Latest report on Education for Sustainable Development in the UK 2010
The report provides an important update to 'ESD in the UK in 2008: A Survey of Action'. It reports on the status of ESD in the UK up to the end of April 2010. It itemises recent ESD activity across the UK’s four jurisdictions and offers an initial analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of current ESD provision. As such, it provides a general overview of new and continued activity in key areas in UK ESD, including noteworthy policy changes and signifcant events and achievements, and new research and literature. The report is not an exhaustive account of current UK ESD activity, nor does it attempt to focus in detail on work in particular parts of the UK. Rather, its purpose is to provide a broad view of key drivers that can inform ongoing research about UK progress on ESD and in the DESD.
During the period that this report covers there has been a wide range of sustainability- focused interventions within civil society by government, businesses, trade unions, academia, third sector organisations and professional groups. Each group has been focusing, for example, on changes in policy and regulation, in areas such as carbon reduction, in the use of fair trade products, recycling, etc., and it seems reasonable to suppose that many will have learned a great deal about sustainability and its promotion. However, not all such initiatives feature in this report as only those where there is an intended educational component or focus are included here.
It is just over half-way through the DESD, an important moment at which to set out such an analysis, and the ESD Co-ordinating Group (a Working Group of the Education Committee of the UK National Commission for UNESCO), is encouraging a wide consideration and extensive use of the report. Responses will be collated and analysed, outcomes will be shared across sectors and the information will inform our future work.
Written: 07/09/2010 , last modified: 07/09/2010
ESD 2010 Report cover