Sustainable development

Homepage > Sustainable Development > Sustainable Development Education Panel

Section navigation

Sustainable Development Index
Site navigation:
Up - section index

Sustainable Development Education Panel

First Annual Report 1998

Recommendations

  1. In the previous chapter are the outcomes we want to see in a little over ten years time. If we are to deliver these we need to start making progress now. The following are therefore the recommendations that we believe will start to do that:

    Central Government

  2. We want Government and the agencies and bodies that it funds and sponsors to adopt and implement a centrally co-ordinated, long-term strategy for the provision of public education about sustainable development on the basis of advice from our Panel. We also want Government to use its influence to motivate the bodies we are challenging below, to act. As part of this, we want all Government papers and reports dealing with Sustainable Development to contain a section on education.

    Local Government

  3. Local authorities already do much to promote education for sustainable development through initiatives such as Local Agenda 21. We make the following recommendations:

    1. That Government endorse the work undertaken by the Local Government Management Board on integrating sustainable development into Best Value and that the sustainable development aspects of Best Value be monitored and evaluated by the Local Government Management Board.

    2. That Government implement the duty proposed in 'Modern Local Government: In Touch with the People' on local authorities to promote economic, social and environmental well-being of their areas.

    3. Local government planning authorities to ensure their lay members are trained in sustainable development and its implications.

    Schools

  4. We want schools to have the opportunity and support to make real progress in implementing education for sustainable development. We recommend:

    1. That Government incorporate education for sustainable development within the aims and purposes of the revised school curriculum and adopts measures to ensure that all pupils have an entitlement to education for sustainable development within the school curriculum.

    2. That Government monitor the outcomes of education for sustainable development, in terms of knowledge, understanding, attitudes and behaviour; and give Governing Bodies explicit responsibility for the provision of education for sustainable development.

    3. That the Office for Standards in Education should include education for sustainable development in its inspection framework for monitoring and reviewing the work of schools.

    4. That the Teacher Training Agency, other training bodies and Local Education Authorities incorporate education for sustainable development into all initial teacher training - and training of nursery staff and child minders - and all continuing professional development and governor training, where appropriate; and that local education authorities should give encouragement and support to schools to conduct all their activities sustainably.

    Youth Services

  5. The Youth Services provide a real opportunity to reinforce education for sustainable development. We want to see:

    1. A partnership of Government and appropriate bodies from the sector to define specific learning outcomes unique to education for sustainable development and give encouragement and support to Local Authority Youth Services and National Voluntary Youth Organisations to enable them to conduct all their activities sustainably.

    2. The National Youth Agency to ensure that education for sustainable development is incorporated into all initial Local Authority Youth Services and National Voluntary Youth Organisations training by including it as one of the criteria for endorsement.

    3. All youth providing bodies monitored by the Office for Standards in Education to monitor the outcomes of education for sustainable development, both in terms of knowledge, understanding, attitudes and behaviour.

    Further and Higher Education

  6. The Further and Higher Education sector has the potential to have a significant impact on education for sustainable development. We understand that work is already going on in this sector, for example that the Committee of Vice Chancellors and Principals, Standing Conference of Principals and National Union of Students are launching a joint initiative on education for sustainable development. We will expect to see full delivery of these 'statements of intent'. In addition we recommend that:

    1. Government funds a major 'Sustainable Development in Further and Higher Education' initiative, modelled on the 'Enterprise in Higher Education' initiative.

    2. the Further and Higher Education Funding Councils set sustainable development performance targets relating to significant sustainable development impacts and monitor and report on the progress towards those targets.

    3. The Teacher Training Agency includes a sustainable development learning requirement in teacher training standards guidance and that a similar requirement be included in all Institute of Teaching and Learning programmes.

    Employers and Employment

  7. Through their work we can reach many people and change the way many businesses and employers operate. Crucially we need to make clear the connections between sustainable development and long-term competitiveness. We make the following recommendations for the work sector:

    1. That Government commissions work to create a new Investors in Sustainable Development scheme and identify pilot companies.

    2. That the University for Industry adopt education for sustainable development principles in its work; plays a substantial role in any national programme for educating business and industry about sustainable development; plays a lead role in enabling employers and employees to educate each other about sustainable development; and does not give any course accreditation unless it includes defined sustainable development learning elements.

    3. That the Trades Unions Congress ensures that subsequent phases of the Trade Union funding programme reflect education for sustainable development; and the Adult and Community Learning Fund be asked explicitly to promote education for sustainable development initiatives in its next round of grants

    4. That the Confederation of British Industry, Federation of Small Businesses, Institute of Directors and other appropriate business organisations be asked to adopt education for sustainable development principles.

    5. That the Department for Trade and Industry, Department for Education and Employment, Confederation of British Industry, Federation of Small Businesses, Institute of Directors and Trades Union Congress promote the negotiation of work place agreements about sustainable development.

    The Public and Households

  8. This is a diverse and difficult grouping to reach. But it is an essential one if we are to make our future a more sustainable one. The Government's consultation document on Consumer Products and the Environment showed that one of the key opportunities for educating individuals and households and achieving a change in their behaviour towards a more sustainable lifestyle is through products and understanding the impacts of products and their consumption. We agree that there is important work to be done in identifying factors which help to shape the most effective choice of consumer information and that the understanding that consumers need to have a convincing reason for change is important for our proposals for the education of the general public in sustainable development. We have the following recommendations for the area of the general public and households:

    1. That Government fund 'Are You Doing Your Bit?' (and any successor campaigns) at at least the level and consistency of the road safety campaign.

    2. All major engagements points e.g. retail outlets, petrol stations, post offices, utilities, leisure services, libraries etc. provide 'Are You Doing Your Bit?' information.

    3. All community leaders identify their role in promoting education for sustainable development.

    4. That Government conduct a benchmark survey for public/households on understanding of the need to live sustainably; understanding of how individual behaviour impacts on sustainable development; and ability to change behaviour to live more sustainably.

    5. That the Government ensure that the requirements on the five terrestrial channels, the BBC's Charter, and the Independent Television Commission require them to include education for sustainable development programming wherever appropriate, be it in educational programmes, documentaries or within news and current affairs; and that they, and the national and regional newspapers, report annually on their contribution to promoting sustainable development learning; and that the five major terrestrial channels and national and regional newspapers regularly report indicators for sustainable development.

    Delivering the Recommendations

  9. The Panel will approach each of the identified stakeholders directly with these recommendations and discuss with them how they might be delivered.

[ Previous ] [ Contents ] [ Next ]

Page published 28 April 1999;
Page last modified 20 August, 2002

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs