Specifics of the EECCA Subregion with Regard to

Specifics of the EECCA Sub-region with Regard to ESD Implementation: Good Practices, Needs and Possibilities Victoria Elias, ECO-Accord (Russia)/ European-ECO-Forum

ESD: conceptual background (theory) l ESD includes: • • • 2 Environmental education Economic background of SD Social aspects and ethical values (integration into coltural, ethical background and ideology of modern society) Continuinity of education and awareness and education for all ages Establishing a model of responsible behavior aimed at SD in all spheres of life Broad public raising on SD Victoria Elias, Workshop for EECCA sub-region on UNECE Strategy on ESD implementation. 08. 11. 2006, Moscow

Some specific characteristics of educational systems in EECCA (from ESD point of view) l l l l 3 <+> High scientific, methodological and organisational level Centralised approach, state educational standards Reach experience and high qualification of teachers Established system of basis curricula Traditions Obligatory secondary education for all Big experience in informal and non-formal education Integration of citizens’ education, high commitment and readiness of all interested groups of the society to interaction and cooperation <-> Lack of knowleadge and understanding of SD Lack of resources, low salaries of teachers, brain drain and outflow of qualified stuff and young people from education sector in some countries Insufficient cooperation of secondary and high schools and other sectors Lack of motivation of teachers under the pressure of a bifg volume of required palns, reports, etc. Difficulty of access to modern data Problem of training and re-training Victoria Elias, Workshop for EECCA sub-region on UNECE Strategy on ESD implementation. 08. 11. 2006, Moscow

Development of formal ESD in EECCA (Practice) General approach: “Environmental Education for Sustainable Development” Pre-School l Rare author’s teaching programmes on EE l No ESD (an attempt to develop Local Agenda 21 for Kindergartens in Russia) Secondary l EE is included in curricula as a part of a number of subjects in all countries. ESD – only in authors’ programmes. l In informal education – EE everywhere, ESD – widely, but financial barriers remain Secondary professional l EE- much less, ESD – practically abscent Higher l EE - in all countries for environmentally “profiles” specialities l ESD – in selected universities mostly as a part of original authors’ programmes or in connection to EE Students and pupils research l EE – up to 5%, l ESD – less then 0. 5% in general, but in a number of universities and schools – more (Institute for Problems of SD of Russian Chemical-Technological Univ. , Yerevan State Univ. , Moscow State Univ. , Bishkek, etc. ) 4 Victoria Elias, Workshop for EECCA sub-region on UNECE Strategy on ESD implementation. 08. 11. 2006, Moscow

Awareness systems and non-formal ESD in EECCA 5 l Various national materials, rich traditions and experience in environmental awareness raising, but not ESD. l Main focus – nature conservation (biodiversity, pollution). In a majority of countries – Aarhus Centres (environmental information) or Information Centres of Ministries of the Environment l At local level – recourse centres are mostly established and supported by NGOs in the conditions of constant continuous fundraising l SD: a lot of information, but no offical portals-catalogues. Problem to assess the quality of materials (printed and available on the web in EECCA) l Insufficient coverage of SD problems by mass media Victoria Elias, Workshop for EECCA sub-region on UNECE Strategy on ESD implementation. 08. 11. 2006, Moscow

Legislative Support of ESD in EECCA countries l l l l Mostly – EE is reflected in laws on environmental protection adopted in 1990 ies 2 countries – Armenia and Azerbaijan – laws on EE Georgia (2005) – Parliament considers a possibility of a law on ESD Mainly – EE – Ministries of the Environment (in Russia and Ukraine – passed to Ministries of Education completely) In national programmes and plans – most often EE (Kazakhstan – EE Concept; Armenia – NEAP, Turkmenistan – Programme of biodiversity conservation, etc. ) There is no special progammes to support ESD EE and ESD are declared to be conceptually separated only in Belarus (according to European ECO-Forum Review of EECCA Strategy Implementation, October 2006) 6 Victoria Elias, Workshop for EECCA sub-region on UNECE Strategy on ESD implementation. 08. 11. 2006, Moscow

EE and ESD in international agreements of the EECCA sub-region 7 l UNECE Strategy on ESD (March 2005) provided for conditions at national levels l EECCA Environmental Strategy – Strategic Goal 6. 3 (May 2003) – inclusion of ESD in educational systems l Interstate programmes on EE and ESD in Central Asia l Perspectives: “Environment and Security”, SCP initiatives, sub-regional initiatives, etc. l ? ? ? - other sectors ? Victoria Elias, Workshop for EECCA sub-region on UNECE Strategy on ESD implementation. 08. 11. 2006, Moscow

Multistakeholder cooperation on ESD in EECCA Formally: l Since March 2005 Multistakeholder bodies (councils, commissions) on ESD were established (f/ex. in Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Ukraine) l Interagency Commission on Implementation of the UN Decade on ESD was established in Armenia l Central Asian Working Group (CAWG) on ESD (cooperation of Ministries of Education and the Environment, academia, NGOs) l Hearings, meetings, consultations on ESD (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Ukraine) l NGO progects are mostly supported by foundations and donor countries (partly – by states – Armenia, Russia, Ukraine) Really: l Cooperation is only at a starting point l Private sector, business /CSR - ? ? ? 8 Victoria Elias, Workshop for EECCA sub-region on UNECE Strategy on ESD implementation. 08. 11. 2006, Moscow

