Select Committee on Environmental Audit Minutes of Evidence


Memorandum from the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT)

1.   Has the term Education for Sustainable Development lost its currency? Does it have any resonance with the general public? Has the environmental message within it been lost?

  In terms of the understanding of the general public, to some extent the phrase sustainable development (SD) has been diluted by numerous commercially driven re-interpretations. SD has been used in some sectors to describe conventional growth with a bit of environmental tidying up around the edges (eg recycling or saving energy in their offices when the major aspects of their operations are actually increasing their output of greenhouse gases).

  However, to many, but not all, the term sustainable development has begun to take hold and it would seem defeatist to now abandon the term and then consume time and energy trying to decide on another one, produce definitions and encourage people to embrace it. It is hard to imagine that any term could be totally free from the possibility of misinterpretation or distortion.

  The term SD has had the very positive effect of drawing into a dialogue people involved in "Environmental" and "Development" education and that has had some very useful outcomes, although in some cases bringing the two together has still left a rather narrow perspective which somehow misses the "big picture". In that situation the important environmental message has either been lost or, it predominates to the exclusion of poverty or international issues.

  However when SD is prioritised in terms of a global perspective on serious climate change, the almost continual stream of accepted science reaching the headlines has significantly re-enforced the message that business as usual cannot continue and that "contraction and convergence" is a clear global priority. Further resources must be made available to a public education programme to make a clear case for the UK's 2010 and 2020 climate change targets as part of a global programme.

2.   The DfES said in 2003 that the Sustainable Development Action Plan was supposed to signal the start of a process of change, identifying the most powerful levers—what can be achieved immediately and what can be built upon. More than a year on can it be said that that process of change has begun and have there been any immediate achievements?

  It seems very regrettable that the ESD Panel is still not in place to advise the Department.

3.   Government is currently reviewing the UK Sustainable Development Strategy. What should the Strategy include in order to significantly strengthen the role of learning within it?

  The UK SD Strategy should aim to produce future generations of young people who have the awareness and motivation to ask, "What is the impact of this on international poverty and climate change and other environmental degradation?" A key role of learning is to deliver enough knowledge to begin to answer that question plus the skills to be able to find out what they don't already know. We need to create citizens who:

    —  understand that sustainable development is a "way of thinking";

    —  understand the basics of the science of climate change;

    —  know about international poverty issues;

    —  can relate our lifestyles to our impact on the present and future of the planet and its people;

    —  feel equipped and motivated to go on asking questions and learning about the issues and to take action to deal with them; and

    —  understand the world around them and how it is changing.

  In terms of learning outcomes, the challenges of climate change and international equity need to be prioritised within the sustainable development agenda. The expected changes caused directly by human activity are bad enough, but far worse is the risk of triggering much larger positive-feedback effects, releasing very large quantities of naturally-stored carbon. The key message seems to be that, while the full effects will not be manifest for many decades, perhaps even centuries, events in the next few decades or so will determine the final outcome. This implies that the climatic future is in the hands of the present generation. So large technical, economic and social changes must be initiated now, to forestall very serious consequences in the more distant future—a political and social challenge not to be underestimated.

  To meet this challenge, there is a body of knowledge that young people need to know and are not at present learning. The issues relating to sustainable development should be embedded across the curriculum in Schools, Colleges and Universities and this does not mean a few lip-service words, which is what we generally have at the moment. For example, 17 year olds in sixth forms now are more confused and ignorant about climate change and the ozone layer than they were 10 years ago and many teachers actually give pupils inaccurate information about renewable energy.

  In order to improve what is taught to students there is a need for a comprehensive programme of education of teachers through CPD, the teacher training institutions and the advisory service. In the informal sector there is an equivalent need for training for youth workers and adult educators. A set of indicators that are clear to teachers and other education providers would be very useful.

  In terms of public education in the wider sense, Organisations and individuals across the UK are poorly prepared, as yet, to face the immediate and long-term challenge of reducing emissions. In order to begin creating the framework for social and political acceptance of implementing any of the four RCEP scenarios, the UK SD Strategy must first deliver a thoroughgoing change of outlook and culture within our society. A large-scale "solutions driven" public education programme must be developed which will address the following needs:

    —  To raise awareness of the "robust" science behind climate change and of the very serious nature of the threat posed both nationally and internationally by changes to the natural carbon cycle.

    —  To promote awareness of the importance of efficient use of energy and the new forms of energy generation such as renewable energy.

    —  To create a low carbon vision for the UK to 2050—highlighting the target dates by which each of the key technologies should become economically mature.

    —  To engage all stakeholders in an ongoing discussion about climate change and new energy solutions.

    —  To encourage and enable the "social cohesion" required to willingly embrace such changes.

    —  To provide a support and education framework to foster practical action.

    —  To ensure this support is made accessible to all sectors of society.

    —  To create lasting links between partner organisations and agencies to effectively bring about changes in attitudes and behaviour in the widest possible audiences.

    —  To counter "denial", propagating instead a positive vision of a low carbon future for the UK.

  The constitutional obligations on the National Assembly for Wales to implement SD have been of great assistance to our work in Wales. What is needed next is UK Cabinet level political support to head up a "national initiative". The UK SD Strategy should aim to link government policy, industrial development, academia, R&D, public education, export strategy and the media into a single "National Prestige Programme". People and organisations across the UK must be made aware of the way in which their use of fossil fuels is contributing to climate instability, then be encouraged to take responsibility for their own reductions—and to take positive action in their homes, schools or places of work. A key challenge in the fight against climate change is helping people understand the specific "real-life" practical issues around energy efficiency, low-carbon and renewable energy technologies, showing how they play an important part in delivering a future that is both sustainable and attractive. To be successful such a programme must embrace both arts and sciences through linking the following elements:

    —  Schools, colleges and universities.

    —  Arts, mass media and popular culture.

    —  Science and discovery centres, visitor attractions and museums.

    —  Continuing professional development programmes.

    —  Business incubation and development

ENABLING ACTION

  Having first raised awareness and changed attitudes to low carbon lifestyles and international equity, the programme then feeds clients on to substantial on-going support frameworks to enable practical action. It must do this using best practice, challenging everyday attitudes and behaviour whilst also providing practical ways forward.

  Inspiration and information could be turned into action through a new network of UK innovation and demonstration centres, offering access to training, education, innovation, research and on-going advice appropriate to each locality. These should also link directly to the agencies offering on-going advice and grant support to ensure this programme is an effective and potent agent of change. The formal educational work should research and build on work done to date to create a national resource that will provide inspirational and informative resources for both school-based and adult learners alike. Resources for schools would be based around the national curriculum and would be developed by working with teachers of differing ages and curriculum areas. Special emphasis should be made to support both community and corporate champions, who hold the potential to set social trends, inspiring many others in their communities to take up the challenge.

4.   Does the 14-19 Working Group's report, "14-19 Curriculum and Qualifications Reform", go far enough? Will ESD be adequately represented if this report is used as the basis for the forthcoming White Paper? What must be included in the White Paper if progress is to be made to fully integrate ESD into all aspects of learning, formal and informal?

  Whether we like it or not, examination syllabuses are one of the key drivers which prioritise what teachers deliver so changes in this area are crucial. The report does not go far enough because, while it refers frequently to the needs of employers, it makes absolutely no mention of the need to educate people for the rapidly changing world that we have created. There are plenty of useful things about "skills and attributes" but the "common knowledge" in the core must include knowledge of the science behind climate change and energy issues and the history and present of the global relationships between rich and poor. We are failing our young people if we do not do that, because we are not equipping them to deal with the future problems that we can see we will all have to face.

  If the proposals take some pressure off teachers then they may have a positive impact in allowing them the space to incorporate SD into their teaching. The AS exams have, in some respects, had a narrowing impact on pupils' experience of education as the time pressures created have stopped most teachers from being able to take pupils on field trips or just stray into interesting discussions. If these proposals reduce some of that pressure that will be very positive. However the proposals should also reduce the pressure experienced by teachers at KS1-3 who have to be so curriculum focussed that they find it difficult to incorporate new things into what they deliver. If the syllabus has six words out of hundreds on "environmental" issues, that's the weight it will get in the classroom.

