UNESCO-UNEP ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION NEWSLETTER

Vol. XXI, No. 4, December 1996

Teaching for a Sustainable World: Environmental Education for a N e w Century

The challenge of Sustainable Development

The last decades of the twentieth century have been years of concern for many people. Growing

environmental concern is matched by rising levels of concern about the problems associated with:

global inequalities in standards of living and human well-being such as imbalances in the

consumption of resources between countries and regions; droughts and famine - sometimes on near

continental scales; the increasing marginalisation of women, ethnic minorities and indigenous

peoples; accumulating foreign debt and the failure of the world to solve the trade and transport

problems that contribute" tó inequity, hunger and malnutrition; and the necessity for many people to

over-exploit the resources of their local environment for daily survival.

The United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development (1987) recognized the

interdependence'of these environmentaf development issues. It noted that:

Until recently, the.planet was a lafge world in which human activities and their effects

were neatly compartmentalized within nations... and within broad areas of concern

(environmental, economic, social). These compartments have begun to dissolve.

This applies in particular to the various global 'crises ' that have seized public concern,

particularly over the last decade. These are not separate crises: an environmental

crisis, a development crisis, an energy crisis. They are all one.

The Commissioners reported that this realization made them focus on one central theme: many

present development trends leave increasing numbers of people poor and vulnerable and at the same

time degrade the natural environment. Their conclusion was that human kind requires new, more

ecologically sustainable and socially just approaches to development. Many of these approaches are

not 'new' but are to be found in the wisdom and values that inform the principles of living

sustainably that have characterized indigenous and farming peoples in many parts of the world for

thousands of years.

Environmental Education for Sustainable Development

The scope of the changes needed to advance sustainable development has been likened to a change

in social paradigms or world views. This would involve a process of change towards social systems,

institutions and practices guided by values such as: empathy with other species, other people and future generations, respect for natural and social limits to growth, support for careful planning in order to mini­mize threats to nature and the quality of life, and a desire for change in the way most societies conduct their economic and political affairs.

Education is the world's greatest resource in bringing about a preparedness for such changes. Indeed, education is the second most frequently used word (after government) in Agenda 21 which devotes a whole chapter (Chapter 36) to the role of environ­mental education in relation to sustainability.

It is important to understand what is meant by sus­tainable development in such an expectation of edu­cation. However , while definitions of sustainable development do vary, at the heart of sustainable development is the mitigation of the impacts humans make on the earth and the way w e organize the flows, production and distribution of resources and wastes, which in turn affect what political scientists define as the essential issues of politics: ' W h o gets what, when , and h o w ? ' - not just for this generation but future ones also.

W h e n sustainability is bracketed with social jus­tice in visions of desirable futures, it is possible to identify a definition of sustainability - and a range of related issues - that education should address if those visions are to be achieved. Such a definition of sus­tainable development sees it as a process which requires that the use of environments and resources by one group of people does not jeopardize the envi­ronments and well-being of people in other parts of the world or destroy the capacities of future genera­tions to satisfy their reasonable needs and wants. According to R . Beddis and C . Johnson, issues of ecological sustainability and social justice that flow from such a view include the following:

- There are great differences in the availability and use of resources around the world with poverty and need in some areas matched by over produc­tion and over consumption in others.

- S o m e economic activities do great harm to envi­ronments, resources and communities.

- Economic growth in some parts of the world is so high that it is leading to the production and con­sumption of m a n y items that are super-luxuries and use resources that could be used to satisfy the needs of many of the world's poor.

- Relatively high population densities and growth rates in certain parts of the world and the associated pressure on the local resource base are symptoms of the legacy of colonialism and present-day structural inequalities in the world economic system rather than causes of environmental problems. Appropriate social development lies at the heart of the solution to population and environmental pressures.

- The indigenous and farming peoples of m a n y countries have developed an ethic of sustainability and associated land use practices that have pre­served their culture and harmony between people and nature for millennia.

- W o m e n and young people have a vital role to play in environmental care and development n o w and into the future. They have viewpoints, skills and interests that can help maximize the potential for sustainable development.

- The most effective arena for action on sustain­ability and justice issues is the local community. Issues ôf environment, social justice and sustain­

able development such as these pose important ques­tions for the future of h u m a n society. They are also important for those w h o wish to teach for a just and sustainable future and those w h o are involved in the education of such teachers. This means that those involved in environmental education, at whatever level, need to activate the socially critical or recon-structionist tradition in education and promote approaches to curriculum planning and pedagogy that can help integrate social justice and ecological sustainability into a vision and a mission of personal and social change.

The social, economic, political and ecological imperatives of the concept and processes of sustain­able development outlined here have established a renewed agenda for environmental education which links it very closely with development education. The World Conservation Union ( I U C N ) has described this n e w direction for environmental education as 'education for sustainable living'.

In conclusion, w e would agree with the British Environment, Development, Education and Training Group's report, Good Earth-Keeping: Education, Training and Awareness for a Sustainable Future, which identifies a number of goals of what it calls 'education for sustainability'. The report considers education for sustainability to be 'a process which is relevant to all people, and that, like sustainable devel­opment itself, it is a process rather than a fixed goal. It m a y precede - and it will always accompany - the building of relationships between individuals, groups and their environment...' which: ' • Enables people to understand the interdependence

of all life on this planet and the repercussions that their actions and decisions may have both now and in the future on resources, on the global com­munity as well as their local one, and on the total environment;

• Increases people s awareness of the economic, political, social, cultural, technological and envi­ronmental forces which foster or impede sustain­able development;

• Develops people s awareness, competence, atti­tudes and values, enabling them to be effectively involved in sustainable development at local, national and international level, and helping them to work towards a more equitable and sus­tainable future. In particular, it enables people to integrate environmental and economic decision­making; and

• Affirms the validity of the different approaches contributed by environmental education, and development education and the need for the fur­ther development and integration of the concepts of sustainability in these and other related cross-disciplinary educational approaches as well as in established disciplines.' John Fien, Director, Centre for Innovation and

Research in Environmental Education, Griffith University, Australia.

References: - Beddis, R . and Johnson, C : Only Our Earth: a

Multi-Media Pack, World Wide Fund for Nature, Godalming, U . K . , 1988.

? Connect

- I U C N Commission on Education and C o m ­munication: Education for Sustainability - A Practical Guide to Preparing National Strategies, I U C N , Gland, Switzerland, 1993.

- Sterling S . / E D E T Group: Good Earth-Keeping: Education Training and Awareness for a Sustain­able Future, Environment, Development, Education and Training Group, U N E P - U K , London, U K , 1992.

This meeting between U N E S C O , IGOs and Inter­national N G O s working in the field of science and technology education, took place at U N E S C O head­quarters, from 16-18 September 1996. The objectives of the meeting were to discuss and put forward rec­ommendations on the following topics: 1. Structure, orientation and emphasis of a n e w

U N E S C O science and technology education handbook;

2. Revitalizing links with the Project 2000+ Steering Committee by promoting more effective partner­ships with its m e m b e r organizations and con­cerned N G O s ;

3. Working towards the operationalization of scien­tific and technological literacy (STL) for all in order to facilitate its implementation by teachers in the classroom; and

4. Initiating services for science and technology edu­cation on the Internet, especially in order to facili­tate access to exemplary teaching materials con­sistent with the Project 2000+ philosophy. The meeting was attended by representatives of

the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ( O E C D ) , Commonweal th Secretariat. International Council of Associations for Science Education (ICASE), International Organization for Science and Technology Education (IOSTE), World Council of Associations for Technology Education ( W O C A T E ) , Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie (CSI), Association for Science Education (ASE) , Estonian Association of Chemistry Teachers ( E A C T ) , Associa­tion of Physics Teachers (AIF), Free University of Amsterdam, Association des Professeurs de Physique et de Chimie, N o w a Matura Programme and U N E S C O .