ESD in EECCA – problems (formal education) l ESD promotion - educators, scientists, NGOs working on EE l ESD is understood as a «green problem» , there is no conceptual ceparation of EE and ESD ***** There is no legislative base for ESD. Low priority of ESD in educational programs and in nationalstate priorities Support at national level – most often by Ministries of the Env. Or Ministries of the Env and Education (and similar regional and local bodies) – lack of motivation for cooperation Weak multistakeholder cooperation l l 9 ***** Insufficient practical application of SD principles (estate management, procurement, energy efficiency, responsible consumer behavior) Victoria Elias, Workshop for EECCA sub-region on UNECE Strategy on ESD implementation. 08. 11. 2006, Moscow

ESD in EECCA - problems (formal education / 2) l l l l l 10 Priority is given to translated materials. Quality assessment is a problem. Outdating handbooks, limited access to modern data Strong limits of curricula – lack of experience, materials, skills on interdisciplinary approach and use of interactive materials Limited circulations of ESD teaching materials Limited use of Higher education and research institutions’ opportunities Lack of ESD-qualified teachers – problem of training and re-training , “brain drain” from education sector and from EECCA “Paid – free” education problem - limited resources and opportunities of education institutions (especially schools) Insufficient use of NGO capacities – problem of implementation in formal education, problem of getting official recommendation for the materials to be used for education purposes Lack of private sector support Victoria Elias, Workshop for EECCA sub-region on UNECE Strategy on ESD implementation. 08. 11. 2006, Moscow

ESD in EECCA - problems (non-formal education) l l 11 Insufficient understanding of sense and tasks pf SD, limitation of SD to nature conservation and pollution prevention Minimal coverage of SD in mass media • ESD does not belong to “hot” themes • Absence of TV programs and magazines on SD (only EE) • Decline of national documentaries production • Insufficient knowledge on SD by journalists • Social advertisement on EE – up to 2 %, ESD - no l The need to systemize the available resources and prepare modern awareness materials on SD l Theory and practice are not connecetd to each other (education, management and business) Victoria Elias, Workshop for EECCA sub-region on UNECE Strategy on ESD implementation. 08. 11. 2006, Moscow

Other problems l l l l 12 Lack of support to ESD at the state/national level. No “niche” for ESD in formal education (only EE) Issue of stuffing (trained specialists) Lack of understanding and interest from economists, sociologists, managers, psychologists and other “non -green” specialists Gap and unequal opportunities between urban and rural areas Insufficient interaction on ESD between secondary schools and higher education institutions Insufficient legal awareness for ESD Lack of financial resources Other…? ? ? Victoria Elias, Workshop for EECCA sub-region on UNECE Strategy on ESD implementation. 08. 11. 2006, Moscow

ESD in EECCA – NGO opportunities l l l l l 13 High level of motivation and interest to ESD Human resources (aslo coming from academia and education to NGOs) Experience, interest to intersectoral cooperation Participation in decision-making process (consultative bodies< multistakeholder groups, international cooperation) Raising additional resources for ESD projects Publishing activities, awareness campaigns on national languages Opportunities to use different methods and forms of work to public Support to educators Perspectives to use NGO materials in formal education if necessary expertise and certification organised Victoria Elias, Workshop for EECCA sub-region on UNECE Strategy on ESD implementation. 08. 11. 2006, Moscow

Needs l l l l l 14 Conceptual separation of ESD and EE. Attraction of support by economists, sociologists, psychologists, etc. Legal support to ESD, inclusion of ESD into educational standards Copperation btw Ministries of Education and Ministries of the Environment, other sectors of the society Training and retraining of specialists for ESD Development. Publication and re-publication of teaching materials for ESD , catalogisation of Internet resources (in Runet) Exchange programs on ESD for EECCA More active involvement of NGOs Cooperation with mass media, using the opportunities of social adverticement on TV, radio, FM radio, external adverticement, etc. Involving private sector in cooperation on ESD Attraction of budgetary, extrabudgetary, donor financial resources, liberalisation of fiscal regime for those who supports ESD Victoria Elias, Workshop for EECCA sub-region on UNECE Strategy on ESD implementation. 08. 11. 2006, Moscow

Suggestions Call upon Governments and international organisations in the framework of the UNECE Strategy on ESD implementation (art. 67) l 15 To develop (? ) a regional Program of support to ESD in EECCA, including: • Trainings for national ESD coordinators, including multistakeholder cooperation, monitoring, assesssment, etc • Systematization of ESD resources, establishing national portals and EECCA portal on ESD • Sudents and professionals exchanges in EECCA • Trainings on ESD for decision-makers and educators • Involvement of NGOs in formal education • Support to research and awareness projects on ESD • Training for journalists • Awareness on sustainable consumption and production, support to SCP initiatives • Publishing and re-publishing of national ESD materials • Regular meetings of national ESD coordinators and their partners at EECCA level Victoria Elias, Workshop for EECCA sub-region on UNECE Strategy on ESD implementation. 08. 11. 2006, Moscow

Suggestions (2) To donors: l Establish a fund to support a Program for ESD in EECCA. Invite national gov’ts of EECCA, private sector, non-for-profit private foundations to participate in the Program. Prioritise ESD in international programs and projects in EECCA To education governing bodies: l Ensure ESD implementation in formal education, re-training, materials development… To NGOs: l Promote and actively participate in non-formal ESD development To private sector: …. To other sectors… 16 Victoria Elias, Workshop for EECCA sub-region on UNECE Strategy on ESD implementation. 08. 11. 2006, Moscow

Thank you