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UNITED NATIONS

E
Economic and Social Council
Distr. GENERAL CEP/AC.13/2004/8 14 May 2004 Original: ENGLISH

ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR EUROPE COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY Second regional meeting on education for sustainable development Rome, 15-16 July 2004 Item 3 of the provisional agenda DRAFT UNECE STRATEGY FOR EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Vision Our vision is of a region that embraces common values of solidarity, equality and mutual respect between people, countries and generations. It is a region characterized by sustainable development, including economic vitality, social cohesion, environmental protection and the sustainable management of natural resources, so as to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. 1 Education, in addition to being a human right,2 is a prerequisite for achieving sustainable development and an essential tool for good governance, informed decision-making and the promotion of democracy. Therefore, education for sustainable development can help translate our vision into reality. Education for sustainable development develops and strengthens the capacity of individuals, groups, communities and organizations to make judgements and choices in favour of sustainable development. It can promote a shift in people's mindsets and in so doing enable them to make our world safer, healthier and more prosperous, thereby improving the quality of life. Education for sustainable development can provide critical reflection and greater awareness and empowerment so that new visions and concepts can be explored and new methods and tools developed.

GE.041 2

See also World Commission on Environment and Development, "Our Common Future", 1987. Statement on Education for Sustainable Development; fifth Ministerial Conference "Environment for Europe", Kiev, 2003.


CEP/AC.13/2004/8 page 2 Introduction 1. This Strategy should facilitate the introduction and promotion of education for sustainable development (ESD) in the UNECE region and thereby contribute to the realization of our common vision. 2. The UNECE region encompasses countries with a rich cultural diversity and with different socio-economic and political conditions. The prospects of sustainable development depend to a great extent on changing lifestyles and patterns of consumption and production, respecting at the same time the needs of countries where poverty alleviation is still a major concern. 3. The region has both preconditions and needs for implementing the Strategy. Most countries in the region have established education systems employing professional educators, ensured access to basic education and equal rights to education for all, achieved high levels of literacy, developed a scientific potential and provided for the participation of civil society. However, there are still challenges to be met in order to implement ESD effectively. Education systems should be improved to address the interdisciplinary nature of ESD, the involvement of civil society should be strengthened and adequate institutional and material provisions should be mobilized. 4. The mandate to develop the Strategy derives from the statement made by the UNECE Environment Ministers at their fifth "Environment for Europe" Conference (Kiev, May 2003). The Strategy benefited from experience gained both within the region and globally.3 It is a contribution to and in line with the Framework for a draft implementation scheme for the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development developed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and should be used as a foundation for the regional implementation of the Decade and outcomes of the World Summit on Sustainable Development. I. AIM AND OBJECTIVES

5. The aim of this Strategy is to encourage UNECE member States to develop and incorporate ESD into their formal education systems, in all relevant subjects, and in non-formal and informal education. This will equip people with knowledge of and skills in sustainable development, making them more competent and confident and increasing their opportunities for acting for a healthy and productive life in harmony with nature 4 and with concern for social values, gender equity and cultural diversity. 6. The objectives of this Strategy, which will contribute to the achievement of the aim, are to: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) Ensure that regulatory and operational frameworks support ESD; Promote SD through formal, non-formal and informal learning; Equip educators with the competence to include SD in their teaching; Ensure that adequate tools and materials for ESD are accessible; Promote research on and development of ESD; Strengthen cooperation on ESD at all levels within the UNECE region.