It was chaired by M r Colin N . Power, U N E S C O ' s Assistant Director-General for Education w h o informed the participants of the new structure of the Science and Technology Education Section of U N E S C O with an integrated approach to science and technology education encompassing issues of con­temporary life such as health, environment and sus­tainable development.

After three days of fruitful discussions on the form and contents of the proposed Resource Kit, ways and means of re-vitalizing Project 2000+, oper­ationalization of S T L and the use of Internet, the par­ticipants recommended that U N E S C O and relevant IGOs and N G O s collaborate for the:

- United Nations Conference on Environment and Development ( U N C E D ) : Agenda 21. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1992.

- W o r l d C o m m i s s i o n on Environment and Development: Our Common Future, Oxford University Press, Oxford. U . K . , 1987. Opinions expressed in this article are those of

the author and do not in any way reflect those of UNESCO.

1. Compilation of a needs assessment of teachers, teacher educators etc. in the field of science and technology education;

2. Development of a resource kit taking into account the needs expressed in the assessment;

3. Initiation of an Internet page on exemplary sci­ence and technology education materials collected worldwide; and

4. Re-vitalizing oí Project 2000+ through efforts to: • raise awareness concerning the philosophy and

benefits of Scientific and Technological Literacy for All (STL);

• enhance networking and dissemination of information;

• increase fund-raising campaigns; and • foster the strengthening of national teachers

associations in order to turn the challenge of S T L into a reality.

[The Final Report of the meeting (English only) is available on writing to Connect (address on last Page)-] .. ,

A s a follow-up to this meeting U N E S C O and I C A S E will hold two symposia/workshops in Pakistan and Argentina organized respectively by the Pakistan Association for Science Education (PASE) and the Club de Ciencias Albert Einstein.

The 10th I C A S E Asian S y m p o s i u m , Lahore, Pakistan, 6-10 April 1997, will be on the theme 'Empowering the teacher to promote scientific and technological literacy for all in the 21st century' and is meant for science teachers and educators, espe­cially from the Asian region. The sub-themes will be: • N e w dimensions and directions in the science cur­

riculum; • Teaching science from a more relevant perspec­

tive; • Gearing science teaching materials to societal

needs; • The role of N G O s such as science teacher associa­

tions. For further details contact: Dr Hafiz Muhammad

Iqbal, 1ER, University of the Punjab, New Campus, Lahore, Post code 54590, Pakistan.

The 2nd I C A S E Latin American Sympos ium, entitled 'To improve scientific and technological edu­cation for all: a challenge for the year 2000 and beyond' will be held in M a r del Plata, Argentina, 22-26 April 1997. It is planned for teachers and educators

Advisory Meeting on Science, Technology and Environmental Education for All

Paris, France, 16-18 September 1996

December 1996 3

interested in the fields of science and technology at the primary and secondary levels and its objectives are: • to recognize the need for a basic scientific and

technological education for all; • to gather science teachers from all levels to share

and exchange scientific and technological knowl­edge; and

• to encourage collaboration and interchange among science teachers. For further information contact: Professor Marta

C. Moyano or Gabriela A. Iñigo, Club de Ciencias

This one-year project for 1995-96 was implemented in the framework of the U N E S C O - U N E P Inter­national Environmental Education P r o g r a m m e (IEEP) by J.-P. Orsini and Associates and U N E S C O / E P D and was directed at primary and secondary school children, their parents, teachers and other community members.

The project concentrated on 15 schools in and around the Western Australian city of Perth, and aimed at developing a set of methodologies on pro­moting community awareness about Biodiversity Conservation through environmental education and artistic activities in primary and secondary schools.

The rationale of the project was that through school children environmental messages can be passed on to parents and the wider community more effectively. It associated E E with the artistic awaken­ing of school children under the guidance of promi­nent Western Australian artists, involving the intro­duction of students to Australian Biodiversity through a series of school interactive workshops.

Complexity and Interconnectedness of all parts of the natural environment were the key ideas used to introduce the concept of Biodiversity to the students. Three levels were distinguished in these ideas:

A s part of the follow-up of the E E pilot project for three Caribbean countries: Antigua, Barbados and Jamaica (v. Connect, vol. X X , N o . 2 , June 1995) launched in the framework of the U N E S C O - U N E P International Environmental Education Programme (IEEP), a meeting was organised by the Natural Resources Conservation Authority ( N R C A ) at its headquarters on 30 July 1996 for a presentation of the report of the activities undertaken in Jamaica as part of the project.

Albert Einstein, Salta 2857 Planta Alta, (7600) Men­del Plata,_ Argentina. Tel/Fax: 54-23-749556.

Previous to these symposia there will be two four-day regional workshops (VNESCO-ICASE-Associa-tionfor Science Education for the Pakistan Workshop and UNESCO-ICASE-Club Ciencias A. Einstein for the Argentine Workshop) aimed at collecting exemp­lary teaching/learning materials as well as elabor­ation of other materials by the participants. Both types of materials will serve as inputs for the preparation of the new UNESCO Handbook/ Resource Kit

• the diversity of environments within a particular landscape;

• the diversity of habitats within one particular envi­ronment; and

• the diversity of organisms found in any particular environment or habitat. The students were then asked to examine h o w

these environments/organisms could be threatened and what actions could be undertaken to prevent or remedy such threats.

Workshops carried out under the guidance of a Programme Coordinator allowed the students to be involved in the discovery process and to identify issues in an intuitive and interactive manner and thus relate directly to their surroundings.

In addition to the workshops, the students were asked to produce art works on the concept of Biodiversity with the help of prominent Western Australian artists. The results were presented in an art exhibition Celebrating Western Australia's Biodiversity in three cities: Fremantle, Margaret River and Bunbury, attracting over 2,000 visitors and excellent reviews by the media.

The Final Report of the Project is now available on writing to: Connect (address on last page) English only.

In the Jamaican context the objectives of the exer­cise were: • to find out to what extent the four E E modules for

Caribbean schools (IEEP E E Series 36, 37, 38 and 39 - v. Connect, Vol. X I X , N o . 4 , December 1994) were used by teachers in the pilot project;

• to help teachers develop greater competence in recognizing oppoi'tunities for infusing E E perspectives into their presentation of curricular content; and

FIELD ACTIVITIES

Western Australia Biodiversity Conservation Project: A Community Awareness and Education Programme

Perth, Australia

E E Pilot Project for the Caribbean Jamaica

4 Connect

• to obtain a measure of the effect of exposure to E E on the students in the pilot project. The main points brought out in the report were:

— Overall, the modules were not used extensively. W h e n used, it was mainly from the content angle, methodology and evaluation being largely neglected.

— The main disciplines used for infusion of E E at all levels were science and social studies. Additionally at the primary level language arts, arts and reli­gious education; at the secondary level agricul­tural science and geography and at the tertiary level food and beverage were also used. In some cases, although teachers recognized concepts in theory, they were not always put across to the stu­dents in practice.

— Interdisciplinary skills have yet to be developed and greater use made of the environment itself as a resource. Teachers have to make the effort to introduce the affective element in their lessons.

— Questionnaires show that students could identify environmental problems, propose local solutions and accept responsibility for both. Together with the tendency to care as reflected in the attitude scales as well as the learning outcomes expected

The Asia-Pacific Centre of Educational Innovation for Development (ACEID) of U N E S C O in collabora­tion with the Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia, is sponsoring a project: Learning for a Sustainable Environment: Innovations in Teacher Education in the Asia-Pacific Region to expand the range of innov­ative practices used in teacher education programmes in the region by introducing teachers and teachers-in-training to the curriculum planning skills and teach­ing methodologies of E E .

The project has established a professional devel­opment network for teacher educators w h o are partic­ipating in the development of carefully researched, evaluated and culturally sensitive workshop modules for use in both pre-service and in-service programmes. In this way, the project provides professional devel­opment opportunities for teacher educators by en­gaging them in a process of sharing, evaluating and further developing the innovative approaches and materials they are using to promote environmental education.

