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  Conservation and Sustainable Use of Terrestrial and Marine Ecosystems.

 

Workshop Partner

 
Working Group discussing SDG 14 ‘Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development’ and SDG 15 ‘Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss’

 

Background: 
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 14 and 15 aim at ‘conservation and sustainable use of the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development’ and ‘protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss’. The goals set a series of ambitious targets to ensure protection and sustainable use of natural ecosystems by 2030. 

The SDGs recognize education as one of the key drivers for achieving these targets as outlined in target 4.7 of Goal 4, “by 2030 ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development’. 

It is important to address the challenges, shortcomings and opportunities of using education as a tool across a range of stakeholders in conservation and use of natural ecosystems.

Aim of the Workshop: 
The workshop deliberated about key educational issues, challenges and opportunities for addressing the specific targets outlined under SDG 14 & 15 and look at GAP Priority Action Areas as a strategy within this framework. It facilitated viewpoints about Education - particularly its perspective, content and process to be relevant to people’s lives, to the stakeholders living along natural ecosystems, and those utilizing and managing the ecosystem resources.

Objectives:

  • To identify key areas/stakeholders where there is a need to address the ESD strategy.
  • To share experiences and learnings from initiatives undertaken by various institutions, governments, individuals and communities.
  • To discuss strategies under each identified key area along with identifying the facilitators/implementers of these strategies.

Outcome:

  • To come up with recommendations for governments and other important players like education and research institutions.
  • To highlight successful ESD strategies that can be used as models.

 

CEE Focal Points: Abdhesh Gangwar, Shriji Kurup, Sujeet Dongre, Kedar Champhekar .

[email protected], [email protected] , [email protected], [email protected]

 

Workshop Sessions

Date & Time

Session Title

Session Detail

11.01.2016

Working Session - I
14:30 – 16:00 hrs
(1.5 hrs)

Setting the Tone

Making Education relevant for Ecosystem Conservation and Sustainable Use

This session aims to introduce the SDGs and broadly seek viewpoints and identify what role Education can play in conservation and sustainable use of terrestrial and marine ecosystems.
Key topics:

  • Introduce to participants what constitutes terrestrial and marine ecosystems, the broad issues of their conservation and sustainable use and what are the SDG targets.
  • Can the current trend in the degradation of ecosystems be attributable to failure or ineffectiveness of “educational inputs” to influence human behaviour? What is the role of education in achieving the SDGs – what education can and cannot achieve.
  • Who are key stakeholders who need to be influenced through an educational process/approach in order to ensure sustainable management of coastal/marine and terrestrial ecosystems?
  • What are the different points to be considered in ESD strategies for achieving the SDG targets? (E.g. content, media and methodology, resources, participation and partnerships, gender, etc.)

Workshop Inauguration: Mr. Punamchand Parmar, Principal Secretary, Forests and Environment Department, Govt. of Gujarat.
Chair: Dr. Bharat Pathak, Director, Gujarat Ecological Education and Research (GEER) Foundation;
Key Discussants: Dr. Aaron Lobo, Advisor, GIZ, New Delhi, Dr. Abdhesh Gangwar, Programme Director, CEE Himalaya.
Prof. Byeong Dae Choi, Gyeongsang University, Tongyeong, Republic of Korea

Working  Session - II
16:30 – 17:30 hrs

(1 hr)

Engaging Children
  • Why ESD for children is important in the context of this SDG?
  • What are the formal and informal education strategies for influencing children to develop a positive attitude and take action towards the given SDG targets?
  • Share some examples and case studies of successful (and unsuccessful) ESD strategies for children under this SDG.
  • Come up with some broad ESD recommendations for influencing children under the given SDG.