For further information, see addendum 1. The Rio Declaration on Environment and Development states that human beings are at the centre of concerns for sustainable development, and that they are entitled to a healthy and productive life, in harmony with nature (See also Plan of Implementation, World Summit on Sustainable Development, UN, 2002).
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CEP/AC.13/2004/8 page 3 II. SCOPE

7. The Strategy is open to all UNECE member States. States outside the region are also invited to follow it. 8. The Strategy is addressed to governments, motivating and advising them on how to develop policies and practices that incorporate sustainable development into education and learning with the involvement of educators and other stakeholders. Since education for sustainable development must take account of local, subnational, national and regional circumstances, it may place varying degrees of emphasis on the different aspects of sustainable development, depending on the country and the field of education. This Strategy will serve as a flexible framework for the countries of the region, given that its implementation is driven by countries' priorities and initiatives addressing their specific needs and circumstances. 9. The Strategy encourages interdepartmental,5 multi-stakeholder cooperation and partnerships, thereby stimulating investment of material and human resources in ESD. 10. The Strategy encompasses the basic provisions of Education for All: Meeting our Collective Commitments.6 11. The Strategy supports the implementation of the communication, education, publicparticipation and awareness-raising provisions of multilateral environmental and other relevant agreements. It could also support the implementation of principle 10 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development and the Aarhus Convention by promoting transparent, inclusive and accountable decision-making. III. PRINCIPLES

12. There is a need to consider the evolving meaning of SD. The development of a sustainable society should, therefore, be seen as a continuous learning process, exploring issues and dilemmas, where appropriate answers and solutions may change as our experience increases. Learning targets for ESD should include knowledge, skills, understanding, attitude and values. 13. ESD broadens the concept of environmental education (EE),7 which has increasingly addressed a wide range of development subjects, and also encompasses education on various economic and social issues. Therefore, environmental education should be complemented with other fields of education in an integrative approach towards education for sustainable development. 14. The key factual and ethical themes of SD include among other things poverty, citizenship, peace, democracy, security, human rights, social and economic development, health, gender equity, cultural diversity, environmental protection, natural resource management, rural and urban development, production and consumption patterns, and corporate responsibility.8 Addressing such divers themes in ESD requires a holistic approach. 9

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Between State bodies. The Dakar Framework for Action, UNESCO, 2000. For further information, see addenda 1and 2. See also Framework for a draft implementation scheme for the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, UNESCO, 2003. Statement on Education for Sustainable Development.


CEP/AC.13/2004/8 page 4 15. ESD should foster respect for and understanding of different cultures and embrace contributions from them. The role of indigenous peoples should be recognized and they should be a partner in the process of developing educational programmes. Traditional knowledge should be valued as an integral part of ESD. 16. Learners at all levels should be encouraged to use systemic, critical and creative thinking and reflection in both local and global contexts; these are prerequisites for action for sustainable development.10 17. ESD is a lifelong process from early childhood to higher and adult education and goes beyond formal education. As lifestyles and attitudes are established from an early age, the role of education is of particular importance for children. Since learning takes place as we take on different roles in our lives, ESD has to be considered as a "life-wide" process. It should permeate learning programmes at all levels, including vocational education, training for educators, and continuing education for professionals and decision makers. 18. ESD should take into account diverse local, national and regional circumstances as well as the global context, seeking a balance between global and local interests. 19. Addressing the ethical dimension, including issues of equity, solidarity and interdependence in the present generation and between generations, as well as relationships between humans and nature and between rich and poor, is central to sustainable development and, therefore, vital for ESD. Responsibility is inherent in ethics and becomes a practical matter for ESD. 20. Formal ESD should be permeated by experience of life and work beyond the classroom. Educators11 involved in ESD play an important role in facilitating this process and in encouraging dialogue among pupils and students and the authorities and civil society.12 In this way, ESD presents an opportunity for education to overcome its isolation vis-Ю-vis society. 21. ESD involves initiatives for developing a culture of mutual respect in communication and decision-making, shifting the focus away from solely transmitting information towards facilitating participatory learning.13 ESD should therefore be recognized for its contribution to interactive and integrated policy- and decision-making. The role of ESD in developing and enhancing participatory democracy14 should also be considered, in particular as a contribution to resolving conflicts in society and achieving justice. 22. ESD requires multi-stakeholder cooperation and partnership. The main actors include governments and local authorities, the education and science communities, the health sector, the private sector, industry, transport and agriculture, trade and labour unions, the mass media, nongovernmental organizations, local communities, indigenous peoples and international organizations. 23. ESD should reflect multilateral environmental agreements and relevant international agreements related to SD.
Statement on Education for Sustainable Development. Educators are teachers, lecturers, trainers and all other professionals with educational tasks, as well as voluntary education leaders. 12 Statement on Education for Sustainable Development. 13 Thessaloniki Declaration; Thessaloniki, Greece, 1997. Some countries use the term "social learning" for participatory learning. For further information, see addendum 2. 14 Agenda 21.
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CEP/AC.13/2004/8 page 5 IV. IMPLICATIONS FOR EDUCATION

