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LEBANON WATER WEEK FEBRUARY 2009

LEBANON WATER WEEK FEBRUARY 2009 . Role of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and of Higher Education in developing Water Culture . Prof. Michael Scoullos, University of Athens Chairman of GWP-Med, Chairman of MIO-ECSDE, Coordinator of MEdIES. Water in the Mediterranean.

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LEBANON WATER WEEK FEBRUARY 2009

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  1. LEBANON WATER WEEK FEBRUARY 2009 Role of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and of Higher Education in developing Water Culture Prof. Michael Scoullos, University of AthensChairman of GWP-Med, Chairman of MIO-ECSDE, Coordinator of MEdIES

  2. Water in the Mediterranean Water is one of the most valuable and vulnerable natural resources anywhere on earth, but this is especially true for the Mediterranean . Water shortage and the increased demand associated to uncontrolled development, intensive agriculture, mass tourism, overpopulation and overconsumption result in a complexity of interrelated problems affecting social, economic and natural aspects of everyday life. The climate change is expected to exacerbate the difficulties and complicate problems.

  3. Water Culture Follows the three levels of man’s attitude vis-a-vis nature and the environment: • Individual/utilitarian: water as prerequisite of health, personal pleasure and comfort; As a means for prosperity (use in agriculture, energy generation, manufacturing, etc.) • Sociocentric/utilitarian: Water as a social good and as part of the commons needed for social welfare and economic sustainability; Access to safe water as human right. • Ecocentric/idealistic: Water as nature’s indispensable part having intrinsic value; Water as perpetual source of inspiration and creativity.

  4. Water Culture: Water’s values & people’s attitudes; Educational perspectives • Realistic approach towards “water valuing”; the economic value of water being one of the important aspects among others. • Full understanding and implementation of IWRM. • Rational water use, including demand management. • Future perspectives to meet the demand with wise combinations of conventional and non-conventional resources.

  5. Water Culture: Water’s values & people’s attitudes;Educational perspectives • Potential of all types of Education – formal, non formal, informal, lifelong learning & adult/vocational, etc. – involving all related stakeholders – educational community, administrators, technocrats, civil society, media- to stimulate and develop the necessary water culture in order to reach consensus, in particular in view of the emerging climate change.

  6. Water as an integral part of the evolution of Environmental Education (EE) to Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) - Belgrade (1975) & Tbilisi (1977): Basic documents on EE emphasized the need to build knowledge, acquire skills and adopt values & attitudes which could protect the aquatic environment and water resources. ABOUT (knowledge), IN (in direct contact with), FOR (commitment in favour of) the aquatic environment and abate water pollution. - Moscow Congress on EE & Training (1987): more emphasis on water issues related to the gender issue, health, poverty & peace. Introduction of a series of “targeted” forms of education which all touch upon water problems i.e. Education for Development, Global Education, Education for Peace and Human Rights, Education for Women, Education for Citizenship, even, Water Education per se.

  7. Historical Background of EE-ESD • International Conference, Thessaloniki 1997 : Need to reorient education towards sustainable development. • In the light of WSSD several initiatives were launched demanding a stronger link between education and sustainable development (among them the ERA 21 Campaign and MEdIES by MIO-ECSDE & GWP-Med). • In WSSD (Johannesburg, 2002) a formal proposal for a Decade on Education for Sustainable Development was made, in parallel to the initiative to develop a European Strategy on ESD undertaken by UNECE and Member States.

  8. Current major initiatives for ESD • The UNECE Strategy on ESD Adopted in Lithuania, March 2005. Goal: to encourage the 56 developing and developed countries of the vast UNECE region (and beyond) to develop and incorporate ESD into their formal education systems, in all relevant subjects, as well as in non-formal and informal education and to serve as a flexible framework in order to be adapted to each country’s priorities, specific needs and circumstances. Plan of Implementation - Set of Indicators of the Strategy implementation - Set of educators competences (under development). Water is a central theme of the Strategy approached from many different angles. • The UN Decade on ESD (2005-2014) Goal: to promote education as the base for a sustainable society and the diffusion of principles of sustainable development in all forms of education -formal, non formal and informal- and in all educational systems (including adult education). The Decade seeks to integrate the values inherent in sustainable development into all aspects of learning to encourage behaviour changes that allow for a more sustainable and just society. Water is one of the central themes of the Decade.

