21 (United Nations 1992a). The CBD proposed biodiversity education directly. The
CBD entered into force on December 29th in 1993. 168 countries signed the CBD on
the spot (Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity n.d.-a). At the end of
2018, 196 states have ratified the convention (Secretariat of the Convention on
Biological Diversity n.d.-b).
Since the beginning of the twentieth century people’s awareness of global
environmental problems due to the development in technology and science has
grown, and consequentially the need for its protection (Disinger and Monroe
1994; Li and Zbicinski 2014). Growing environmental awareness, protest movements, the emergence of environmental movements and publications like “Silent
Spring” (Carson 1962) and “The Limits to Growth” (Meadows and Donella 1972)
forced politics to act. In 1969, William Stapp proposed one of the first definitions of
environmental education (EE). “Environmental education is aimed at producing a
citizenry that is knowledgeable concerning the biophysical environment and its
associated problems, aware of how to help solve these problems, and motivated to
work toward their solution” (Stapp 1969, p. 31). Starting point for the subsequent
progression in developing EE further and in enhancing it to ESD were the Stockholm
Conference on Environment in 1972 (United Nations 1972) and the Tbilisi Principles on Environmental Education in 1977 (UNEP and UNESCO 1978). Other
milestones were the Brundtland Report (WCED 1987), Agenda 21 (United Nations
1992a), the World Decade of ESD (UNESCO 2005) and the Agenda for Sustainable
Development (United Nations 2015). EE “is a multidisciplinary form of education
that focuses on nature, environment and society as interdependent and inseparable
entities” (Dreyfus et al. 1999, pp. 156–157). Thus, the origin of biodiversity conservation education can be found in EE.
The CBD is an attempt to reconcile ecological, economic and social aspects,
perspectives and demands. Biodiversity is seen as an all-encompassing link that
enables bridging and understanding between different disciplines (Jessel 2012).
Three main aspects are included: (1) the conservation of biodiversity, (2) the sustainable use of biodiversity and (3) a fair sharing of the access to and the benefits
achieved with biodiversity. Article 13 highlights the importance of education about
biodiversity. “The Contracting Parties shall: (a) Promote and encourage understanding of the importance of, and the measures required for, the conservation of
biological diversity, as well as its propagation through media, and the inclusion of
these topics in educational programmes; and (b) Cooperate, as appropriate, with
other States and international organizations in developing educational and public
awareness programmes, with respect to conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity” (United Nations 1992b, pp. 8–9). This way the CBD acknowledges
the great importance of education, training and awareness for the implementation of
its goals (Ham and Kelsey 1998; Navarro-Perez and Tidball 2012). In order to
contribute to the worldwide conservation of biodiversity, Article 6 of the CBD
obligate party members to adopt the CBD and to convert it into National Strategies
(United Nations 1992b). That way, biodiversity education (Art. 13) should be
implemented into the National Strategies of each party member. In doing so, states
needed to include awareness raising on biodiversity into every educational system.
62
C. Börtitz and C. Hobohm
CBD entered into force on December 29th in 1993. 168 countries signed the CBD on
the spot (Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity n.d.-a). At the end of
2018, 196 states have ratified the convention (Secretariat of the Convention on
Biological Diversity n.d.-b).
Since the beginning of the twentieth century people’s awareness of global
environmental problems due to the development in technology and science has
grown, and consequentially the need for its protection (Disinger and Monroe
1994; Li and Zbicinski 2014). Growing environmental awareness, protest movements, the emergence of environmental movements and publications like “Silent
Spring” (Carson 1962) and “The Limits to Growth” (Meadows and Donella 1972)
forced politics to act. In 1969, William Stapp proposed one of the first definitions of
environmental education (EE). “Environmental education is aimed at producing a
citizenry that is knowledgeable concerning the biophysical environment and its
associated problems, aware of how to help solve these problems, and motivated to
work toward their solution” (Stapp 1969, p. 31). Starting point for the subsequent
progression in developing EE further and in enhancing it to ESD were the Stockholm
Conference on Environment in 1972 (United Nations 1972) and the Tbilisi Principles on Environmental Education in 1977 (UNEP and UNESCO 1978). Other
milestones were the Brundtland Report (WCED 1987), Agenda 21 (United Nations
1992a), the World Decade of ESD (UNESCO 2005) and the Agenda for Sustainable
Development (United Nations 2015). EE “is a multidisciplinary form of education
that focuses on nature, environment and society as interdependent and inseparable
entities” (Dreyfus et al. 1999, pp. 156–157). Thus, the origin of biodiversity conservation education can be found in EE.
The CBD is an attempt to reconcile ecological, economic and social aspects,
perspectives and demands. Biodiversity is seen as an all-encompassing link that
enables bridging and understanding between different disciplines (Jessel 2012).
Three main aspects are included: (1) the conservation of biodiversity, (2) the sustainable use of biodiversity and (3) a fair sharing of the access to and the benefits
achieved with biodiversity. Article 13 highlights the importance of education about
biodiversity. “The Contracting Parties shall: (a) Promote and encourage understanding of the importance of, and the measures required for, the conservation of
biological diversity, as well as its propagation through media, and the inclusion of
these topics in educational programmes; and (b) Cooperate, as appropriate, with
other States and international organizations in developing educational and public
awareness programmes, with respect to conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity” (United Nations 1992b, pp. 8–9). This way the CBD acknowledges
the great importance of education, training and awareness for the implementation of
its goals (Ham and Kelsey 1998; Navarro-Perez and Tidball 2012). In order to
contribute to the worldwide conservation of biodiversity, Article 6 of the CBD
obligate party members to adopt the CBD and to convert it into National Strategies
(United Nations 1992b). That way, biodiversity education (Art. 13) should be
implemented into the National Strategies of each party member. In doing so, states
needed to include awareness raising on biodiversity into every educational system.
62
C. Börtitz and C. Hobohm