5.   In response to our last inquiry the DfES said they recognised that more could be done to embed ESD in the school curriculum and that they would lead on strengthening ESD links within geography, design and technology, science and citizenship. Has there been any discernible improvement in these areas? Is there evidence that this work has been taken forward by the DfES and its agencies?

  Although there has been some improvement, much more is required. This is an extremely important area as it is clear that putting ESD in a little box of its own in the curriculum unrelated to other subjects is not an effective way of delivering. Not only should SD be embedded across the curriculum, there should be co-ordination of what is delivered in different areas. The Action plan for Wales describes SD as a "way of thinking" and that is what we need to create in young people and that will not happen unless what they receive is consistent and co-ordinated.

  As an example, CAT is working with the Intermediate Technology Development Group, on projects embedding sustainable development into Design and Technology teaching. The current project run by CAT and ITDG (the Sustainable Design Award) is an extremely effective example of this delivery through one subject and it is very popular with teachers. Because of its project based approach D&T is particularly fertile ground, but we are interested in exploring whether we could extend this work into other curriculum areas. The extended project work in the new 14-19 curriculum could open up this sort of opportunity but ESD must not be thereby relegated to a "specialisation".

6.   The role of informal learning, including youth work, work-based learning and adult and community learning, in taking the environmental education agenda forward is key. Is the Government doing enough in these crucial areas?

  See 3 previously.

7.   Is there any evidence to suggest that the Government, through its stewardship of education, is getting better at getting the environmental message across to the general public? And is there any evidence to suggest that sufficient work is being done at regional and local levels to support environmental education?

  In terms of education of the general public, there must be a significant culture change from an approach based on leaflets saying "are you doing your bit", to a "solutions driven" approach based on access to practical real life working examples of tools, technologies and lifestyles appropriate to the locality. What is needed most urgently to enhance the work of ESD at regional and local levels, is access to a network of real life models, showing how genuine sustainable development can take place. This requires "live" demonstrations of the complex interaction between land use planning, food production, energy, buildings, transport, waste management and all aspects of human society, on a carbon-lean basis. For almost thirty years now, long before the concept of sustainable development became commonplace, such a demonstration has been taking place at various centres in different European countries. These "Eco-sites" have been dedicated to experimentation in sustainable ways of living and the dissemination of their experience through active display, education and training programmes, publications and information services. They offer an exciting potential to create new and effective agents of change, embedded in the local communities which can create a bridge between EU and UK policies and practical local action. Ecosites provide a meeting point between bottom-up and top-down approaches of sustainable development for actors such as investors, project leaders, politicians, financiers, entrepreneurs and of course the public. Until recently these Centres have worked in relative isolation, with only informal contacts between some. Recently a formal network of Ecological Centres throughout Europe has been established under the EU fifth framework programme with the express purpose of collaborating to share knowledge and experience, and thereby to greatly increase the impact of each Centre's work in its own country and region. The "Ecosite" concept is already proving successful in assisting a number of areas across the EU, as well as in other countries such as India and the USA. Through an active "cross fertilisation" of experience, it is likely that any Ecosite could increase the impact of its work in its own country and region. It is envisioned that Ecosite concept will play a role in the EU's "6th Framework Programme".

8.   Are there sufficient resources available to deliver the government's commitment to education for sustainable development?

  No. There needs to be a very significant investment in training and supporting teachers to ensure that they are equipped with the tools and resources they require to deliver. This does not necessarily mean multi-million pound projects to produce another CD or website. There is, of course, a need for some new resource production but many teachers are not yet aware of what is currently available or they simply cannot afford to buy it. The most effective long-term change will come from investing resources into CPD and initial Teacher Training and ensuring that there is well informed support available locally for teachers.

December 2004





 
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