24. ESD demands a reorientation away from focusing entirely on providing knowledge towards dealing with problems and identifying possible solutions. Therefore, education should retain its traditional focus on individual subjects and at the same time open the door to multi- and interdisciplinary examination of real-life situations. This could have an impact on the structure of learning programmes and on the teaching methods, demanding that educators change from being solely transmitters and learners change from being solely recipients. Instead both should form a team. 25. Formal education institutions play an important role in providing knowledge and influencingbehaviour and attitudes. It is, therefore, important to ensure that all pupils and students acquireappropriate knowledge of SD and are aware of the impact of decisions that do not support sustainable development. An educational institution, as a whole, including pupils and students, teachers, managers and other staff as well as parents, should follow principles of SD. 26. It is important to support non-formal and informal ESD activities, since they are an essential complement to formal education, not least for adult learning. Non-formal ESD has a special role as it is often more learner-oriented, participatory and promotes lifelong learning. Informal learning in the workplace adds value for both employers and employees. Therefore, the cooperation among the different actors involved in all forms of ESD should be recognized and encouraged. 27. Appropriate initial training and re-training of educators and opportunities for them to share experiences are extremely important for the success of ESD. With heightened awareness and knowledge on sustainable development and, in particular, SD aspects in the areas where they work, educators can be more effective and lead by example. Training should also be closely linked to the relevant research findings on SD. 28. Teaching and learning in ESD are greatly enhanced by the content, quality and availability of instruction materials. These include among other things, methodological, pedagogic and didactic publications, textbooks, visual aids, brochures, cases studies and good practices, electronic, audio and video resources. Such materials, however, are not available in all countries, and considerable efforts should be devoted to developing and reproducing them. This problem is relevant for the entire sector of formal education as well as for non-formal and informal education. Coherence between the instruction materials of formal and non-formal education should be encouraged. The challenge is to ensure that they are relevant to SD and locally affordable. 29. To be effective ESD should:

(a) Be addressed in two ways: (i) through the integration of ESD themes across all relevant subjects, programmes and courses; and (ii) through the provision of specific subject programmes and courses; (b) Focus on enabling meaningful learning experiences that foster sustainable behaviour, including in educational institutions, the workplace, families and communities; (c) Increase cooperation and partnerships among members of the educational community and other stakeholders. Further involvement of the private sector and industry in educational processes will help to address rapid technological development and changing working conditions. Learning activities in close relation with society will add to learners' practical experience; (d) Provide an insight into global, regional, national and local environmental problems explaining them by means of a life-cycle approach and focusing not only on the environmental impact, but also


CEP/AC.13/2004/8 page 6 on the economic and social implications, addressing both the natural environment and that modified by humans; (e) Use a wide range of participatory, process- and solution-oriented educational methods tailored to the learner. Apart from the traditional ones, these should include among other things discussions, conceptual and perceptual mapping, philosophical inquiry, value clarification, simulations, scenarios, modelling, role playing, games, information and communication technology (ICT), surveys, case studies, learner-driven projects, good practice analyses, workplace experience and problem solving.15 30. Governments should be supportive of non-formal and informal learning because informed citizens and knowledgeable consumers are essential in enacting sustainability measures through their choices and actions, including local Agenda 21. 31. Non-formal and informal learning, including public awareness programmes, should aim to provide a better understanding of the links between social, economic and environmental issues in local and global contexts, including a time perspective. Communities, families, the media and NGOs are important actors in raising public awareness on SD. 32. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are important providers of informal and non-formal learning, able to implement processes of civil empowerment as well as integrating and transforming scientific knowledge and facts into easily understandable information. Their role as mediators between governments and the general public should be recognized, promoted and supported. Partnerships among NGOs, governments and the private sector would add significant value to ESD. 33. The role of the mass media is essential in guiding consumer choice and lifestyles, especially for young people. The challenge is to mobilize their know-how and distribution channels to pass reliable information and key messages on SD-related issues. 34. All sectors of the workforce can contribute to national, regional and global sustainability. The development of specialized training programmes to provide professionals and decision makers with the knowledge and skills to contribute to SD has been identified as a critical component of education for sustainable development.16 35. Thus, vocational and continuing education have a very important role to play and should therefore be offered to decision makers and all professionals, especially those with a role in planning and management. It should be aimed at building knowledge and awareness of SD. Continuing education has two main activity areas: (a) upgrading knowledge and skills; and (b) providing new competencies needed in different professions and in different situations. Continuing education is one of the areas that would benefit from cooperation among the education sector, stakeholders and the community at large. 36. Training programmes should address the key themes of SD, but at the same time take into consideration the needs of different professions and the relevance of these themes to their areas of work. Special attention should be given to subjects linked to the primary responsibility of a profession and its economic, social and environmental impacts.

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For further information, see addendum 2. Framework for a draft implementation scheme for the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development.


CEP/AC.13/2004/8 page 7 37. For ESD to become part of an agenda for change towards a more sustainable society, education itself must be subject to change. Research that might contribute to ESD should be encouraged. There is a need for increased cooperation and partnerships between stakeholders in research and development activities, ranging from identifying issues to working with new knowledge and making it known and used. The results of research and development efforts should be shared with actors locally, regionally and globally, and be incorporated into different parts of the education system, experience and practice. V. FRAMEWORK FOR IMPLEMENTATION 1 National/State implementation

38. Each country is responsible for implementing this Strategy. To include SD perspectives throughout education, strong political support will be necessary at all levels of governance. To that end, it is recommended that countries should translate this Strategy into their native language(s), distribute it to the relevant authorities and designate a focal point. 39. Effective implementation of the Strategy requires its provisions to be integrated into the planning, investment and management strategies of the State and local government for all levels of education and for all educational institutions and organizations. At the same time, the implementation should be in accordance with and benefit from other relevant State, bilateral and multilateral initiatives. The legal, economic and communication instruments should be adapted to the State's circumstances. Thus, countries would implement the provisions, as appropriate, in relation to their legislation, policies and operational frameworks. 40. Countries should identify their existing obligations regarding communication, education and public participation and awareness raising in international environmental and other relevant agreements in order to address these in a coherent manner through ESD. 41. The education sector consists of a broad field of actors with different regulatory management systems in different countries. It is also geared to people of different ages and in different positions in life. The challenge will be to reform policy-making and the operational framework of the education sector on a basis of trust, inclusivity and subsidiarity, and to encourage self-evaluation. It is important that those responsible for formal, non-formal and informal education cooperate with other relevant State authorities in implementing this Strategy. 42. The cooperation and shared responsibility among all relevant State bodies, with the joint leadership of Education and Environment Ministries, as appropriate, should be recognized as an important mechanism for good governance and strengthened. These Ministries should initiate, encourage and coordinate the further integration of SD concerns into formal education policies, programmes and curricula at all levels and assess the implementation of the Strategy. However, close and efficient cooperation with other public authorities as well as with stakeholders is also required. 43. There is a need for a coordination and development mechanism for implementing the Strategy at the State level, as well as for sharing information17 and stimulating partnerships among different actors. One option is to set up a "national ESD platform" possibly under the umbrella of the councils

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Some countries have introduced the "knowledge management" approach. For more information, see addendum 2.


CEP/AC.13/2004/8 page 8 on sustainable development or other relevant bodies, bringing together professionals from different sectors. 44. National18 (State) implementation plans should serve as a core element of implementation. Countries should decide on and designate a body that will be responsible for drafting their national implementation plan. 45. The national implementation plan should be developed with a participatory approach. Thus, all relevant stakeholders should be involved. It should take into consideration the actual situation in a country. Recognizing that countries may wish to set their own priorities and schedules for implementation in accordance with their needs, policies and programmes, the provisions of this chapter could serve as a guide for this work. National implementation plans should address objectives, activities, measures, means of implementation and evaluation instruments. 2 Areas for actions

Ensure that regulatory and operational frameworks support the promotion of ESD 46. Legislation and curricula should include and support ESD and efforts to incorporate ESD throughout education activities should be encouraged. Key actions to achieve this could be to: adopt frameworks for ESD for all levels of education; stimulate the development of interdepartmental and multi-stakeholder cooperation, including the establishment of consultative boards, as appropriate; improve the provision and management of education facilities towards SD and strengthen the connection between natural, economic, political and social sciences in interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary and specialized studies. Interdisciplinary and specialized studies should be properly balanced. Promote SD through formal, non-formal and informal learning 47. Raising public awareness of SD in and through institutions of formal education, communities, families, the media and NGOs should be encouraged. 48. Professional skills and knowledge of sustainable development should be improved continuously and, consequently, be part of the lifelong learning of individuals including those in sectors such as public administration, the private sector, industry, transport and agriculture. The development of new knowledge and the need to introduce new skills in order to give more specific substance to the concept of SD will remain a constant need, as many areas of expertise are constantly developing. 49. Key actions to achieve this could be to: offer SD-related learning opportunities in continuing education for professionals, including those in planning, management and the mass media; encourage and support community-based SD-awareness-raising activities; develop cooperation with NGOs and support their educational activities; promote cooperation among formal educational institutions and non-formal organizations as well as informal activities; encourage the media to inform and debate issues for SD to reach the general public.

For countries with a federal governmental structure, all references to national plans apply to State and sub-State plans, when appropriate.

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CEP/AC.13/2004/8 page 9 Develop the competence within the education sector to engage in ESD 50. Educators, leaders and decision makers at all levels of education need to increase their knowledge about education for sustainable development in order to provide appropriate guidance and support. Therefore, competence-building efforts are necessary at all levels of both formal and nonformal education. 51. Key actions to achieve this could be to: stimulate competence development for staff in the education system, including actions for the leaders to increase their awareness of SD issues; develop criteria for validating professional competence in ESD; introduce and develop management systems for SD in formal educational institutions and non-formal education settings; include SD-related issues in training and re-training programmes for educators for all levels of education; and encourage educators, including those involved in non-formal and informal education, to share experiences. Ensure that adequate tools and materials for ESD are accessible 52. Materials for ESD at all levels need to be developed, both for general courses and specialist education and for self-study and non-formal education. 53. Key actions to achieve this could be to: stimulate the development and production of materials for educators, learners and researchers for all levels of education and training, especially in local languages; encourage the development and use of electronic, audio, video and multi-media resources and visual aids for both learning purposes and sharing information; create an Internet portal on ESD to facilitate access to resources and information relevant to ESD; ensure coherence between materials for formal, non-formal and informal learning. Promote research on and development of ESD 54. There is a need for research and development activities in different areas of ESD, such as effective learning methods, evaluation tools, formation of attitudes and values, school/institutional development and implementation of ICT. 55. The results of research and development efforts should be shared with actors locally, regionally and globally, and incorporated into different parts of the education system. 56. Key actions to achieve this could be to initiate and promote research on and development of: the content of ESD and teaching and learning methods; the economic effects of and incentives for ESD; ways of including aspects of SD and their local context in different subjects, giving priority to research that brings together the different dimensions of SD; indicators and evaluation instruments for ESD; and share the results of research and examples of good practices. 3. International cooperation

57. Cooperation on education for sustainable development could help to ensure mutual understanding, strengthen trust and develop respect for cultural values, thereby building friendly relations between peoples and nations and contributing to peace and welfare. 58. A regional framework to review and facilitate the implementation of the Strategy and support cooperation on ESD is needed. The regional process should take into account other developments that


CEP/AC.13/2004/8 page 10 take place in connection with the United Nations Decade on Education for Sustainable Development and be seen as a contribution to the global initiatives on ESD. 59. The region has a wealth of experience in international cooperation on education, especially in higher education. A number of national and subregional networks, education, working groups, networks and associations of universities have started work on the development of multidisciplinary forms of education to devise solutions to the problems linked to sustainable development. The challenge is how best to use their experience and potential to promote ESD. Another challenge is research into ESD-related issues, which still does not have a prominent role internationally. There is also a need for international cooperation on ESD in pre-school and school education. 60. Regional and subregional forums that bring together members of the education community, such as civil servants, educators and researchers, and other relevant actors to share their experience and good practices on SD- and ESD-related issues should receive high priority. 61. The complex nature of ESD requires that, in addition to the education community, other relevant international actors should be invited to work in partnership to implement the Strategy. This is especially relevant for international cooperation aimed at improving SD-related knowledge and skills for different professionals and decision makers. 62. Experiences and needs vary in different parts of the UNECE region. Subregional cooperation needs to be strengthened. This would make it possible to work closely on those issues that are of high importance for a given subregion, thereby helping countries to attain the best practical results. 63. Further assessment of the needs in different subregions is required. Special emphasis should be given to the countries in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia (EECCA) 19 and SouthEastern Europe in solving their main problems in environmental education and in education for sustainable development. Some of their problems are lack of adequate instruction materials, the inefficient use of the capacity of higher education and research institutions, the shortage of skilled educators and insufficient awareness raising as well as a lack of interdepartmental and multistakeholder cooperation on ESD. Another challenge that should be addressed in South-Eastern Europe and EECCA is the poor quality of education for children living in rural areas and the lack of financial and human resources to develop ESD in those areas. Thus, providing financial assistance and support to education, research and public awareness programmes on SD in countries with economies in transition should be recognized as an important issue and be considered by governments accordingly.20 64. Key actions could be to: strengthen existing regional and subregional alliances and networks working on ESD and encourage twinning programmes; use, as appropriate, existing international legally binding instruments such as the Aarhus Convention and other relevant agreements to raise awareness of SD; facilitate the sharing of good practices, innovations and information of national experiences and projects in development cooperation on ESD-related issues, e.g. by using ICT tools and developing a web site hosted by UNECE; include ESD in relevant bilateral and multilateral programmes; encourage the participation of NGOs and other major groups in international cooperation on ESD; encourage and coordinate international events for SD-awareness raising; and encourage the share of experience.

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Environmental partnerships in the UNECE region: Environment Strategy for countries of Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia. Strategic Framework; Fifth Ministerial Conference "Environment for Europe", Kiev, 2003. 20 See also Plan of Implementation; World Summit on Sustainable Development.


CEP/AC.13/2004/8 page 11 65. To ensure efficient regional governance and communication, the establishment of ESD focal points in all UNECE member States and in relevant international organizations is required. The "Environment for Europe" process might be used as a partnership platform for regional cooperation on ESD and the UNECE Committee on Environmental Policy as a body to review progress in the Strategy's implementation in accordance with the Committee's work programme. 66. At their "Environment for Europe" Conferences, Ministers may wish to discuss progress in the Strategy's implementation based on national and other relevant reports. Environmental performance reviews may also include an assessment of the reviewed country's efforts on ESD. A joint session of the Committee on Environmental Policy and representatives from Education Ministries or equivalent State bodies responsible for education in UNECE member States might be organized every third year to discuss progress on the Strategy's implementation. 4. Roles and responsibilities

67. Governments should play a proactive role in promoting and facilitating the Strategy's implementation in their countries. They should assess and regularly follow up its implementation at all levels of governance. 68. Local educational authorities and institutions of formal education are encouraged to take on responsibility for implementing the relevant provisions of the Strategy and monitoring it. 69. Relevant stakeholders, including the education and science communities, the health sector, the private sector, transport and industry, trade and labour unions, local authorities, the mass media, non-governmental organizations, local communities, indigenous peoples and international organizations should be invited to define their priorities and take responsibility for implementing and following up the Strategy. 5. Financial matters

70. Ensuring adequate financial means to implement the Strategy is an important precondition for its success. To assess accurately the costs of implementing measures that are necessary to achieve the objective of the Strategy and the return on this investment, it is essential to understand the value of education in introducing SD policies and practices in society. Education should be seen as an investment that will pay off in the long term. 71. The cost of implementing this Strategy should, Governments should therefore ensure that appropriate actions can be incorporated into ongoing development could be more easily carried out as subregional or regi in general, be borne by each country. resources are available. Many of the proposed work in the education sector. Some actions on-wide projects.

72. Governments should consider using budgets and economic incentives to finance ESD for all forms of education, including for capacity-building in educational institutions. Efforts should be made to include ESD components in relevant bilateral and multilateral programmes. Partnerships may be formed and should be encouraged to seek support, including contributions in kind, from international funding agencies and the private sector. At the first stage of implementation of the Strategy, financial assistance to some parts of the region, in particular EECCA and countries of South-Eastern Europe, is crucial to help those countries to start the process.


CEP/AC.13/2004/8 page 12 6. Evaluation

73. To assess the implementation of the Strategy, a time frame should be set and indicators be developed. Enabling people to act in favour of SD is a matter of quality of education and result of their studies. Introducing SD aspects into all forms and levels of education is a long process and the outcome can, therefore, be measured only over a long period of time. 74. Three phases for implementation are proposed: (a) Phase I (by 2007): good basis to start implementation, it is recommended that each country should identify what it is already doing that would fit within the remit of the Strategy. This would include a review of current policies, legal and operational frameworks, financial mechanisms, and educational activities, and would also include identification of any obstacles or gaps. Remedial action should be considered to overcome weaknesses and a relevant national implementation plan drafted. Evaluation methods and indicators for the implementation of ESD, in particular qualitative ones, should be developed. At their "Environment for Europe" Conference, Ministers can demonstrate their commitment to the Strategy, celebrate successes, share issues and concerns, and report on progress of their national/State strategies. (b) Phase II (by 2010): the implementation of the Strategy's provisions, as appropriate, should be well under way. In this respect, countries should review progress made in the implementation of their respective national/State strategies and revise them, if necessary. (c) Phase III (by 2015 and beyond): countries should have made considerable progress in implementing ESD. 75. To assess the Strategy's implementation, the following issues might be measured to help evaluation: (a) Adoption of a legal and operational frameworks to support the Strategy; (b) Establishment of a framework for interdepartmental and multi-stakeholder cooperation and partnerships; (c) Allocation of leadership responsibility to coordinate, and drive the Strategy; (d) Development of a communication strategy with key messages on SD; (e) Agreeing on a timetable for reporting and on a mechanism for monitoring and evaluation; (f) Ensuring the relevance of formal curricula and of learning programmes to key themes of SD; (g) Providing initial and continuing training on SD-related issues for educators, professionals and decision makers; (h) Making adequate tools and materials for ESD accessible; (i) Availability of competent educators with a knowledge of SD and application of ESD; (j) Carrying out research and development on SD; (k) Making formal education, NGOs and society work together: encouraging networking and sharing good practice to achieve SD; (l) Ensuring coherence of formal, non-formal and informal ESD activities; (m) Encouraging the media to highlight SD; (n) Recognition and understanding of SD by professionals and the general public; (o) Competence in SD of learners.