in our home
Section 5
Water & Health
The Network of Mediterranean Universities
for Sustainable Development focusing on ESD

Launched in Athens, 18-19 November 2008, involving 18 Universities
from Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina , Cyprus, Egypt , France, Greece
Italy, Lebanon, Morocco, Slovenia, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey.
 Aims to promote SD and the “whole institute approach” in the
Mediterranean Universities and higher education institutions.
 A Core Group is planning and going to implement a Mediterranean
Master Course on ESD.
 Water and its management will be a
fundamental topic for the network.
Water Education
Multidisciplinarity -> Biological
-> Chemical
-> Physical
-> Geological
-> Social
-> Economical
-> Cultural
Intradisciplinarity -> Biogeochemical
-> Socioeconomic
Water Education
Hydrology
Medicine
Diplomacy
Politics
Engineering
Water Education
Economics
Natural
Sciences
Arts
Law
& other …
Perspectives
 In
the new world of the 21th century and the
3rd millennium many things will change at all
levels of Education, including the Higher
one.
 Science and Engineering Schools will have
to review thoroughly their curricula and
adapt them to address creatively emerging
challenges and their impacts on water
resources, including climate change.
Perspectives
 Water
governance and all its tools and
methods need to be promoted in parallel to
scientifical and technical aspects.
Innovative approaches should be examined
and promoted that could help in starting
new policies related to water in all sectors
such as agriculture, energy production, etc.
Perspectives
 Natural
phenomena leading frequently to
catastrophes, such a droughts and floods, is
expected to increase the need to become
central at all curricula.
 Learning institutions need to elaborate
programmes, train students and retrain civil
servants, various professionals, and a wider
circle of stakeholders on technical and mainly
institutional solutions. Proper staff, should be
properly equipped for robust institutions to
address effectively, through adaptation, water
related phenomena linked with uncertainty.
Thank you for your attention!