FAO meeting on new learning
IUCN and Wageningen University organized a side event on New Learning and the World Conservation Learning Network during the FAO/Netherlands Conference on Water for Food and Ecosystems (The Hague 31 January - 4 February). The event was well received, with participants exchanging views on capacity development and discussing the relevance and need for a range of new learning opportunities for professionals in the food, water and ecosystem sectors. Useful feedback was provided, and good interest and support generated. Appointments have been made with government and international organization representatives to follow-up on the question of how this initiative could best be supported. To read the background paper on New Learning please click here.

Promotion WCLN at Geneva ESD meeting
The National forum on Education for Sustainable Development held at Geneva University Saturday January 29, was held to prepare for the Decade. Following a general introduction to the issues, discussions were held on universities, education of youth, professional development and media. The venue provided an opportunity to provide participants with information on the World Conservation Learning Network and CEC’s know how on communication and educational processes.

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Despite the fact that more than 170 countries have ratified the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity, and that the international community made a strong commitment at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (Johannesburg, South Africa, 2002) to reduce the loss of biodiversity significantly by the year 2010, many animal and plant species continue to be threatened with extinction. IUCN - The World Conservation Union estimates that more than 7,000 animal species are threatened while among plants the corresponding figure is nearer to 60,000. Biodiversity, however, encompasses not only living species but the gamut of ecosystems they form.

The conference emphasized taking stock of the scientific knowledge and how to make it available to all stakeholders, especially to decision makers. This theme was taken up in a workshop on education and communication, where lessons from case studies from different parts of the world were shared. Over 120 people attended the session, with an audience of students, university staff, governments and NGOs.

Wendy Goldstein from IUCN presented in the education and communication workshop on lessons from IUCN's Commission on Education and Communication about how to improve the way in which communication, education and public awareness is undertaken. Drawing on lessons from a June 2004 meeting held in Valsain, organized by Susana Calvo and the Ministry of Environment, Spain, and CEC members, she pointed to evidence that education programs are not being directed to working with the right people who can influence conservation results, to managing expectations of stakeholders and changing the way conservation organizations carry out their work, (see new publications). Drawing on these, and lessons in capacity building for communication, she pointed to the tools and means IUCN has used to share this knowledge. In particular she presented the World Conservation Learning Network as a means to contribute to developing capacity for professionals in development sectors to take on board biodiversity issues in their work.

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UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development
Launch of the Decade
February 2, 2005: The United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development will be officially launched on March 1, 2005 in New York. The UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and UNESCO's Koïchiro Matsuura will be present at the ceremony. In addition to the international launch, a series of regional and national launches of the Decade will take place during the course of 2005.

UNESCO-ESD webpage

Ahmedabad Declaration
An International Conference on Education for a Sustainable Future held in Ahmedabad, India, January 18-20, 2005 drew a lively crowd of some 800 participants and the opportunity to discourse on education for sustainable livelihoods, cleaner solutions, education for biodiversity, oceans, and so forth. A Declaration developed from contributions on the “declaration wall” was released at www.ceeindia.org/esf

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New CEC Publications
At the IUCN Congress; CEC made available 3 new publications, all are on the CEC website www.iucn.org/cec under Resources (CEC books) or are available in hard copy on request at cec@iucn.org.

Tilbury, Daniella and Wortman, David, (2004) Engaging people in sustainability, IUCN Commission on Education and Communication x. p137 ISBN 2-8317-0823-0
Based on lessons from a CEC organized workshop, with Japan Environmental Education Forum and Greencom support at the WSSD workshop in the IUCN Environment Centre, (August 2002) the book outlines the theory and practice of ESD in terms of imagining a better future, critical thinking and reflection, participation in decision making , partnerships and systemic thinking. The book can be downloaded here.

Hamu, D, Auchincloss, A. Goldstein, W. (eds) (2004) Communicating Protected Areas, IUCN Commission on Education and Communication xiv.+ p.312
ISBN: 2-8317- 0822-2
This publication largely draws on the CEC organized workshop at the Vth Parks Congress in Durban, 2003 on communication and protected areas and shares examples of government and NGO communication work and lessons. It points to a need to professionalize communication for protected areas.
To download this large book chapter by chapter click here.

Marin Mehers, G. Calvo, S. Auchincloss, A, Goldstein, W. (eds) (2004) Achieving Environmental Objectives – The role and value of communication, education, participation, awareness (CEPA) in Conventions and Agreements in Europe, x+122p
ISBN 2-8317- 0843-5
This book explains the various environmental Conventions and Agreements, global and European and the role of communication, education, participation and awareness CEPA in those agreements. Cases studies are examined to draw out the tipping point during which change occurred as a result of the education and communication program. Overall lessons drawn out in the workshop are described in a concluding chapter.
To download this book by chapters, click here.

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IUCN calls for CEC Volunteers in the Tsunami aftermath

We hope that many CEC members are willing to assist short term and longer term support to the environmental and sustainable livelihoods restoration in the Tsunami affected region.
IUCN has a substantial programme of work operating in tsunami-affected communities and areas in Sri Lanka and Thailand. It will work to ensure that environmental issues are considered within ongoing relief and rehabilitation efforts.

In both Thailand and Sri Lanka, IUCN urgently needs technical people that can participate in the massive assessment and rehabilitation effort that will be required as well as people that can link the global assistance community with implementers in the field. To fulfill these roles IUCN will seek financial support to recruit temporary staff from within the region and further a field as well as seek secondments and volunteers from within the Union’s membership and from partners

Building awareness of needs to include ecosystem restoration as an essential component of overall reconstruction will be key to this, as will the development and dissemination (with appropriate training) of guidelines on mitigating and dealing with environmental issues in the relief and rehabilitation process. This work must be started soon as many decisions are being made as we write.

Capacity can also be built through direct sharing of experiences and expertise and the World Commission for Protected Areas is taking the lead with a protected areas twinning project to provide protected areas affected by the tsunami with specific management advice and assistance.

The IUCN Secretariat has formed a Tsunami Task Force and is interested to learn of CEC members with expertise in knowledge management, communication, education and capacity development to support ecological restoration. If you are interested in contributing your expertise, whether in a volunteer or consultancy capacity, please contact cec@iucn.org.

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To see CEC NEWS December 2003 click here.