Stage 1 of the project, involving Australia, Fiji, Hong Kong, N e w Zealand and the Philippines, began in June 1994. Several teacher educators from these countries wrote a set of workshop modules that was extensively analyzed by a network of over 70 'critical friends' across the region and revised accordingly. The modules are the following: • The Nature and Objectives of E E ; • A Whole School Approach to E E ; • Teaching Environmental Values Education and

Ethics; • Developing Ecological Concepts and Principles

through Systematic Analysis of Local Environments;

by the teachers, this shows the positive impact of exposure to E E on the students.

— B y their o w n admission as well as from the reports of the monitors, teachers themselves have acquired greater environmental awareness and care. The report concluded with the following recom­

mendations: 1. Project ideas should be continued but on a phased

basis and with more time devoted to teacher preparation.

2. The contact n o w established with the formal system should be built on by N R C A . In this con­nection, N R C A should interface with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture at the policy level.

3. E E should be introduced at all levels of the formal system. A s new curricula are developed, infusion points should be highlighted.

4. Future modules prepared in the IEEP series should contain indices and some illustrations. The modules carry a wealth of useful and unique information, but teachers need to be attracted to them. It would also be useful to have this kind of a 'user trial' before the modules are put in their final form.

• Using the Environment as a Resource for Learning; • Issue or Inquiry-based Teaching for the Environ­

ment; • The Assessment of Learning within E E ; • Using Indigenous Knowledge , Practices and

Perspectives in E E ; • Action Research as a Teaching Strategy in Schools

and Communities. Written by the authors primarily for use in their

o w n countries, the modules were judged suitable for possible adaptation and use in other countries of the region as well.

They are presently being trialled in the original five countries and also in India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand and Viet N a m . A n action re­search case study approach to trialling and evaluation has been developed in response to the need to find a way of supporting professional development for E E in a culturally diverse region. A s a result, this project fosters collégial and collaborative approaches to professional development through the active par­ticipation and critical reflection of teacher educators w h o are either authors or trialists of the modules.

Participation in the project is assisting teacher educators to identify the strengths and limitations of their present practices, to develop professionally through the action research process, and to respond to the cultural and educational needs of their o w n contexts. Participants are supported by a Review Guide which assists with four trial tasks: • Analyzing the Stage 1 modules for local, cultural

and educational relevance; • Adapting/rewriting the modules as a result of this

analysis;

Learning for a Sustainable Environment Innovations in Teacher Education in the Asia-Pacific Region

December 1996 5

• Teaching the modules and gathering data for evaluation; and

• Writing a report on the trial and results. A seminar was sponsored in November by the

National Institute for Educational Research (NIER) in Japan, to provide a forum for presenting the case study reports, evaluating the action research approach to professional development and planning a regional manual of modules for publication.

Launched in Trinidad and Tobago in 1994, the U N E S C O Associated Schools Caribbean Sea Project (CSP) is a sub-regional project aimed at sensitizing the region's youth to the vital importance of preserving the Caribbean sea and its waterways as a regional heritage for sustainable development and strengthening the Caribbean identity. Its objectives are as follows: • Sensitization of children and young people to

environmental problems facing the Caribbean Sea both locally and regionally and development of skills in helping to resolve these problems;

• Development of new inter/multidisciplinary edu­cational approaches and materials to involve chil­dren and young people in dealing with problems threatening the marine environment; and

• Provision of a mechanism for interaction, exchanges and cooperation amongst schools from different language groups in the region as a contri­bution to strengthening the Caribbean identity. B y the end of 1997 fifteen countries of the sub-

This European Seminar, organised by the Fondation Nicolas Hulot pour la Nature et l ' H o m m e in collabo­ration with Living Earth International, took place in Paris, France, 26-28 September 1996, and was attended by around one hundred participants repre­senting a majority of European nations.

The objective of the seminar was to examine pos­sible areas of cooperation amongst those involved in educating 12-17 year olds to be environmentally aware from the angle of a school/business partnership.

The four phases of the seminar were: • Getting to k n o w the expectations and the

constraints of those involved in E E (teachers, associations, municipalities, businesses, the

For further information contact: Dr Rupert Maclean, Chief ACEID, PO Box 967, Pradenong Post Office, Bangkok 10110, Thailand. Tel: (66)2-391.0577 Fax: (66)2-391.0866 E-mail: rmaclean@mozart.inet.co.th or Dr John Fien, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Griffith University, Nathan 4111, Australia. Tel: (61)7-3875.6721 Fax: (61)7-3875.7459 E-mail: J.Fien@ens.gu. edu. au

region are expected to participate in the project: Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, The Netherlands Antilles, Trinidad & Tobago and Venezuela.

The Third Regional Meeting of the National Coordinators of the C S P was held in Aruba from 21-25 October 1996. During the academic year 1996-97, a regional survey will be conducted to measure the values and attitudes of students and their parents towards environmental and inter-cultural issues. Other regional activities foreseen include the pro­duction of the second issue of the C S P newsletter and an E E camp for students and teachers.

For further information contact: Ms Sandra Gift, Secretary General and Regional Coordinator, UNESCO Associated Schools Caribbean Sea Project, Trinidad & Tobago National Commission for UNESCO, 8 Elizabeth Street, St. Clair, Trinidad. Tel/Fax: 622-0939.

State) with regard to a school/business partner­ship;

• Exchange of experiences of such partnerships; • Methodologies used in the implementation of

interdisciplinary educational projects, development of educational materials and teacher training;

• Setting up projects on a European scale. The seminar took place under the auspices of

U N E S C O and with the financial support of the European Commission ( D G XI), Eco-Emballages and the A D E M E .

For further information contact: Fondation Nicolas Hulot, 52, Bd Malesherbes, 75008 Paris, France. Tel: 33 (0)1 44.90.83.00Fax: 33 (0)1 44.90.83.19.

U N E S C O Associated Schools Caribbean Sea Project (CSP)

Trinidad & Tobago

'School/Business Partnership for Sustainable Development' - A European Seminar

Paris, France, 26-28 September 1996

6 Connect

EE NETWORKS, ACTIVITIES, INITIATIVES...

M U V I N - A Nordic network project on E E

Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden

The M U V I N (Miljo Under Visning I Norden - E E in the Nordic countries) project, initiated by the Nordic Council of Ministers in 1991, is the fruit of m a n y years of intensive work for the development of E E for schools.

During its first phase from 1991-1993, a number of schools in each country based their work on the project to develop E E which was evaluated in national research reports. Based on these reports, a plan of action was formulated for the second phase of the project (1993-1996) which is backed by national ministries and research institutions of the five Nordic countries.

So far, more than 200 schools have been involved in the M U V I N project which unites pedagogical, sci­entific and practical teaching experiences. The pro­ject illustrates new pedagogical and scientific roads in E E building on the traditions for democratic action which is a significant c o m m o n feature of Nordic schooling. The main goal of M U V I N is to promote the quality and diffusion of E E . Its distinctive fea­tures are the following: (a) It views environmental problems as social prob­

lems since E E is about visualising the conflicting

Sustainability Education in European Primary Schools - S E E P S is a project coordinated by the Moray House Institute of Education, Edinburgh, Scotland. It started with a seminar in Edinburgh at which a whole school approach ( W S A ) to sustain­ability education (SE) was agreed upon as the central theme.

The rationale of the project is that the most effec­tive S E occurs in schools with an ethos that supports and sustains sound environmental practice. It thus seeks to develop materials collaboratively that will enable teachers to contribute to this approach.

Its objectives are to: • review the extent to which S E is included in exist­

ing primary level in-service training in the European Union;

• identify current provisions and deficiencies with particular respect to W S A ;

• utilise the experience of the Scottish Consortium

interests wh ich arise a m o n g people w h e n they exploit the natural base locally or o n a global scale.

