The crunching of resources in an unsustainable manner is now being felt in all aspects of life and the economy. With the effects of climate change getting more real and pronounced each passing day, sustainable development should be the primary goal and responsibility. On that line of thought, IMPRI Center for Environment, Climate Change and Sustainable Development (CECCSD), hosted a #WebPolicyTalk on Education for Sustainable Development.
Dr Ram Boojh, CEO, Mobius Foundation, New Delhi, graced the event as the speaker with Dr Simi Mehta, CEO and Editorial Director, IMPRI, as the moderator.
The Concept Of Sustainable Development
Dr Mehta commenced the event with her opening address on what the idea of sustainable development entails. She highlighted the all-encompassing nature of sustainable development and how it overlaps with various pillars of social, economic and environmental development. She emphasised the need for all the stakeholders involved between policy and people to be aware and familiarised with the idea of development because poverty, climate change and environmental degradation affect each person on this planet, at one or the other levels.
What the elements and intricacies of knowledge of sustainable development are; what the actions that must be taken at different levels are needs to be properly ascertained and understood so that our future generation is not barred from enjoying the fruits of development.
Background Of Education For Sustainable Development (ESD)
Dr Ram Boojh, the speaker, highlighted the grim situation that the planet is in today. He first highlighted the need for education because it is the most enabling factor to bring about change and transformation. Before explaining the concept of education for sustainable development, Dr Boojh explained its context. In defining the context, he highlighted the IPCC report of 2020 and the alarming content that it is filled with. The damage is happening at a rapid rate in terms of intensity and frequency.
To capture the essence of development and its necessity, Dr Boojh provided a short glimpse of the Biodiversity Conferences. In each of the reports published in the CoP conferences, education on sustainable development has always found a primary mention.
It can also be noted in the Sustainable Development Goals that education is linked to each of those goals. Education on sustainable development should thus be action-oriented and should use innovative pedagogy to enable learners to use skills and knowledge. By 2030, it should be ensured that our learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development.
Sustainable Education
This idea of sustainable education arose from the need to arrest environmental, economic and social challenges. Dr Boojh also explained in detail the premises of ESD. He explained how and why ESD can be considered transformative. ESD enables learners to make informed decisions and responsible actions for environmental integrity, economic viability and just society for all. He also presented a timeline of the evolution of ESD, action areas of ESD and the approach and dimensions of ESD.
Dr Boojh mentioned the initiatives undertaken by Mobius Foundation in promoting ESD and SDGs as a whole. He also mentioned the challenges the pandemic has posed in the development of ESD or the realisation of the SDGs and the contribution of numerous climate activists and organisations.
Question And Answer
During the question session, Dr Boojh explained how ESD can be used for behavioural change and increase civic sense among the Indians in protecting rivers, soils and other elements of the natural environment. On that note of explanation, Dr Boojh reiterated the need to bring ESD into the mainstream school curriculum to increase awareness.
In answering another question, Dr Boojh described how ESD can be brought into practical learning and side by side be disseminated to other age groups, not just restricting to the younger generation. He expressed his contentment with the inclusion of ESD and SDGs in the New Education Policy (NEP) of India and its learner-centric approach.
Mr Boojh also discussed at length the efforts the government can undertake in promoting “green careers” at the undergraduate level. As has been the norm, the onus of sustainability and ensuring collective action is repeatedly put on individuals. The need to put a huge chunk of responsibility on the giant corporate bodies was highlighted by Dr Boojh.
Lastly, Dr Boojh elucidated in detail the specific SDGs that need to be prioritised to a greater extent as compared to other goals and how these can be incorporated into education for sustainable development. Before concluding the session, Dr Boojh made a few policy recommendations on how to integrate, incorporate and collaborate on ESD.
Acknowledgement: Anondeeta Chakraborty is a Research Intern at IMPRI.
Written by Mahima Kapoor