 

Chair: Dr. (Mrs.) Priti G Adani, Chairperson, Adani Foundation
Key Discussants: Ms. Karena Menzie, Lecturer, School of Education and the Arts, Central Queensland University; Ms. Vineeta Hoon, Managing Trustee, Centre for Action Research on Environment, Science and Society; Ms. Nirupama Kapoor, Principal, Aditya Birla Public School, Bharuch; Ms. Meena Nareshwar, Sr. Programme Coordinator, Zoo Education and Interpretation, CEE
Mr. Parashuram Sharma Nairula, CEE Nepal

12.01.2016

Working Session - III
11:15 – 13:15 hrs

(2 hrs)

Engaging Youth
  • Why is ESD for youth important in the context of the given SDGs?
  • What are the strategies to bring about an attitude change in youth and to encourage them to take action towards the ESD targets?
  • Share some examples and case studies of successful (and unsuccessful) ESD strategies for youth under this SDG.
  • Come up with some broad ESD recommendations for influencing youth under the given SDG.

 

Chairs: Dr. Mahesh Pradhan, UNEP
Mr. Juan Carlos, Associate Professor, University of Veracruz, Mexico
Key Discussants: Dr. Alpana Shukla, HoD, Botany Dept. M.G. Science Institute, Ahmedabad; Ms. Vidya Todankar, Conservation Education Centre, BNHS, Mumbai; Mr. Sujeetkumar M. Dongre, Programme Coordinator, CEE Goa;
Mr. Utsav Maden, ICIMOD

Working Session - IV
14:30 – 16:00 hrs

(1.5 hrs)

ESD for ecosystem managers (Government officials and policy makers) for enhancing their capacities and influence policy to achieve given SDG targets.  

 
  • What are the strategies to build capacities/competencies required of those who are in a position as managers and engaged in decision making and implementation for ecosystem conservation so that they are more effectively able to work towards the given SDG targets

 

  • What are the ESD strategies required to influence policy towards better achievement of the given SDG targets.
  • Share some examples and case studies of successful (and unsuccessful) ESD strategies under this SDG.

 

  • Come up with some broad ESD recommendations for influencing youth under the given SDG.

Chair: Dr. C N Pandey, Ex Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Gujarat
Key Discussants:
Mr. Rahul Goswami, Consultant to UNESCO Asia-Pacific;
Dr. S. Faizi, Chairperson, CBD Alliance
Dr. Shriji Kurup, Programme Coordinator, CEE

13.01.2016

Working Session - V
09:30 - 10:45 hrs

(1 hr)

Strategies for communities (rural and urban) & strategies for building capacities/competencies in civil society organisations. 

  • What are the roles communities can play in achieving the said SDG targets and why is community support important.
  • What are the ESD strategies for resolving conflicts, garnering community support and encouraging community action towards achievement of the given SDGs?
  • What are the strategies to build capacities in civil society organisations in being effective facilitators/educators/mobilizers of ESD under the given SDG?
  • Share successful (and unsuccessful) examples.
  • Come up with broad recommendations of ESD strategies for communities and civil society organisation under the given SDG.

 

Chair: Mr. Kiran Desai: Sr. Programme Director, CEE, Ahmedabad.

Dr. Maharaj Vijay Reddy, Deputy HoD for Marketing, Enterprise and Tourism, Lord Ashcroft International
Business School, Anglia Ruskin University

Dr. Seema Kulshreshtha, Head, Dept. of Zoology, Govt. Shakambhar P. G. College, Sambhar Lake, Jaipur, Rajasthan

Key Discussants: Ms. Vineeta Hoon, Managing Trustee, Centre for Action Research on Environment, Science and Society; Dr. Unnikrishnan, UNU-IAS.
Mr. Sanjay Wardkar, SANGAM, Malwan

Working Session - VI
11:15 - 13:15 hrs

(2 hrs)

Summary and recommendation

...continuing some discussion from session V (if required) and arriving at overall Recommendations from the Workshop.

Chair: Dr. Bharat Pathak, Director, GEER Foundation
Key Discussants: Dr. Maharaj Vijay Reddy, Deputy HoD for Marketing, Enterprise and Tourism, Lord Ashcroft International Business School, Anglia Ruskin University; Mr. Kedar Champhekar, CEE

 

Total 9 hours over 3 days