386
A. P. Pessotto et al.
research. Lozano (2014) also suggests that there is a strong relationship between the
commitment of HEIs to develop sustainability practices and the signing of international declarations. These agreements arose precisely from the challenge of integrating the multiplicity of local practices on a global scale. They aim to promote effective
change through greater involvement of HEIs. They include:
• The 1990 Declaration of Talloires, France, which includes a ten-point action plan to
incorporate environmental sustainability into teaching, research, extension activities and operations in colleges and universities (Alshuwaikhat and Abubakar 2008).
• The 1991 Halifax Declaration, Canada, which provides an action plan for practical strategies to implement sustainable development in universities (Cruz López
2008) and emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary work for education and
research, with a proactive approach to achieve the goals of sustainable development.
• The 1993 Declaration of Swansea, Wales, which induces universities to seek, establish and disseminate a clear understanding of sustainable development, strengthening universities’ capacity to teach sustainable development principles, increase
the availability of information on it and strengthen environmental ethics (Cruz
López 2008).
In addition, the 1993 Kyoto Declaration (Japan), held during the ninth round of the
International Association of Universities (IAU) (Cruz López 2008), increased interest
in campus sustainability, forcing educational institutions to promote the education of
sustainability by reviewing their operations to develop best practices for sustainable
development (Faghihi et al. 2015).
With Agenda 21 held at the Rio Summit in 1992 (Lozano et al. 2013b), the
role of universities in improving environmental conditions is recognized because
they provide the basis of knowledge and professional development, from which the
opinions and personality of future managers are formed.
Still, among the most important statements that address the education of sustainable development is that made in 2001 in Lüneburg, Germany. (Alonso-Almeida et al.
2014). It promotes the development of Agenda 21 within academia, seeking to form
a united front with it to face the challenges of sustainable development. At the 2002
“Rio+10” Earth Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, the concept of education for
sustainable development was created by establishing Ubuntu Education, Science and
Technology for Sustainable Development (Cruz López 2008). In December of that
year the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted a resolution to establish the
United Nations Decade for Education for Sustainable Development between 2005
and 2014 (Alonso-Almeida et al. 2014). In this resolution, the concept of sustainability development was described according to fifteen strategic perspectives. They
are indicated in Table 1.
Although according to Alonso-Almeida et al. (2014) the deadline has been
exhausted, the diffusion of the sustainability report is still at an early stage in universities. No massive diffusion is expected based on current data, despite growing
concerns about sustainability among young people and other university stakeholders. The author stresses that some actions must be taken to persuade universities to
A. P. Pessotto et al.
research. Lozano (2014) also suggests that there is a strong relationship between the
commitment of HEIs to develop sustainability practices and the signing of international declarations. These agreements arose precisely from the challenge of integrating the multiplicity of local practices on a global scale. They aim to promote effective
change through greater involvement of HEIs. They include:
• The 1990 Declaration of Talloires, France, which includes a ten-point action plan to
incorporate environmental sustainability into teaching, research, extension activities and operations in colleges and universities (Alshuwaikhat and Abubakar 2008).
• The 1991 Halifax Declaration, Canada, which provides an action plan for practical strategies to implement sustainable development in universities (Cruz López
2008) and emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary work for education and
research, with a proactive approach to achieve the goals of sustainable development.
• The 1993 Declaration of Swansea, Wales, which induces universities to seek, establish and disseminate a clear understanding of sustainable development, strengthening universities’ capacity to teach sustainable development principles, increase
the availability of information on it and strengthen environmental ethics (Cruz
López 2008).
In addition, the 1993 Kyoto Declaration (Japan), held during the ninth round of the
International Association of Universities (IAU) (Cruz López 2008), increased interest
in campus sustainability, forcing educational institutions to promote the education of
sustainability by reviewing their operations to develop best practices for sustainable
development (Faghihi et al. 2015).
With Agenda 21 held at the Rio Summit in 1992 (Lozano et al. 2013b), the
role of universities in improving environmental conditions is recognized because
they provide the basis of knowledge and professional development, from which the
opinions and personality of future managers are formed.
Still, among the most important statements that address the education of sustainable development is that made in 2001 in Lüneburg, Germany. (Alonso-Almeida et al.
2014). It promotes the development of Agenda 21 within academia, seeking to form
a united front with it to face the challenges of sustainable development. At the 2002
“Rio+10” Earth Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, the concept of education for
sustainable development was created by establishing Ubuntu Education, Science and
Technology for Sustainable Development (Cruz López 2008). In December of that
year the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted a resolution to establish the
United Nations Decade for Education for Sustainable Development between 2005
and 2014 (Alonso-Almeida et al. 2014). In this resolution, the concept of sustainability development was described according to fifteen strategic perspectives. They
are indicated in Table 1.
Although according to Alonso-Almeida et al. (2014) the deadline has been
exhausted, the diffusion of the sustainability report is still at an early stage in universities. No massive diffusion is expected based on current data, despite growing
concerns about sustainability among young people and other university stakeholders. The author stresses that some actions must be taken to persuade universities to