Environmental Education for Sustainable Development: History and challenges in Taiwan

1. Environmental Education for Sustainable Development: History and challenges in Taiwan Shin-Cheng Yeh, Ph.D. Deputy Minister, Environmental Protection Administration Professor, Graduate Institute of Environmental Education, National Taiwan Normal University Taiwan

2. What is Environmental Education? Recycling? Campus landscape? What else?

3. History of Environmental Education Legislation in Taiwan

4. Definition of Environmental Education in the EEA • A civil educational process through which the citizens can understand the ethical relationships between the human beings and the environment, and establish the knowledge, attitude, skills, and value toward environmental protection so that they can take action to support sustainable development.

5. STAGES OF EED DEVELOPMENT IN TAIWAN

6. Stage 1: Initiation 1987~2001 • 1987, the EPA Taiwan was established • 1990, the Environmental Protection Division of the Ministry of Education was established • 1993~1997, EE Centers were established in several educational universities • 1993, the Graduate Institutes of Environmental Education at National Taiwan Normal University was established • 1994~2001, other GIEE’s were established other 5 universities.

7. Stage 2: Growth 2001~2007 • The GIEE’s kept growing • The Sustainable Campus Project of MOE was lunched. Elementary and high schools promoted EEd. • Environmental safety and Health was promoted in colleges and universities. • NGO’s became EEd promoters and practioners. • EEd concepts and practices were incorporated into CSR.

8. Stage 3: Transition 2007~2010 • The GIEE’s in several universities were merged into other institutes. • Legislation of EEd caught more and more attentions. • Campus sustainability was emphasized • Incorporation of EEd into CSR became the main stream.

9. Stage 4: Re-construction Now! • The EEA was promulgated and enforced. • The public sectors and schools tried to abide by the regulations of the EEA. • The private sectors tried to find the potential opportunities. • The EE certification system started working • Problems aroused in many aspects • Diagnosis and reconstruction is needed.

10. EEA in the world • USA: 1970~1981, became active again since1990 • Japan: The Environmental Protection and Education Promotion Act, 2003 • Brazil: 1999 • The Philippines: The Environmental Awareness and Education Act, 2008 • Korea: Environmental Education Promotion Act, 2008

11. Special features of the EEA of Taiwan • All government officials and school students, staff, and teachers are required to practice EEd for at least 4 hour annually. • Violators of environmental laws and regulations are obligated to attend EEd classes. • EEd funds were legislated in the central and local government for supporting EEd activities.

12. EEd Certification System • Persons (EEP) • An EEP can be certificated through one of the six approaches: education, experience, expertise, recommendation, examination, training • Facilities and places (EEFP): • Each EEFP is required to hire at least one certified EEd person. • Institutes (EEI) • A certificated EE Institute can offer classed for EEP certification and other courses required by the EEA.

13. Specialized areas of an EEP • School and social environmental education • Climate change • Disaster prevention and mitigation • Natural conservation • Pollution control • Environmental and resource management • Cultural conservation • Community participation integrated interdisciplinary professional diversified

14. EEPF’s in Taiwan • 15 EEPF’s were certificated in the first year. • These EEPF’s are public and belong to different authorities in the central and local levels.

15. Features of the EEPF’s • Forests and natural resources play a very important role. • They are managed by the Forest Bureau, Agricultural Council and several local governments. • Site-oriented educational materials were developed • More visitors are expected.

16. Taipei Water Park (North)

17. Special species Conservation Center, Agricultural Council (Central)

18. Chouzai Wetland Park (South)

19. Tzinan Nature Center (East)

20. EEd in 2011, by activity pattern

21. EEd in 2011, by the specialized area

22. The “EEd formula” for linking people in different areas • KEECS(K1): knowledge of environment, ecology, culture, and sustainability • KCEIA(K2): knowledge of communication, education, interpretation, and audience • AS: appropriate strategies • EEdO: environmental education opportunities (KEECS+KCEIA)AS=EEdO

23. What does this formula tell us? • We need knowledge in multiple areas • Science is the base for environmental education • Without appropriate strategies, the educational opportunities would be zero! (K1+K2)AS=EEdO

24. Issues of EEA in Taiwan • A common point of view is needed for real communication… What is environmental education? • The certification mechanisms are too complex and tend to discourage people interested in EEd. • Many governmental officials treated EEd activities as an extra job… sustainability is still not a crucial part in their professions. • Business models need to be built to create “green jobs” related to EEd.

25. Vision • All education is environmental education… More people in more fields get involved. • Government officials accept EEd as a must in their training and educational activities. • More EEd materials are developed with local characteristics. • Certification systems operate smoothly. • Successful business models and “green jobs” become real. • EEd is a part of daily life.