Workshop Partner

Participants

Vinod Raina (VR), Jack Santa Barbara (JS), R. Rajamani (RR), Dipti Raju (D), Maria (M), Anji (A), Lalit Pandey (LP), TV Murali Vallabham (MV), Anitha S (AS),Surein Peiris (SP), Daphne de Rebello (DR)

The concept of sustainable development (SD) is more than just development agenda. The term sustainability is often used to indicate availability and use of physical resources. This is a mechanistic view of SD. What follows from that is the search for technological solutions to the problem of resource shortage. This is very limiting.

The concept of SD should view natural resources not only in terms of their physical form but in terms of the relationships among people, land, water, forest etc. And a relationship goes beyond the material; it encompasses the cultural and spiritual aspects of human existence. There are different ways of looking at or relating to natural resources. Should sustainability be calculated only on the basis of resource use and in terms of injury to nature? SD, therefore, cannot be achieved by an exercise in resource planning.

Nature cannot be seen just as an aggregation of resources to be used. We should respect nature and others not just as resources. That is a fundamental value in SD. SD means sustaining the life support system which is much more than just the physical resources. Non-material values are very important, and respect for the life support system is an extremely important value

Perception of the environment varies over different perspectives. What are the universal notions and what are culture-specific notions of values directly affecting human interface with the environment? There are values which are over and above resource use and yet affect SD. Equality/equity, for instance, is a value without adherence to which there cannot be social and political sustainability.

Happiness only partly depends on material resources. Beyond a certain minimum material possession and consumption human well-being is influenced more by human relations, satisfying social interactions, etc. than acquisition and consumption of material goods and services. This is easier and appropriate when one has reached that material level of sufficiency.

  The value system has changed over a period of time. The definition of progress has moved from only economic development to that with justice and social development. Now we are talking about sustainable development which has a strong element of ethical considerations besides the environment. A shift in measurement of progress has taken place from GDP to Human Development Index and now to Human Happiness Index.

However, both the developed countries and the developing countries are adversely impacting the environment: the former with their over-consumption and the latter with their overpopulation.

Though different indices couched in fashionable language are being used the primacy of the economic growth index has not been given up. In fact high economic growth rate will increase all these other new indices, which results in a devious problem.

If a person lives his/her values he/she becomes an outcast as SD values are contrary to many local norms as well as values inherent in these indices. Some socially accepted norms are leading to conflicts and degradation of the environment.

Non-economic values must be integrated with economic values. Respect for the life support systems is a more basic value than social values in that ecological sustainability is necessary for social justice.

Values are inherent in the concept of SD. While there should be certain universally accepted values promoting SD, values are sensitive to cultural nuances which have to be respected. Just as there is no universal model of ESD there can be no universal model of ESD values. When certain local values run counter to ecological realities, the decision to change/replace them has to come from the community. This is through information sharing, awareness raising and through learning that promotes critical thinking, participatory decision-making.

ESD is not a separate subject. Like gender issues it is a cross-cutting theme which has to be integrated into as many subjects as possible. Therefore, there should not be a separate subject on values education for SD. This places a heavy responsibility on teachers and facilitators in all forms of education and at all levels. Therefore, it should become a strong component in teacher education programmers.

Promotion of values in non-formal settings is more difficult –home, social setup, the community. Values which are not supported by the society cannot be taught in a school setting. Therefore, community involvement in ESD is essential both in content determination and presentation.

While the UNESCO document does talk of sustainable patterns of production and consumption some more emphasis on SD-related values in developed countries is required in the document. They have choices while many people in developing countries do not. When natural disasters occur which may be the result of certain behaviour patterns/actions in the North it is frequently the poorer counties which bear the brunt and do not have the resources to improve their situations.

ESD should promote

1. Shared values within the community. These values should be compatible with sub national and national values promoting SD.
2. Community involvement in determing content of ESD
3. Commonly accepted values for ESD at regional and international levels
4. Emphasis on life skills education

In the document the urgency of the survival problems is missing. Also, fairness in sharing resources is not emphasized enough, and the global perspective in social justice – justice across nations – is missing.

The 3 areas – society, environment, economy – are shown as separate pillars in the UNESCO document. They should have been treated as interrelated intersecting circles as under:

In terms of decision-making economic activities must be limited by social values of justice and both must be limited by biophysical limits of life support systems. SD model that does not challenge the primacy of economic decision-making cannot succeed.

2/16/2005

We should be prepared to say there will be conflicts in values, in strategies. Local and global values will conflict. Education should empower communities to decide the result of the conflict. Education should empower communities to negotiate the content of values.

Education for sustainable development directed at the national as well as the global decision-makers should be a priority.

The prevailing unsustainable values of the current economic system are supported by other structures and institutions in the society such as the media. The unsustainability values are so powerfully projected that sustainability values appear to have little chance of succeeding.

The present value system clearly indicates that the expert knows, the common man does not. The man knows, the woman does not. The non-tribal knows, the tribal does not. Engagement in dialogue is necessary to change this. Values must emerge from dialogue.

Teachers from a community should he empowered to bring in their ideas; books kill their local wisdom. Participation of teachers and community in designing curriculum is necessary. But that can happen in a state-controlled education system only if a decision to that effect comes from above. Communities should also be empowered to discuss and reflect on the system in which they live so that they can challenge that system. That is the essence of ESD. Education should address the challenges and conflicts arising out of sustainability values.

Challenging the present governance system which is dominated by economic priorities, and the precautionary principles and how to deal with conflicts are important points that determine sustainability values.

Scientists and technocrats need to be educated about the need for studying the long term effects of their work on the ecosystem. Holistic thinking is necessary in science studies for the scientists and technologists to understand the effects of work in their specialized field.

Basic thrusts in education promote certain values. While human rights are being emphasised all around the rights of other life forms are rarely mentioned. Respect for them is equally important.

School children form a very important group for ESD. But the present methods of teaching and learning do not promote values. So after schooling there is a tremendous line loss. Value education should be for life, through life and throughout life.

The judiciary – the courts, the lawyers – can both be part of SD and also of unsustainability. Education should start from the top because that is where it is most needed and can make a big difference for SD.

Traditional values and practices should be incorporated in school studies. Traditional knowledge should be given their deserved legitimacy. Change in the behaviour and attitude should not relate to only communities; this is more relevant at the top.

Problems created by money and corruption will have to be squarely faced. It is not as if only developing countries have these problems. Developed countries, too, have corruption. In partnership and networking – e.g. in compiling state of the world's environment report – grass roots level community consultation and partnership should be considered equally important.

Sustainability values should permeate the entire system. Counter values are very powerfully promoted by the media. In the face of this sustainability values become pointless.

Sustainable development values are not only applicable to the environment but also to social, political and economic systems. Currently, the dominant paradigm of economic growth is contrary to these values of protecting life support systems and social justice.

Cultural globalization is impacting local cultures enormously. This includes consumerism. ESD should engage in the complex new situations that arise from the global interactions.

ESD is a process to start a debate on sustainable development and the values for them.

Click here to view the concept paper that formed the basis for the workshop discussions...