Implementation of AMCEN Decision 6: from eLA 2008 to eLA 2009 -

1. 4th International Conference on ICT for Development, Education and Training UNEP Pre-Conference Seminar; 27 May 2009; Dakar, Senegal Technology-Supported Learning for Environmental Education Implementation of AMCEN Decision 6: from eLA 2008 to eLA 2009 - Current progress and proposed actions Gerard Cunningham and Maria Eugenia Arreola Capacity Development Branch (CDB) Division of Early Warning and Assessment (DEWA) United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

2. Sub-regions of Africa

3. Why are we meeting in Dakar? AMCEN-12 adopted Decision 6: Environmental education (EE) and technology supported learning (TSL). Implementation has started but much remains to be done 2009-12. Dakar seminar is an opportunity to brainstorm; set targets; make recommendations; agree roles and responsibilities; etc Establish African Environmental eLearning Network. Africa Ministerial Conference on the Environment – 12th session (AMCEN-12) Johannesburg: 7-12 June 2008 Presidency – South Africa Next presidency (2010) - Mali

4. African Environmental eLearning Network • Many issues to consider • across several sub-regions: • Cultural differences • Digital divide (ICT) • Political groupings (AU, COMESA,SADC, ECOWAS, EAC, CPLP, Arab League, etc) • Languages (Arabic, English, French, Portuguese) • Sub-regional and national nodes of network (who to work with?) • Capacity development needs

5. 2008: eLA-3 Accra, Ghana May 28, 2008: UNEP Pre-conference seminar on Mainstreaming eLearning for Environment, at the 3rd International Conference on ICT for Development, Education and Training (eLearning Africa 3, Accra Ghana). Working paper and draft decision on EE and TSL presented by UNEP and other stakeholders Chair’s summary and amended decision carried forward to Working Group II of AMCEN-12 (7-9 June) Further amendments to draft decision prior to adoption by ministers at AMCEN-12 Johannesburg AMCEN-12 Declaration (by ministers) also had reference to EE and TSL (www.unep.org/amcen)

6. Expected outcomes of 2009 UNEP seminar Agreement on function and structure of the African Environmental eLearning Network Identification of capacity development needs to support the establishment and operation of the network Resource mobilization strategy to support the network North-South and South-South collaboration to support the network Action plan on implementation of Decision 6 of AMCEN-12 for 2009-2010 Promote/strengthen ICT for Development programmes in African universities

7. Expected outputs of 2009 UNEP seminar Set of action-oriented recommendations to establish the African Environmental eLearning Network (see working paper for seminar: Implementation of Decision 6 of AMCEN-12 - current progress and proposed actions) List of volunteer countries that will develop and implement pilot action plans for EE and TSL List of regional and sub-regional hubs to launch the first phase of the network Chair’s summary of seminar (encompassing a final set of action-oriented recommendations and defined roles and responsibilities of network centres and hubs)

8. Decision 6 Opportunities Strengthen inter-ministerial and inter-sectoral cooperation within countries (environment - education – health - etc.) Enhance delivery and outreach of EE and ESD programmes through use of TSL. Increase level of technological awareness (eLearning tools, Web 2.0 technologies, etc). Strengthen N-S and S-S cooperation – establish the African Environmental eLearning Network to share expertise, content and best practice. • Strengthen national strategies in areas of EE, ESD and TSL (and develop action plans). • Strengthen institutional & individual capacities of environmental authorities and other environmental entities.

9. Benefits for environmental authorities Environmental information becomes more readily available. Greater outreach of EE/ESD programmes. Enhanced networking and participatory exchange on environmental issues worldwide. Cost savings by enabling trainees/users to learn from where they live or work. • Facilitates cross-cultural communication and networking • Increased know-how of different technological tools available. • Staff capacity of environmental ministries and protection agencies in Africa is built thus assisting in the advancement of the institutional agenda and work programme.

10. What have we achieved? Since the adoption of AMCEN Decision 6 in June 2008, a good deal of progress has been made on its implementation. 3 main areas of achievement: Training programme Partnerships and networking Pan-African survey.

11. Achievements – training programme First “eLearning in Practice” (eLIP) course for environmental institutions in East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda) in April 2008. Organised by UNEP in cooperation with InWEnt (Capacity Building International) and its partner organisations NOLNet and KeLC. Second eLIP course for environmental institutions in (mainly anglophone) West Africa in Accra, Ghana; 26-27 May, 2008. Organised by UNEP in cooperation with Environmental Protection Agency of Ghana (EPA) with tutor support from InWEnt and facilitators from NOLNet, KeLC and UNEP. Participants from Cameroon, Gambia, Ghana (many institutions), Nigeria and Togo (also included Botswana and Ethiopia). Third eLIP course for environmental institutions in Senegal held in Dakar; 25-26 May, 2009. Organised by UNEP in cooperation with Centre Suivi Ecologique of Senegal (CSE) with tutor support from InWEnt and facilitators from NOLNet, KeLC and UNEP.