(b) All M U V I N participants m u s t help to develop environmental teaching in their o w n school - fol­lowing the Nordic tradition of decentralised deci­sions regarding the contents and working methods in schools.

(c) Its Nordic dimension, based on c o m m o n values, cultural ideas and pedagogical content. T w o documents have been published on the

M U V I N project: Conflicting interests in the use of natural resources - a Nordic school development project on E E by the Nordic Council of Ministers including experiences from all the five Nordic coun­tries, and MUVIN-DK - Background Information for schools in Denmark participating in 'Nordic EE ' in 1994-96 by Soren Breiting and Per Moller Janniche.

For further information contact: Soren Breiting, Associate Professor, Royal Danish School of Educa­tional Studies, Department of Biology, Geography and Home Economics, Emdrupvej 101, Dk-2400 Copenhagen NV, Denmark. Tel: + 45-3969.6633 Fax: + 45-3966.7010.

a n d other partner institutions to design adequate in-service teacher training materials;

• foster international collaboration; and • promote a cascade model of S E to meet the chang­

ing demands of in-service training. The S E E P S network involves educationalists from

11 different countries and includes a range of profes­sional interests in S E : primary school teachers, teacher educators, representatives of ministries of education and N G O s . It is funded by the D G X I of the European Commission to focus on developing mate­rials to support trainers working in school based pro­grammes.

For more information contact: Ms Kathryn O 'Loan, Project Officer, SEEPS Office, Moray House Institute of Education. Heriot-Watt University, Cramond Campus, Cramond Road North. Edinburgh EH4 6JD, Scotland. U.K. Tel: (44) 0131-312.6001 Fax: (44)0131-312.6335.

Sustainability Education in European Primary Schools - S E E P S

Scotland, U . K .

December 1996 7

Escola de Natura Cel Rogent

Spain

Escola de Natura Cel Rogent (Cel Rogent Nature School) was set up in 1981 by a professional group dedicated to E E in the locality of Tarragon, Catalunya, Spain. Since its inception, Cel Rogent has always maintained close contact with the people, the local administration of Catalunya as well as pri­vate and public institutions. It has thus been able to develop and implement a number of E E projects, among which the O b r i m Pescóla a la natura which currently includes 14 nature trails covering the most representative ecosystems of the region. It has also organised an itinerant exhibition entitled Seguim amb la vida due to cover the major cities of the region as well as two E E programmes centred on the cities Reus and Tarragon and has recently published two books on the 'Natural systems of Salou' and the

The Centre for Applied Sustainability has been cre­ated within the Faculty of Environmental Studies of the York University, Ontario, Canada, to foster the application of sustainability practices through the work of facilitation, collaboration, applied research and education. It is the direct legatee of the Ontario R o u n d Table on Environment and E c o n o m y ( O R T E E ) , created by the province of Ontario in 1989 to foster sustainable development within the province and has been authorised by the government of Ontario to continue the work of O R T E E .

The mandate and functions of the Centre are notably: • to work in partnership with organizations

and community groups seeking help to develop their o w n policy and programmes for sustain­ability;

• to initiate and foster focused, interdisciplinary applied research that will form and implement sustainability in a variety of settings;

• to gather information on h o w the concept of sus­tainability has been put into practice in projects around the world;

• to provide insights into h o w sustainability practices work and h o w they pay off economi-

'Vails Trail' based on extensive field work and corre­sponding didactic applications.

The educational activities are directed to facilitat­ing contact between teachers and pupils of the region through the preparation, guidance and interpretation work done by Cel Rogent personnel. Various possi­bilities are offered to schools of the region for one, two or three day trips for such activities which cater to primary, intermediate and higher level education. Other activities of Cel Rogent include organisation of workshops, carrying out research, developing edu­cational materials consisting of documents, videos and C - D R o m s .

For more information contact: Josep P.M. Llorach, Director, Escola de Natura Cel Rogent, Av. Dr. Vilaseca, 62n.A, 43202 Reus, Spain. Tel/Fax: 977-321601

cally, environmentally and in terms of social equity;

• to bring experts and stakeholders together to initi­ate sustainable development practices; and

• to act as a central clearinghouse of information on sustainability and facilitate networking. In keeping with the inclusive and interdisciplinary

nature of the Centre, membership is open to all fac­ulty members of the York University. Criteria for members beyond York University are being devel­oped. The Centre provides reports to the Faculty of Environmental Studies Council and to the broader community on an annual basis.

S o m e examples of research and collaboration theme areas are: Transportation and Global Climate Change, Sustainable Communities, Chlorine Compounds, Waste and Waste Management, Learn­ing for Sustainability Partnership and Sustainability and Environmental Management in the South.

For further information contact: Dr David Bell, Director, Centre for Applied Sustainability, c/o Faculty of Environmental Studies, 355 Lumbers building, York University, 4700 Keel street, Downsview, Ontario, Canada M3J IP3. Tel: (416) 736-5285 Fax: (416) 736-5679.

NEW EE CENTRES The Centre for Applied Sustainability

Canada

Connect

DOING IT AND TELING IT Pilot Earth Systems Workshop for Primary Teachers

Bahamas

Place: Exumas Education Resource Center, Georgetown, Bahamas. Target Groups: Primary and all-age school teachers of the Family Islands, Exumas. Introduction: The Ministry of Education and Benjamin Foundation sponsored a 2-week teacher workshop which included an invited 1-day workshop on Earth Systems education focused on global environmental change, reef ecosystem awareness and sustainability. It was a pilot project for workshops that will be pro­vided for one teacher in each of the schools in the Bahamas over the next four years. The workshops will take place in the Bahamian Field Station on San Salvador, Bahamas, and include field and laboratory activ­ities focused on the reef and coastal environment that are essential to the sustainability of island nations. With rising populations, increased stress on fisheries, loss of habitats and degradation of environments important to ecotourism as well as degradation and loss of fresh water resources, island nations are empowering teachers to understand the importance of the Earth as a system and the role of humans in that system. The week long workshops on San Salvador will be a collaborative effort between B R E E F , the College of the Bahamas and the Ministry of Education and Training. The workshops will also include faculty and scientists from Mathematics and Science Technology in the School of Teaching and Learning, Geological Sciences and the Byrd Polar Research Center at the Ohio State University and the faculty from the Headlands Institute in California Objectives: • To present the basic framework of global environmental change;

• To provide an Earth Systems framework for study of interrelationships in island systems; • To demonstrate classroom activities that present these concepts and to emphasize the

importance of these topics within the curriculum. Resources: The Educational Resource Center and the Bahamas Reef Environment Educational Foundation (BREEF) looked after the material needs. Local volunteers and supporters provided use of their facilities and boats for field excursions. Methodology: Whole group instruction was used through classroom presentations and activities, question and answer sessions, and a field trip which included snorkelling and use of water-glasses to study the shal­low water environment and the reef. The teachers were also given the opportunity to consider ways to study the beach environment. Evaluation: The workshop was attended by the senior Education Officer for Science from the Ministry of Education and Training, representatives from the Exumas Educational Resource Center, and the Director of B R E E F . The teachers were given an open-ended opportunity to provide input about their needs regard­ing information and support to teach the topics that were addressed. Results: Positive feedback reaffirmed the need for continued support for environmental education initia­tives, and the teachers' interest in content and activity development. The plan for a week-long workshop in the future was modified to include shallow-water, shore-based activities for non-swimmers and use by pri­mary children. Progressive exposure to and familiarity with the reef environment is expected to occur as resources and abilities are developed. Sent by: Dr Carol Landis and Dr Garry McKenzie, Byrd Polar Research Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA. Tel: 614-292-2721 Fax: 614-292-7688 E-mail: landis.83@osu.edu; Mck+@osu.edu

Awareness Raising about the Environment

Algeria

Place: El-Ouahda Scout Centre of Debila. Target Groups: Forty scouts, the youth, around 260 persons from other organisations as well as the entire population of Debila. Introduction: Respect of nature being one of the fundamental precepts of the scout movement, the Groupe El-Ouahda of the Scouts Musulmans d'Algérie chose the Environment Day to raise awareness among the local population. The activities were carried out in the presence of the local authorities. Objectives: • Awareness raising through personal participation of the local population about the impor­

tance of the environment; • Creation of links between the scouts and their environment to make them the precursors in

the defense and conservation of the environment. Methodology: The methodology used was mainly informative:

December 1996 9

• Exhaustive information on environmental topics consisting of articles, photos, docu­ments... was displayed on huge boards in the premises of the Scouts Centre. The infor­mation dealt with the current situation as compared with the ideal one: the dangers, the degradation, the damages - the reasons, the consequences as well as possible solutions including those related to behaviour change;

• Information boards were prepared on the possibilities of participating in voluntary cam­paigns for the restoration and conservation of the environment.

Evaluation: Public opinion was positive and there was a great deal of enthusiasm from the population for a renewal of such activities. M a n y people, notably the youth, voluntarily proposed their services to work for cleanliness and restoration campaigns. Results: The people were m a d e aware of the role of the environment and more especially of the problem of desertification (of particular local significance - Ed.) . The initiative was lauded by all the local authorities, specially by the Chief of Municipality. Sent by: Scouts Musulmans d'Algérie - Groupe El Oiiahda, Debila 39100, W:El Oued, Algeria.

Environmental Communication for Social Integration

Belgium

Place: University of Liège. Target Groups: Unemployed persons with a science background. Introduction: Twice yearly, since 1994, the C E R E S (Centre d'Enseignement et de Recherche en Education pour la Santé - Research and Training Centre for Health Education) organises 17-week training sessions in Communication for the Environment. Objectives: The fundamental idea of the programme is to give a social status to the unemployed. If it leads on to remunerated work, it becomes employment! The programme aims to define attitudes with respect to the environment and the ethics of sustainable development. It also serves to recreate the self-esteem of the participants whose economic environment is not always good. Resources: The major part is financed by the European Social Fund and the Région Wallonne de Belgique. The rest is provided by the University of Liège. Methodology: Training in communication techniques, interpersonal communication skills, a global vision of ecology and ecotoxicology as well as environmental law is provided to the candidates. They are con­fronted with successive practical situations necessitating interdisciplinary, scientific research - singly or in groups - and communication of the results through press conferences, informative meetings or articles. Parallel training sessions are held to give them the necessary theoretical base and practical tools to be func­tional in the latter exercises. Evaluation: The methodology and the contents have been evaluated by the participants themselves as being quite pertinent and adapted to the objectives, an opinion confirmed by external experts. A n evalua­tion on the change of attitudes is under way. Results: The fact that more than 6 0 % of the participants have found employment in less than six months after completion of the course is an indication, as no other, of the very real value of this type of training in the current economic context. Sent by: Sylvie Anne Piette, CERES, Université de Liège, rue A. Stévart, Bât. Cl, 4000 Liège, Belgium. Fax: +31-41-542.195 E-mail: sapiette@vml.ulg.ac.be

Planning Out-planting of Trees

Ghana

Place: Anloga and Aber, Volta region. Target Groups: Youth and adults from rural communities, churchgoers and school children. Introduction: Trees are considered by most rural people as an inexhaustible resource for fuel and other uses and are cut down without any management or planning. Moreover, as afforestation does not provide for their immediate needs, it is only considered an additional burden. Objectives: • To enable participants to become more conscious of the socio-economic and ecological

benefits of tree-planting; • To educate participants in following time-tables and rules of site preparation; • To enhance skills in preparing and transporting seedlings; • To provide guidelines on planting techniques and tending.

10 Connect

Resources: Financial resources from the Forest Resources Utilisation and Management Project ( F O R U M ) , Volta Region; Resource Persons from Forestry Department; workshop materials like brochures and hand­outs; tree nursery equipment and potted seedlings. Methodology: Papers were presented by the resource persons on selected topics followed by discussions after every presentation on: the planning of outplanting (e.g. site selection, preparation, pegging), seedling preparation and transport and techniques in promoting quick and healthy plant growth. This section was then followed by a practical demonstration of the establishment of tree nurseries and woodlots. Evaluation: There was no formal evaluation. However, not only did inquiries on the subject by individuals, organisations and groups at the Forestry Department Offices far exceed experiences in previous years, but they were also backed by requests and orders. Results: The number of nurseries established through communal efforts doubled from four in 1995 to eight in 1996. The number of seedlings planted in just the major season of 1996 was 2 8 % more than the number of seedlings planted in the entire year of 1995 (major + minor season) - indicative of a marked change of attitude towards tree-planting. Sent by: Delali B.K. Dovie, Conservation Education Officer, Ghana Wildlife society, PO Box 212, Keta -V/R, Ghana.

Fostering sustainable exploitation of the environment

Argentina

Place: Alto Rio Senguer, Chubut province. Target Groups: Middle level students from agrotechnical schools; Introduction: Intensive ovine breeding is the major cause of an advance in desertification in the Patagonia region. For a number of years the National Institute of Agronomy (INTA) Chubut has been working on a project aimed at its prevention and control. In this context, since 1995 it has selected Alto Rio Senguer as a pilot region for intensive action in collaboration with the Escuela Agrotécnica N°716 'Casimiro Szlápeliz'. Objectives: • To undertake an evaluation of the forage capacity of the land in order to determine the level

of resources and receptivity of the land; • To make use of a corresponding technology for the improvement of the region; • To train technicians and professionals for the specific needs.

Resources: Material and human - supplied by the I N T A Chubut and the Escuela Agrotécnica. Methodology: Field work consisting of collection of data on the vegetation, frequency of species, presence of forage species, signs of erosion etc., in order to calculate the pastoral value of the land, the amount of produce as well as the level of grazing permissible to maintain a sustainable exploitation. Evaluation: A n evaluation was done within the framework of the P R O D E S E R project of the I N T A and the annual planification of the Escuela Agrotécnica, and was considered positive. Results: • Adjustment of technology, charges and planification of the establishment corresponding to the

existing situation; • Training of technicians and professionals as well as students.

Sent by: Hugo Santiago Bottaro, Director, Escuela Agrotécnica, N° 716 'Casimiro Szlápeliz', Sarmiento s/n, Alto Rio Senguer C/P 9033, Chubut, Argentina. Tel/Fax: 0945-97105.

Readers are invited to send us their FIELD experiences in Environmental Education activities involving the teaching/learning process - but not necessarily limited to students and teachers. They should be. as brief as possible and set under the following headings:

Place: Locality where the activity was carried out Target Groups: For w h o m the activity is intended Introduction: Background information - w h y the activity was initiated Objectives: What the activity is expected to achieve Resources: Materials/funds used for the activity Methodology: H o w is the activity carried out? Evaluation: H o w was the activity judged? B y w h o m ? Results: Did the activity produce any concrete changes? Selected experiences will be published together with the name and address of the author. Please address your contributions to: Doing it and Telling it (address on last page).

December 1996 11

EE NEWS-AND PUBLICATIONS

The Hellenic Association of Educators for Envi­ronmental Education ( H . A . E . E . E . ) , a non­governmental organization established in 1992, is a network of specialized primary, secondary and higher educators.

T h e aims of the Association are notably: • Promotion of E E in formal and non-formal educa­

tion in Greece • Promot ion and application of E E projects in

schools • Establishment of E E and documentation centres • Promotion of studies, research and projects related

to the environmental problems of Greece • Creation of an informed citizenry on environmen­

tal issues • Communication and cooperation a m o n g educators

involved in E E • Networking between Greek educators and interna­

tional E E organizations Its various activities include organizing Panhel-

lenic and International conferences and workshops; training seminars for nursery, primary and secondary school teachers (over 50 up to date); and environ­mental tours and visits for m e m b e r s of the Associa­tion. It also collaborates with the Ministry of Environ­ment and Public Works , governmental agencies, sec­retariats and bureau of the Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs, various N G O s and organizations dealing with environmental and E E issues as well as universities and centres of research.

