Wednesday, July 25, 2007

U.S. Participation in the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development

Read "SUSTAINABILITY: Education for a Sustainable Future" by Debra Rowe in Science magazine, 20 July 2007. I quote:
After the United Nations declared a Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-14), a grassroots effort from higher education developed in the United States in the absence of a federal government response. The National Council for Science and the Environment hosted its annual conference in 2003 on Education for a Sustainable and Secure Future. Out of that meeting, the U.S. Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development was created to catalyze a U.S. response for this decade and beyond. This national network of over 300 organizations has sector teams in Faith, Business, Communities, Higher Education, K-12 schooling, and Youth. The U.S. Partnership convenes mainstream leaders and catalyzes their commitment to educating for a sustainable future. With impetus from multiple sources interested in sustainability, three major efforts emerged in the higher-education sector: the Higher Education Associations Sustainability Consortium (HEASC), the Disciplinary Associations Network for Sustainability (DANS), and the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). (Links added)
The article describes U.S. efforts in support of education for sustainable development in some detail.

California students working to save energy on campuses.
CREDIT: CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY AT CHICO via Science magazine.