Let’s build a sustainable London!

Asitha Jayawardena reports on the first European capital to launch a Regional Centre of Expertise (RCE) on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) – London. The event took place on World Environment Day, 5 June 2009 at London South Bank University, the co-ordinator of this initiative, with the participation of representatives from diverse sectors, including government, business, education and civil society.

Sustainable development and education

Among many definitions of sustainable development, the most widely accepted is the one coined by the 1987 Brundtland Report: ‘Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.’

The 1992 Rio Earth Summit’s declaration, Agenda 21, devotes its Chapter 36 to discuss the role of education in sustainable development, emphasising on reorienting education towards sustainable development, raising public awareness and promoting training. Since then, sustainable development has enjoyed prominence on the political agenda around the world.

Today, developing stakeholders’ capacity through education is widely seen as a vital measure for promoting sustainable development.

The UN Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) programme

According to the UN University’s website, Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is ‘the educational process of achieving human development in an inclusive, equitable and secure manner.’ It is related to the three pillars of human development proposed by the UNDP, namely economic growth, social development and environmental protection.

As proposed by the UNESCO, ESD envisions ‘a world where everyone has the opportunity to benefit from quality education and learn the values, behaviour and lifestyles required for a sustainable future and for a positive societal transformation.’ Its overall aim is therefore to empower citizens to act for positive environmental and social change.

In December 2002 the UN adopted a resolution, designating the decade 2005-2014 as the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development.

The UN ESD programme’s goal is to help create the global learning space for ESD by 2014. Its major components are advocacy and dissemination of ESD principles, promotion of regional/local ESD approaches, strengthening ESD activities in higher education, development of online ESD learning and training teachers and trainers on ESD.

Regional Centres of Expertise (RCE) in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)

The UN ESD programme promotes regional/local ESD approaches by way of Regional Centres of Expertise (RCEs).

An RCE is an active and diverse network of people and organisations striving to promote ESD in their region/local area. By translating the global objectives into regional/local contexts, RCEs aim to achieve the goals of the UN Decade of ESD. These centres are an integral part of the United Nations University and the Global Learning Network that strives for ESD and a sustainable present and future for all.

An RCE involves a variety of stakeholders from all sectors of education – formal (schools, colleges and universities) and non-formal/informal (museums, botanic gardens, zoos, natural parks, local government, community leaders, media, local businesses, local NGOs and many more), bringing them together at the regional/local level with a common goal of ESD. An RCE builds innovative platforms for sharing information and experiences and for promoting dialogue among regional/local stakeholders through partnerships for sustainable development.

Besides creating a regional/local knowledge base for supporting ESD action, an RCE promotes four major goals of ESD, namely re-orienting education towards sustainable development, increasing access to quality education, delivering trainers’ training programmes, and leading advocacy and awareness raising efforts on sustainable development.

The London RCE envisions a sustainable London

London is not only a dynamic and diverse metropolis but also a world city with many regional and global connections. Therefore, it has the potential to play a key role in the Global Learning Network on sustainable development.

London RCE joins the existing global network of over 60 RCEs, which includes four from the UK – East Midlands, North East, Severn, and Yorkshire and Humberside.

The London RCE aims:

• To transform education for making London a more sustainable and inclusive place to live, work and play
• To provide a forum for empowering communities and making their voices heard
• To build on the diversity of London to help shape and influence global excellence in ESD
• To learn from the experience and knowledge of its partners in the Global Learning Network for working together for creating a more sustainable world
• To add value to London’s existing ESD networks and initiatives

The London RCE initially focuses on three flagship projects:

• Sustainability and higher education: To embed sustainability issues in the curriculum of higher education institutions by making links between curriculum, campus and community
• Place-based learning for sustainable communities: To connect people, place and learning for positive action
• The London ESD Teacher Education Network: To promote and support ESD at all teacher education providers in London

The official launch of the London RCE, graced by Professor Martin Earwicker (Vice Chancellor, London South Bank University) and Professor Charles Hopkins (United Nations University Chair on ESD), reflected the diversity of the already established network comprising members from London, UK and two overseas RCEs, namely Greater Nairobi RCE in Kenya and Munich RCE in Germany. Among the partners of the London RCE are WWF-UK, CCCI, Government Office for London, DEA, Fairtrade, Botanic Gardens Conservation International, Groundwork, Mayor of London’s Green Procurement Code, London Remade, London Sustainable Schools Forum, Oxfam Education, Tower Hamlet Humanities Education Centre, London 21, Sustainable Geography and Bromley Sustainable Schools, London Environmental Education Forum, Sustainability and Environmental Education (SEEd), London Sustainability Exchange (LSE), Academy of Sustainable Communities, People and Planet, and Conserve Africa.

Interested in helping build a sustainable London? Individuals as well as organisations are welcome. Contact efs@lsbu.ac.uk or one of the Co-Directors of the Education for Sustainability (EfS) Programme at South Bank University, Ros Wade or Dr Alun Morgan.

Can we build a sustainable London? YES, WE CAN!

Note: For more information: www.lsbu.ac.uk/efs , www.ias.unu.edu/