For more information contact: Hellenic Associa­tion of Educators for Environmental Education (H.A.E.E.E.), P.O. Box 22. Anavvssos Attikis 19013, Greece. Tel: 0030-291-390.46 Fax: 0030-291390.46 E - m a il: psallida (cv, tech link, gr

I Conferencia Iberoamericana de Educación Ambiental (The Iberoamerican Conference on E E ) organised by the Universidad Nacional de San Martin, Tarapoto, Peru, in collaboration with the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia and the Universität de Valencia, Spain, was held in Tarapoto, 1-3 August 1996. T h e participating countries were Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Peru and Spain whose main recommendat ion w a s the creation of a non­governmental association - the Iberoamerican E E Programme, with the five participating countries. For more information contact: Gerardo Vasquez Vasquez, Universidad Nacional San Martin, Jr Maynas No. 179, Tarapoto, Peru. Tel: 51-94-52.49.16 Fax: 51-94-52.42.53 E-mail: postmaster@unsm.edu.pe

A n international seminar entitled Natura e Cultura, Vecchi e nuovi paradigmi di lettura e di ges­tione della complessitá ambiéntale - Incontro Internazionale di studio (Nature and Culture: old and n e w paradigms for the interpretation and m a n a g e ­men t of environmental complexity) w a s organised by the C I R E A (Italian Centre of Environmental Education and Research) under the auspices of the Council of Europe, the Italian Ministries of Environ­men t and Public Education, the Italian Ecological Society and the Italian National C o m m i s s i o n for U N E S C O . It was attended by around 100 specialists and representatives - mostly from Italian institutions. The central theme of the seminar was the role of E E in the in-school and out-of-school environment, in governmental and non-governmental organisations and in the productive sector.

For further information contact: CIREA, Via Cavestro, 14 - UNIVERSITA, Parma, Italy. Tel: 0521-289327Fax: 0521-238124.

Forthcoming Conferences, Workshops, Courses...

The U N E S C O Centre of San Sebastian, Spain, will organize a Distance Education Training Course for U N E S C O Experts in Development through the U N E S C O Training Centre-University of F M A C U . The two-year course consists of twenty-four monthly remittances. It has two offices: at the Spanish Commission for U N E S C O , Madrid, Spain, and at U N E S C O headquarters in Paris, France. Enrollment is open throughout the year. For further information contact: Centro de Formación U N E S C O , O . Urbieta 11-1° izda, 20006 San Sebastián, Spain. Tel/Fax: (+ 34-43) 42.70.03 E-mail: florida.unesco@eas.servicom.es

Enhancing lifestyles without environmental degra­dation is the title of a seminar organised by T h e British Council in Kent, U . K . , 9-15 M a r c h 1997. T h e major objectives of the seminar are understand­ing the manner in which economic aspirations are linked to the quality of the environment and the ways

in which society can generate high quality lifestyles without endangering the environment. Economic degradation; Quality of life; and Policies and pro­grammes for promoting quality of life without envi­ronmental degradation will be the central topics of the seminar which is primarily directed to senior civil servants, managers and senior staff in the private sec­tor as well as academics and representatives from N G O s . Participation is limited to 25 . Fee: £1,190. Further information from: International Seminars Department, The British Council, 1 Beaumont Place, Oxford OX1 2PJ, U.K. Tel: + 44 (0) 1865.316636 Fax: + 44 (0) 1865.57368.

Science, Technology and Citizenship is the title of the X l X t h International Conference on c o m m u n i ­cation, Education and Scientific and Industrial Cul­ture organised by the L . I . R . E . S . T . and the L . D . E . S . with the support of the French Ministries of Culture, Higher Education and Research. T h e conference

12 Connect

will take place in Chamonix, France, 24-28 March 1997, and will consist of plenary and communication sessions as well as round tables with exhibitions, posters and stands. The main topics of the C o n ­ference are: Democracy and expertise: Are Science, Technology and Citizenship compatible?; Case studies: Public health problems, natural or tech­nological risks, responsibility of scientists and technicians, dissemination of knowledge to citizens; How can science and technological education contribute to the formation of citizens? For further information contact: D . Raichvarg, G.H.D.S.O.-L.I.R.E.S.T., Bât. 407, Université Paris-Sud, F-91405 Orsav Cedex, France. Tel: 33 (0)1 69.41.78.25 Fax: 33 (0)1 69.85.54.93.

The Working Group Environmental Engineering of the European Society for Engineering Education (SEFI) in cooperation with the Institute of Chemical Technology will hold the 6th SEFI W G E E Seminar Environmental Engineering Education 2000 -Applying the latest developments of Science and Technology in E E E programmes in Prague, Czech Republic, 16-18 April 1997. The aim of the Seminar is to identify the main trends in science and technol­ogy which might have a decisive impact on future development of environmental engineering education (EEE). The Seminar will also focus on sharing expe­riences and look for the best ways of incorporating these topics into E E E programmes. For further infor­mation contact: WGEE seminar, Mecislav Kuras, Dept of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Chemical Technologv, Technická 5, 16628 Prague 6, Czech Republic. Tel: (+ 42) 2-311.2530 Fax: (+ 42) 2-243.11082. E-mail: Milan.Brezina@vscht.cz

The Second I O S T E Symposium of Central and East European Countries entitled Science and Technology Education (STE) for Social and Economic Development will be held in Lublin, Poland, 2-5 June 1997. The aim of the symposium is the exchange of experiences in the field of science education. The major problems slated for discussion are: Development of knowledge in science and tech­nology indispensable on the turn of the millennium; Changes in the way of thinking of students; Prospects and limitations of integration in S T E ; and

A series of informative brochures entitled Education for Population and Development on the theme: 'Impact on Coastal Regions' will be developed by the U N E S C O Montevideo Regional Office with the help of the Intergovernmental Océanographie

Regional cooperation in the field of STE. For further information contact: Dr Ryszard M. Janiuk, Dept of Chemical Education, M. C. Sklodowska Uni-versitv, PI. M . C . Sklodowskiej 3, 20-031 Lublin, Poland. Tel: 81-37.56.91 Fax: 81-336.69. E-mail: filip@hermes. umes. lublin.pl

The 11th International Caretakers of the Environment Conference entitled Environment and Communication: Environmental issues as a bridge between countries and nations will be held in Midreshet Sde-Boker, Israel, 23-28 June 1997. The aims of the conference are notably to develop height­ened awareness of communication in facing local, regional and global environmental issues; to produce recommendations on the use of communication in environmental studies; to provide participants with an opportunity to explore the desert environment and to relate what is discussed to the local environment of the participants. The programme will include a mix­ture of discussions and practical field and laboratory work in and around Sde Boker. Leading researchers and teachers in environmental studies and communi­cation will deliver keynote addresses. A range of recreational and social events will also be organized in the evenings. The conference is intended for Secondary school teachers and students (15+ years). Fee: U S $ 2 0 0 . For further information contact: Caretakers of the Environment, Midreshet Sde Boker, HarHa-Negev, Israel 84990. Tel: 972-7-565720 Fax: 972-7-556286 E-mail: env.school@ramat-negev.org.il

The second biennial conference of the Association for the Study of Literature and Environment ( A S L E ) will be held at the University of Montana, Missoula, U S A , 17-19 July 1997. Gary Snyder, Rick Bass, Pattiann Rogers and David Abram are among the prominent writers and scholars participating in the conference. A S L E invites programme proposals for panels and papers on any aspect of literature and envi­ronment, roundtable topics of general interest, poster sessions to showcase teaching, curriculum, coopera­tive ventures or research innovations and readings of original nature writing. For more information contact: John Tallmadge, President-Elect, ASLE, 6358 Teakwood Court, Cincinnati, O H 45224-2112, USA. Tel: (513) 681-0944. E-mail: jtall@interramp.com