12. DEWA/CDB has been supporting the work of the Kenyan eLearning Center (KeLC). 4 April 2009, the Executive Director of UNEP signed a framework agreement with the Director-General of UNESCO. One area of collaboration is education, awareness-raising and training. An operative paragraph on eLearning has been included. 27 May 2009, UNEP Pre-conference seminar on Technology Supported Learning for Environmental Education at the 4th International Conference on ICT for Development, Education and Training (eLearning Africa-4) Dakar, Senegal. Achievements – partnerships & networking • UNEP Governing Council (16-20 Feb 2009) adopted decision 16 (Support to Africa in Environmental Management and Protection) with action item on EE and TSL • 29 May 2009, eLearning Africa-4 has, for the first time, a specialized track on Mainstreaming eLearning for the Environment and Sustainable Development.

13. Sub-regions of Africa

14. Achievements - Pan-Africa survey on environmental education (EE) and technology-supported learning (TSL) • Conducted Feb-May 2009 by UNEP and Common Sense consultancy in response to Para (a)(i) of Decision 6. • Objective - to assess the current status of environmental education and technology supported learning within African institutions working in the areas of environmental protection and sustainable development. • Online questionnaire (on EE and TSL) • Available in English and French. • Viewed 2380 times. • 550 complete responses received from 45 countries: • 370 responses in English and 180 in French. • Results will be presented in afternoon session of pre-conference seminar (presentation by Arndt Bubenzer, Managing Director, common sense | eLearning & training consultants GmbH).

15. Proposed future actions 4 main areas: Environmental education Technology supported learning Partnerships Reporting to AMCEN Other?

16. A. PROPOSED ACTIONS (Environmental education) Proposed actions: A.1 A strategy to mainstreaming environmental education for sustainable development and Education for Sustainable Consumption (ESC). A.2 Mainstreaming toolkit on Education for Sustainable Development in Higher Education Institutions involved in training teachers. A.3 Environmental Management Courses for Africa (targeted at policy makers). A.4 Training courses on the thematic areas for select MESA university professors and students. A.5 Encourage organizations working in the area of environment and sustainable development to participate in environmental education networks

17. B. PROPOSED ACTIONS (Technology supported learning) Proposed actions: B.1 Identify at least 15 volunteer AMCEN member states, taking into account geographic and linguistic balance, and develop a set of 1-2 year action plans for technology-supported learning (including eLearning) in these volunteer countries. B.2 Identify institutions that can act as national eLearning centres and sub-regional network hubs in the following sub-regions - East, West, Central, Northern, Southern Africa and West Indian Ocean Islands. B.3 Adopt the multi-sectoral network model for sub-regional eLearning centres. B.4 Identify coordinating hub for the African Environmental eLearning Network.

18. Functions of an eLearning Centre

19. C. PROPOSED ACTIONS (Partnerships) • Proposed actions: • C.1 Strengthen the UNEP-UNESCO partnership • C.2 Strengthen the UNEP-InWEnt-NOLNet-KeLC partnership and build capacities at the national level on basic eLearning skills taking into consideration regional and linguistic needs • “eLearning in Practice (eLIP)” training courses for environmental institutions • “eLearning Development and Implementation (eLDI) training course for eLearning managers C.3 Strengthen the UNEP-ICWE partnership C.4 Identify other strategic partnerships, both North-South and South-South, that can contribute to the implementation of Decision 6

20. D. PROPOSED ACTIONS (Reporting to AMCEN) Proposed actions: D.1 UNEP to compile interim report on Decision-6 for AMCEN-13 with inputs provided by sub-regional coordinating hubs AMCEN-13 Bamako, Mali June 2010

21. Other possible actions Network website Marketing and outreach (targeting the survey respondents) Resource mobilization (UNEP project proposal for funding consideration but countries also have opportunity to access funds) ToR for national centres and regional hubs ???

22. Conclusion The actions proposed in Section 3 above are not only tentative but a non-exhaustive list. The meeting may decide to amend or add to the existing list. In any event, it is proposed that the meeting adopts a set of recommendations based on an agreed list of actions under the following four headings: A. PROPOSED ACTIONS (Environmental education): B. PROPOSED ACTIONS (Technology supported learning): C. PROPOSED ACTIONS (Partnerships) D. PROPOSED ACTIONS (Reporting to AMCEN) This set of recommendations will constitute a major part of the Chair’s summary of the meeting and will provide further direction on the implementation of Decision 6 in 2009 and 2010.

23. Acknowledgements External: Arndt Bubenzer, Managing Director common sense | eLearning & training consultants GmbH Astrid Holzhauser, eLearning consultant common sense | eLearning & training consultants GmbH Andreas Hörfurter, eLearning consultant common sense | eLearning & training consultants GmbH Andrew Gakiria, Director, Kenyan eLearning Center Catherine Margaret Amiss, NOLNet Coordinator, University of Namibia UNEP: Akpezi Ogbuigwe, Head, Environmental Education and Training Unit (EETU) Division of Environmental Policy Implementation (DEPI), UNEP Eddah Kaguthi, EETU, DEPI, UNEP Damaris Kinyoki ICT/eLearning consultant, Division of Early Warning & Assessment (DEWA), UNEP Roshni Peshavaria, ICT/eLearning consultant, DEWA, UNEP Maria Eugenia Arreola, eLearning Manager, DEWA, UNEP Gerard Cunningham, Head, Partnerships Section, DEWA, UNEP

24. Merci! Thank you! Mariaeugenia.Arreola@unep.org Gerard.Cunningham@unep.org Capacity Development Branch (CDB) Division of Early Warning and Assessment (DEWA) United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)