Can Education Change the Climate ? The Danish UN-RCE approach to implementing ESD

1. Can Education Change the Climate?The Danish UN-RCE approach to implementing ESD Jeppe Læssøe Aarhus University

2. The global challenge • Rapid change • Development and sustainability • Climate change - mood of urgency • Education? • The UN summit on climate change • UN Decade for Education for Sustainable Development 2005 - 2014

3. Plan for the presentation • ESD – what is it all about? • State-of-the-art and some challenges • RCE-networks as vehicles for development of ESD • The specific roles of universities • Climate change and ESD

4. UNESCO on ESD • No definition and no recipes • A request to take part • ESD is described as a vision about learning to:- respect, value and preserve the achievements of the past;- appreciate the wonders and the peoples of the Earth;- live in a world where all people have sufficient food for a healthy and productive life;- assess, care for and restore the state of our Planet;- create and enjoy a better, safer, more just world;- be caring citizens who exercise their rights and responsibilities locally, nationally and globally.’

5. ESD – an ideal with several interpretations • Umbrella concept • Different approaches to ‘E’ and ‘SD’ • Political pressure for behavioral modifications • ESD research: from prescription towards empowerment

6. Sustainable Development – a challenge • A gradual change from focus on nature to focus on environmental problems to focus on sustainable development • Consensus about challenges - but disagreements about what to do • Six core dilemmas: • Sustain vs. develop • Local vs. global • Present vs. Future generations • Rich vs. Poor • Ecology vs. Social ends vs. Economy • Science vs. Civic knowledge and values • No right answers: • An issue marked by dilemmas, uncertain knowledge, complexity, conflicting values • What kind of SD? What and how much should be done? By whom? • So how do we teach without right answers?

7. A competence oriented approach to ESD • Scaffolding learning that promote action competence in relation to SD • = Engaged, competent participation in the development of solutions • Rethinking education – with key principles like: • Extended time and space perspectives • Dynamic interdependency thinking / systems thinking • Interdisciplinary problembased learning • Constructive socio-technological phantasy / Envisioning other and better futures • Transformative learning and critical thinking • Participation / Deliberative communication / social learning • Science is obviously needed and can gain meaning by being part of this extended perspective on ESD

8. The current situation • Almost the same ESD ideals in national policy • ESD is still an emerging phenomenon- and marginal • A gap between intentions and actual implementation (invisible wall) • However, the process differs from nation to nation • Climate change education (CCE) is in demand

9. Strategies for implementation of ESD • ESD is impeded by structural barriers • Three strategies: • Incorporation in science education (disciplinary) • Multidisciplinary • Reconstruction of educations with ESD as an aim • Example: Nunavut/Canada

10. Regional Centre of Experticeon ESD Initiated and approved by United Nations University Regional networks of institutions/agents working with ESD. Innovative platforms to share information and experiences and to promote dialogue Global exchange

11. Initiated by Research Programme on Environmental and Health Education/ Aarhus University • Supported by the Danish government • Established in February 2010 with participation of 14 partners • Universities, University colleges, Non-formal Adult Education Institutions, Municipalities, NGOs, Companies • After one year: 34 partners • Approved by United Nations University

12. The added value of RCE-Denmark • A permanent platform that makes ESD visible – and ESD professionals visible for each other • Promote synergy, coordinated action and work division • Mutual learning in order to qualify ESD theory and practice • Theory practice • Help us to overview the development of ESD in Denmark • International exchange • Able to initiate and qualify applications for bigger projects

13. Activities • Seminars: • Reflections and discussionon ESD • Openspace workshop • New ideas for projects • Projects – e.g.: • Barriers and ways forward for ESD in localcommunities • Development of a tool for scaffolding students’ action competence in relation to waste management • ESD at pre-schoollevel • Cooperationonin-servicetraining • Schoolprojectonhow to combine science and art disciplines in relation to climate and energyissues

14. ESD, RCE and University Re-thinking science and university

15. The Whole School Approach • In Denmark: Green Flag schools, but no universities • Whole School Approach means: • A gradual but continuous change • Physical / material changes • Curriculum development • Actions oriented learning – inside and outside the school • Participation and reflection on problem solving • Involve school management

16. ’University in a garden’ • University Sains Malaysia • RCE-Penang • Garden as environment and metaphor The concept is an invitation to value, preserve and nurture the campus ambient as part of the efforts to create and sustain an intellectually conducive setting in order to kindle the spirit and practice of symbiotic co-existence. It is about touching the hearts and minds of each campus citizenry in the appreciative of the natural surroundings as a source of inspiration as bequeathed to us by the Creator.

17. A new mode of knowledgeproduction

18. Rationality and Pedagogy • System thinking/Interdependcy thinking – dynamics – risk and uncertainty - complexity • Disciplinary foundation and interdisciplinary competences • Facilitated by transboundary cooperation and problem based learning • Authentic learning • Science shops • Service learning

19. The responsibility for EESD University should provide the coming managers, experts, mediators and teachers with ESD competences

20. Can education change the climate? • The political interest has moved from ESD towards climate change education (CCE) • CCE is often interpreted as education about the climate • CCE is an obvious issue for ESD • Education cannot create a sustainable development alone – but it is hard to imagine a sustainable development without education • Education is a long termed effort – thus we have to accelerate now!

21. Thank you for your attention!