  9. Sustainable Development The pillars of Sustainable Development The content of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)

  10. Water: a basic topic within the ESD • Sustainable management of water = key priority among the issues related to ESD. • Water as a cross-cutting topic serves as the appropriate “vehicle” to introduce the students to the entire cluster of sustainability concepts, principles & practices. • Relevant researches reveal that water issues are placed very high in the lists of environmental and sustainability concerns of young people. • Water issues are of common concern in the Mediterranean region, a fact also reflected in the majority of curricula of EE/ESD Programmes in all Mediterranean countries.

  11. The Mediterranean Education Initiative on Environment & Sustainability – MEdIES MEdIES= a Mediterranean Network for ESD with an initial thematic focus on Water and Waste, launched as a Type II Initiative on ESD during the WSSD (2002) by Greece, UNESCO, UNEP/MAP, MIO-ECSDE and GWP-Med. MEdIES Objectives: • To raise public awareness and provide education on topics related to sustainable development, starting with Water and waste, and later on, with consumption, cultural & biological diversity, food, protected areas, etc. • To facilitate networks on ESD and develop a methodological framework for such networks ( to be adapted in other regions).

  12. MEdIES Fields of Activity • Facilitate the communication and cooperation among schools, non - governmental (NGOs) and governmental organisations, institutions and educators (2200 individual e- members). • Promotes ICTs (Information & Communication Technologies) through its interactive webpage www.medies.net • Supports the educational community by means of Training Seminars, Workshops & Educational Materials

  13. “Water in the Mediterranean”MEdIES approach to water education • Developed by a group of educators from 7 Mediterranean countries: Secondary school teachers, University Professors, members of NGOs. • Produced in Arabic, English, Italian, French , Greek, Turkish, Croatian. • Since 2003, implemented by schools in Greece, Italy, Turkey, France, Morocco, Egypt, Lebanon, Tunisia, Croatia. • Available at WWW.MEDIES.NET

  14. Water in the Mediterranean- Contents Part I: THEORY • WATER on EARTH The origin of life; All life depends on water; Water’s distribution on earth; The hydrological cycle; Climate change; Water in traditions. • The MEDITERRANEAN Geographic setting; Geological characteristics & morphology; Climate & water circulation; Biological & chemical characteristics; Pollution. • USES & ABUSES Water consumption; Agricultural use of water; Water & industry; Domestic use of water; Water and health issues for humans and ecosystems; Tools & Methods to deal with water problems (Integrated Water Resources Management).

  15. Part II: ACTIVITIES (45) Section 2 Unique properties of water Section 9 Wetlands Section 8 Industry & Energy Section 1 Water always present Section 3 The water cycle Section 4 Ourdrinking water Section 7 Water,Soil & Agriculture Section 6 Water in our home Section 5 Water & Health

  16. The Network of Mediterranean Universities for Sustainable Development focusing on ESD • Launched in Athens, 18-19 November 2008, involving 18 Universities from Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina , Cyprus, Egypt , France, Greece Italy, Lebanon, Morocco, Slovenia, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey. • Aims to promote SD and the “whole institute approach” in the Mediterranean Universities and higher education institutions. • A Core Group is planning and going to implement a Mediterranean Master Course on ESD. • Water and its management will be a fundamental topic for the network.

  17. Water Education Multidisciplinarity -> Biological -> Chemical -> Physical -> Geological -> Social -> Economical -> Cultural Intradisciplinarity -> Biogeochemical -> Socioeconomic

  18. Water Education Hydrology Medicine Engineering Water Education Diplomacy Politics Natural Sciences Economics Arts Law & other …

  19. Perspectives • In the new world of the 21th century and the 3rd millennium many things will change at all levels of Education, including the Higher one. • Science and Engineering Schools will have to review thoroughly their curricula and adapt them to address creatively emerging challenges and their impacts on water resources, including climate change.

  20. Perspectives • Water governance and all its tools and methods need to be promoted in parallel to scientifical and technical aspects. Innovative approaches should be examined and promoted that could help in starting new policies related to water in all sectors such as agriculture, energy production, etc.

  21. Perspectives • Natural phenomena leading frequently to catastrophes, such a droughts and floods, is expected to increase the need to become central at all curricula. • Learning institutions need to elaborate programmes, train students and retrain civil servants, various professionals, and a wider circle of stakeholders on technical and mainly institutional solutions. Proper staff, should be properly equipped for robust institutions to address effectively, through adaptation, water related phenomena linked with uncertainty.

  22. Thank you for your attention!

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