The Thessaloniki Declaration adapts ESD for the twenty-first century (Knapp
2000). It states that, despite the still valid recommendations and action plans of past
conferences, insufficient progress has been made. Therefore, the declaration
reaffirms that education should be reoriented towards education for sustainability
(UNESCO 1997).
The Johannesburg Summit in 2002 proposed a world Decade of Education for
Sustainable Development (DESD) for a period of the years 2005 to 2014. “The
overall goal of the DESD is to integrate the principles, values, and practices of
sustainable development into all aspects of education and learning. This educational
effort will encourage changes in behaviour that will create a more sustainable future
in terms of environmental integrity, economic viability, and a just society for present
and future generations” (UNESCO 2005, p. 6). ESD is seen as a key instrument for
all forms and stages of education (Cutting and Summers 2016). “The DESD ties the
ongoing interest in education to the current overarching theme of sustainable
development. It is a powerful concept that could ignite the interests of people around
the world to use education as a tool to shape a more sustainable future” (UNESCO
2005, p. 26).
In this context, several declarations were adopted. The Ahmedabad Declaration
records the importance of education as well as environmental education for a good
human lifestyle and a sustainable future for humankind. “Environmental Education
processes support and champion Education for Sustainable Development”
(UNESCO and UNEP 2007, p. 1). The Bonn Declaration highlights the importance
of ESD for the future and a better life, by addressing topics like water, loss of
biodiversity, food, health, and environmental protection. “ESD provides the skills to
find solutions and draws on practices and knowledge embedded in local cultures as
well as in new ideas and technologies” (UNESCO and Federal Ministry of Education
and Research of Germany 2009, p. 2). Rio+20 declares a right to education. This
right is independent of age, gender and state of development of the nation. Education
is seen as an important tool to improve, inter alia, the protection of the environment,
poverty eradication, health protection and the sustainable development of nations
(United Nations 2012). The Tbilisi Communiqué recognizes the efforts of the past
for “framing education around environmental protection and sustainable development, thus providing the fundamental principles for ESD” (UNESCO and UNEP
2012, p. 1). ESD is seen as “an integral element of the post-2015 education”
(UNESCO and UNEP 2012, p. 6).
Today different concepts are realized along the ideas of EE and ESD. These
concepts are integrated into school curricula as well as in the process of life-long
learning. Many stakeholders such as environmental agencies, environmental protection centres, botanical gardens, zoos, and museums, provide access to environmental
information.
In 1992, education about biodiversity emerged in the context of the Earth Summit
in Rio de Janeiro. It was one of the most important conferences with a significant
impact to the communication about the future of ecosystems and biodiversity. As a
result of the Summit, the five Rio Agreements were adopted, among them were the
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) (United Nations 1992b) and Agenda
History of Environmental Communication and Education
61
2000). It states that, despite the still valid recommendations and action plans of past
conferences, insufficient progress has been made. Therefore, the declaration
reaffirms that education should be reoriented towards education for sustainability
(UNESCO 1997).
The Johannesburg Summit in 2002 proposed a world Decade of Education for
Sustainable Development (DESD) for a period of the years 2005 to 2014. “The
overall goal of the DESD is to integrate the principles, values, and practices of
sustainable development into all aspects of education and learning. This educational
effort will encourage changes in behaviour that will create a more sustainable future
in terms of environmental integrity, economic viability, and a just society for present
and future generations” (UNESCO 2005, p. 6). ESD is seen as a key instrument for
all forms and stages of education (Cutting and Summers 2016). “The DESD ties the
ongoing interest in education to the current overarching theme of sustainable
development. It is a powerful concept that could ignite the interests of people around
the world to use education as a tool to shape a more sustainable future” (UNESCO
2005, p. 26).
In this context, several declarations were adopted. The Ahmedabad Declaration
records the importance of education as well as environmental education for a good
human lifestyle and a sustainable future for humankind. “Environmental Education
processes support and champion Education for Sustainable Development”
(UNESCO and UNEP 2007, p. 1). The Bonn Declaration highlights the importance
of ESD for the future and a better life, by addressing topics like water, loss of
biodiversity, food, health, and environmental protection. “ESD provides the skills to
find solutions and draws on practices and knowledge embedded in local cultures as
well as in new ideas and technologies” (UNESCO and Federal Ministry of Education
and Research of Germany 2009, p. 2). Rio+20 declares a right to education. This
right is independent of age, gender and state of development of the nation. Education
is seen as an important tool to improve, inter alia, the protection of the environment,
poverty eradication, health protection and the sustainable development of nations
(United Nations 2012). The Tbilisi Communiqué recognizes the efforts of the past
for “framing education around environmental protection and sustainable development, thus providing the fundamental principles for ESD” (UNESCO and UNEP
2012, p. 1). ESD is seen as “an integral element of the post-2015 education”
(UNESCO and UNEP 2012, p. 6).
Today different concepts are realized along the ideas of EE and ESD. These
concepts are integrated into school curricula as well as in the process of life-long
learning. Many stakeholders such as environmental agencies, environmental protection centres, botanical gardens, zoos, and museums, provide access to environmental
information.
In 1992, education about biodiversity emerged in the context of the Earth Summit
in Rio de Janeiro. It was one of the most important conferences with a significant
impact to the communication about the future of ecosystems and biodiversity. As a
result of the Summit, the five Rio Agreements were adopted, among them were the
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) (United Nations 1992b) and Agenda
History of Environmental Communication and Education
61