Commission (IOC), Project on Environment and Development in Coastal Regions and in Small Islands (CSI) and the M a n and the Biosphere Programme ( M A B ) of U N E S C O . The first of the series entitled Impact of Toxic Microalgae has just been published

The 7th Stockholm Water Symposium to be held in Stockholm, 3-8 August 1997 (v. Connect Vol. X X I , N o . 3, September 1996), has announced the addition of a new track: Minimizing polluant fluxes from land-based sources with U N E P as co-convener. The track will include four additional workshops: Curbing Domestic Sources of Contaminants; Curbing Industrial Sources: Greening of Industry; Curbing Agricultural Sources: Minimizing non-point pollution in a world of rapidly growing food needs; and Less Car Exhaust: Achieving a non-polluting transport system. For further information contact: Stockholm Water Svmposium/EMECS Conference 1997, Stockholm Water Company, S-10636 Stockholm, Sweden. Tel: + 46-8-736.20.21 Fax: + 46-8-736.20.22 E-mail: sympos@sthwat.se

Publications

December 1996 13

and is available — in Spanish only — from: Programa de la Comisión Oceanógrafica Intergubernamental (COI), Oficina de UNESCO-Montevideo, A. Brasil 2697, Casilla de correo 859, CP 11000, Montevideo, Uruguay. Tel: (0598-2) 77.20.23 Fax: (0598-2) 77.21.40 E-mail: smendez@unesco.org.uy

U N E S C O / E P D has prepared a short paper on Teachers and Population Education entitled The Teacher's Role in implementing the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). Presented at the confer­ence of U N E S C O ' s International Bureau of Education (IBE) on 'Strengthening of the role of teachers in a changing world', the paper analyzes the implications of the I C P D Plan of Action (v. Connect, Vol. X I X , N o . 4 , December 1994), emphasizing the importance of population education and its various components as well as the essential role of teachers in putting through the right messages to their students. Available in English and French from: UNESCO/EPD, 7, Place de Fontenoy, 75352 Paris Cedex 07, France. Tel: 33 (0)1 45.68.09.21 Fax: 33 (0)1 44.49.01.12.

INSIGHT, the newsletter of U N E P ' s International Environmental Technology Centre (IETC), will henceforth include a new section devoted to occa­sional papers on environmental technology: IETC s INSIGHT Special. The paper featured in the Summer 1996 issue is entitled What is Environmental Sustainability in Sanitation? and is written by two specialists Robert Goodland and Abby Rockefeller providing information and proposing solutions as well as policy suggestions. For copies contact: UNEP-IETC, 2-110 Ryokuchi koen, Tsyrumi ku, Osaka 538, Japan. Tel: (81-6) 915.44580 Fax: (81-6) 915.0304 E-mail: cstrohma@unep.or.jp

The International Atomic Energy Agency ( I A E A ) has published Highlights 96, its annual report for 1995. It contains an overview of the IAEA's achievements in various fields from Radio­active Waste Management , Radiation Safety and Nuclear Power to Food and Agriculture, H u m a n Health and Physical and Chemical Sciences. Also contains succinct information on the structure and functioning of the I A E A .

IAEA Bulletin, Vol. 38, N o . 3, 1996, is devoted to 'Chernobyl in Perspective'. Contains notably a feature article 'Chernobyl - Ten years after', highlights of the International Chernobyl Conference (Vienna, Austria, 8-10 April 1996) and a number of special reports on the theme: 'Post-Chernobyl scientific perspectives: Social, health and environmental effects'. For copies of both publications write to: IAEA, Division of Public Information, P.O. Box 100, Vienna International Centre, A-1400 Vienna, Austria. Fax: (+ 431) 20607.

One Decade After Chernobyl - Summing up the consequences of the Accident is the title of the pro­ceedings of the conference (see above), jointly spon­sored by the European Commission, the I A E A and W H O . 555p. For information on availability contact: Sales and Promotion Unit, IAEA, Wagramerstrasse 5, P.O. Box 100, Vienna International Centre, A-1400 Vienna, Austria. Tel: (43-1) 2060-22525 Fax: (43-1) 2060-29302 E-mail: SALESPUB@ADP01.IAEA.ORAT

The Namibian Programme to Combat Deserti­fication ( N A P C O D ) is a joint initiative of the Desert Research Foundation of Namibia, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism and the Ministry of

Agriculture, Water and Rural Development - with financial assistance from the German aid agency G T Z . It has published a report entitled Policy Factors and Desertification — Analysis and Proposals which con­siders important policy constraints to sustainable nat­ural resource use and proposes a number of changes to existing policies to help reduce land degradation. Targeting notably politicians and senior/ mid-level public servants, the report seeks to inform decision makers of the impact of policy instruments on deserti­fication and makes recommendations for reform. It comprises three main parts: Immediate Policy Factors which considers Land & Natural Resource Manage­ment, Water, Agriculture and Forestry; Underlying Policy Factors which takes into account the issues of Poverty, Population and Economic policies; and Action Plan and Next Steps including strategy, prioriti-sation, monitoring and evaluation, and future action. Tables, figures and data boxes are included in the Appendices. The report has been prepared in two for­mats: full and summary. Single copies of both are available free of charge from: Publications Officer, Directorate of Environmental Affairs, Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Private Bag 13306, Windhoek, Namibia. Tel: + 264-61-249.015 Fax: + 264-61-240.339. For multiple copies (US$10/copy for full report and US$1/copy for summary) contact: Publications Officer, Desert Research Foundation of Namibia, PO Box 20232, Windhoek, Namibia. Tel: +264-61-229.855 Fax: + 264-61-230172.

World Resources Institute ( W R I ) has announced the release of their biennial report World Resources 1996-97 and World Resources 1996-97 Database Diskette. World Resources 1996-97: A Guide to the Global Environment has been produced in collaboration with the U N D P , U N E P and World Bank and features a special section on the Urban Environment as well as Essential Global Trends and Data. Also contains Cities and the Environment; Urban Environment and Human Health; Urban Impacts on Natural Resources; Urban Transporta­tion; and Urban Priorities for Action. 365pp. Price US$24.95 + $3.50 postage. World Resources 1996-97 Database Diskette is a timesaving research tool con­taining all the vital economic, population, natural

- resources and environmental statistics found in the printed edition plus 20-year time series for m a n y variables, and more. Contents include Biodiversity, Atmosphere and Climate, Land cover and Forests, Economic Indicators, Water and Oceans, Energy and Minerals, Population and H u m a n Development and Food and Agriculture. Available in 3.5' IBM-compat­ible high-density diskettes. Price US99.95 + $3.50 postage. For further information/orders contact: WRI Publications, PO Box 4852, Hampden station, Baltimore, M D 21211, USA. Tel: 410-516-6963 Fax: 410-516-6998. World Wide Web:http://www.wri.org

The Laboratoire de Didactique et d'Épisté-mologie des Sciences de Genève ( L D E S ) has pub­lished a document entitled Douze questions actuelles en environnement (Twelve current environmental issues), at the behest of the French Ministry of the Environment, treating the following environmental issues: Biodiversity; Climate Change; Deforestation; Desertification; Air Pollution; Waste; Water Pollu­tion; Urbanisation; Energy; Biotechnology; Natural Resources; Sustainable Development. Each subject

14 Connect

has been treated by two well-known scientists with a different approach. The idea is to bring h o m e to the reader the difficulty of taking decisions in situations of uncertainty. Special price from L D E S : 2 0 S F R or 80FF. In French only. Order from: Laboratoire de Didactique et d'Épistémologie des Sciences de Genève (LDES), 9 Route_de Drize, CH-1227 Carrouge, Geneva. Switzerland. Tel: (41-22) 705.98.32 Fax: (41-22) 300.14.82.

Éducation Environnementale Sahel is the newsletter of the P r o g r a m m e de formation-information pour l'environnement (PFIE) of the Comité permanent inter-états de lutte contre la sécheresse dans le Sahel -CILSS (Permanent Inter-State Committee against Desertification in the Sahel). The PFIE is a regional pro­gramme for primary schools. Its aims are to inform and spread awareness about environmental problems among the Sahelian youth. Its objective is to turn school chil­dren into protectors of the environment in order to effec­tively combat famine and desertification. The publica­tion of N o . 7 of the newsletter after a long silence marks the beginning of a new 5-year phase. The issue contains notably a report of the second phase of the PFIE; an arti­cle on Teaching/ Learning modules; and a Case study of E E evaluation: PFIE-Mali. More information from: Education Environnementale Sahel, Institut du Sahel, BP 1530, Bamako, Mali. Tel/Fax: (223) 23.02.37.

Science for Survival is a video pack produced by the International Broadcasting Trust (IBT) for B B C Worldwide T V , which illustrates a number of key ideas about the environment, inheritance and humans as organisms. Meant for science and humani­ties lessons at the school level, it attempts to break d o w n stereotypes about science and scientists by examining the science used by w o m e n in Indian vil­lages and the experience of w o m e n scientists. It is divided into three complete sections: Agriculture and the environment, Teaching disease, and Sericulture for convenient use in classrooms. Printed notes contain photocopiable activity pages and guidance for teachers. Price £18. For further information/ orders contact: Intermediate Technologv Bookshop, 103-105 Southampton Row, London JVC IB 4HH, U.K. Tel: 0171-436.9761 Fax: 0171-436.2013.

Dear Sir, I a m writing to say h o w m u c h I enjoy receiving Connect... It has been very helpful in m y profession as a teacher and to m y son as a marine biologist. Sir Editor, I would like to say that I couldn't agree more with the suggestion made by M r Delali B . K . Dovie, from Ghana (v. Connect, vol. X X I , N o . 2 , June 1996) in Viewpoint. A space for Children and the Environment would be wonderful since they are getting more and more involved in protecting the planet.

Yours sincerely, Maria Saleté G . Floeter, Village - Ed. Degas, 507, Ilha do Boi, Vitoria - E S 29052-730, Brazil.

RS. It was impossible to fax this letter. W h y ? Is the number correct? (33-1 ) 47.83.69.57. (As you will notice in the address given below,

(The International Broadcasting Trust produces television programmes and related educational mate­rials on Development, the Environment and H u m a n Rights. For a free catalogue contact: Amanda Courtney IBT, 2 Ferdinand Place, London N W 1 8EE, U.K. Tel: 0171-482.2847Fax: 0171-284.3374.)

Repères pour l'éducation à l'environnement N o . 10, Sept/Oct 1996, is the first of a thematic series devoted to Air. Conceived basically for school age children, this bi-monthly newsletter contains a lead article giving factual information followed by sec­tions for 7-11, 12-15 and 16 + age groups, followed by news on publications, personalities and events. Price 150FF/yr (+ 30 F F postage overseas). M o r e information/orders from: Fondation Nicolas Hulot pour la Nature et l'Homme, 52, Bd Malesherbes, 75008 Paris, France. Tel: (33-1) 44.90.83.15 Fax: (33-1) 44.90.83.19.

Government Institutes have announced the pub­lication of three Environmental Reports on China, Mexico and South Korea. Written by experts with long experience in the concerned countries, the reports are meant for international executives w h o need to understand the environmental laws of the countries concerned. Each report contains Valuable information on the environmental situation as well as the actual text of all the environmental statutes and laws of the country in question. Price of each report: U S $ 4 9 5 . For orders/more information contact: Government Institutes, 4 Research Place, Rockville, M D 20850, USA. Tel: 301-921-2355 Fax: 301-921-0373 E-mail: giinfo@govinst.com

Built Environment, N o . 7, is a combined issue with a supplement on U r b a n Agriculture contain­ing notably the Declaration on Urban Agriculture adopted at the International Workshop on Urban Agriculture & Sustainable Environment held in Calcutta, India, 8-10 December 1995, as well as a list of publications on the subject and addresses of insti­tutions belonging to its International and Asia-Pacific network. For further information contact: Centre for Built Environment, 2/5 Sarai Böse Road, Calcutta 700 020, India. Tel: (91-33) 476.14.95 Fax: (91-33) 466.06.25.

certain structural changes have taken place since the last issue of Connect was printed. We apolo­gize most sincerely for the inconvenience to read­ers who tried in vain to fax the old number - Ed.,)

Sir, I should like to inform you that w e are highly interested in the suggestion m a d e by M r Delali B . K . Dovie from Ghana concerning a space for Children and the Environment in Connect. W e dis­seminate a 12-page regional E E newsletter con­taining a 4-page pull-out for the youth. A space for children in Connect would broaden our access to experiences in this domain worldwide.

Sincerely, The Chairman, Réseau Education Environnement 05 & Ecrins, c/o D D J S , Passage Montjoie, 05000 Gap, France.

VIEWPOINT

December 1996 15

Dear Sir, I a m a biologist working in an N G O which de­velops environmental projects in the Atlantic forest in Southeast Brazil. I a m also working for m y Masters Degree in Ecology at the Campinas State University (one of the foremost in Brazil) on human ecology of the forest populations. These populations, living in the poorest region of Sao Paolo State - Vale do Ribeira - a large area of the remaining 5% of Brazil's Atlantic forest, are not of Indian descent . They are settlers with no traditions of harmonious co-existence with the forest. Their most important economic activities - palm-heart extraction and animal hunting - are illegal. Palm-heart is believed by some scientists to be a key resource in the forest as it is abundant in winter when other food sources are lacking. It is thus vital for the survival of frugivorous ani­mals, and mainly birds. But now, not only palm-heart but some animal species as well are becom­ing rare. The state of poverty of these populations w h o have to fight for survival makes them indifferent

16

to environmental problems and it is extremely dif­ficult to persuade them to change their life style for one that would permit them to use their nat­ural resources in a sustainable manner. M y objec­tive is to work closely with them in order to teach them h o w to look for alternative sources of income and to live with nature and not against it for a better future. To reach m y objective I a m in need of all kinds of material - studies, reports, books, catalogues, addresses... as well as funding information that would permit m e with to continue with m y work. Information on education, sustainable develop­ment, agroforestry, recycling garbage, nature con­servation etc. would be welcome.

Thanking you for your attention, Yours sincerely, Isaac Simao Neto, Ecology Coordinator of Salve Floresta, Salve Floresta - C x . P 04 Tapirai - S.P C E P - 18180-000, Brazil.

If you have something concerning E E to communicate to us - information, suggestions, opinions, ideas - on events or even the articles in Connect, write to us - briefly. The most interesting letter(s) will be published, in substance, together with the sender's name. Send your letters to Viewpoint, address below.

Unless otherwise stated, all correspondence concerning Connect should be addressed to: Editor, Connect, UNESCO/ED/SVE/STE, 7, place de Fontenoy, 75352 Paris 07 SP, France. Fax: (33) 1.45.67.16.90.

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*>Sx$ Connect is also published in French as Connexion, in Spanish as Contacto, in Russian

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ISSN 0250-4499

Connect Published by U N E S C O

Education Sector Environment and Population Education

and Information for H u m a n Development (EPD) Editor: Diileep Bhagwut

7, place de Fontenoy, 75352 Paris 07 SP, France Tel: (33) 1.45.68.08.09 Fax: (33) 1.45.67.16.90

UNEP Environmental Education and Training Unit (EETU)

P . O . Box 30552, Nairobi, Kenya Fax: (254-2) 62.39.17

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