DESD International Implementation Scheme
UNESCO, October 2005

When United Nations General Assembly adopted the resolution 57/254 in December 2002, to put in place the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, it requested UNESCO to lead the Decade and develop a draft International Implementation Scheme (IIS) for the Decade. UNESCO has developed the IIS as a result of extensive consultations with United Nations Agencies, national governments, civil society organizations and NGOs, experts and specialists.

Starting with an initial consultation with United Nations partners in September 2003, UNESCO shared a framework for the IIS worldwide. The Draft Scheme was widely circulated and eventually reviewed by leading academics and experts in the field, before it was submitted, in July 2004, to the High- Level Panel on the Decade, which advises the Director- General of UNESCO on this topic. It was presented at the 59th session of the United Nations General Assembly (New York, 18 – 19 October 2004). It was on the agenda of the 171st Session of UNESCO Executive Board in April 2005, which made some recommendations. The draft was further discussed and approved at the UNESCO Executive Board session in September 2005.

The IIS sets out a broad framework for all partners to contribute to the Decade. It is a strategic document that focuses primarily on what nations have committed to achieve through the DESD and under UNESCO’s leadership. It summarizes the goals and objectives of the Decade, and its relationship to other key education movements. It emphasizes the importance of partnership in the eventual success of the Decade and outlines how these might contribute at all levels – community, national, regional, and international. It outlines UNESCO’s leadership tasks and key milestones for the DESD. It then lays out seven strategies for moving forward with ESD and describes how a wide range of partners can develop contributions based on their particular contexts.


A Situational Analysis of Education for Sustainable Development in the Asia – Pacific Region
UNESCO, Bangkok 2005

The Situational Analysis provides a snapshot view of the extent to which ESD has been integrated across various educational settings. Preliminary findings indicate that moving from Environmental Education to ESD will be a key challenge for the Decade. The Analysis indicates that the role of traditional values in ESD must be addressed by the Decade. It also illustrates the strong role that youth, rural and indigenous communities can play in ESD.

Situational Analysis on Education for Sustainable Development in Central Asia
August 2005

An analysis of the state of education for sustainable development in Central Asian countries prepared by the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia in cooperation and with support of UNESCO-Bangkok and UNESCO-Almaty.

Working Paper: Asia – Pacific Regional Strategy for Education for Sustainable Development
UNESCO, Bangkok 2005

The Strategy serves to help guide the implementation of ESD throughout the Asia-Pacific region. It is an open document that is adaptable for revision according to the changing needs of stakeholders and emerging issues throughout the Decade of ESD.


Links between the Global Initiatives in Education
UNESCO, September 2005

The DESD starts at a time when a number of other, related, international initiatives are in place and the United Nations General Assembly resolution that passed the Decade asked UNESCO to ensure “additive linkages” among them. Thus, it is essential to situate the Decade with respect to efforts in which the international community is already engaged. The governments of the world, together with agencies of the United Nations have launched 3 other initiatives, other than the DESD, all of which agree on the central importance of basic education and the need to extend and enhance its quality.

These are:

• The Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s) – eight goals with a target date of 2015
• Education for All (EFA) – Six goals also with a target date of 2015
• The United Nations Literacy Decade (UNLD) – from 2003 to 2012
  
  

This document developed by the Division for Promotion of Quality Education, the Bureau of Strategic Planning and the Division of Basic Education, UNESCO clarifies the linkages between these four initiatives. It gives an overview of the similarities and differences among the four initiatives and includes suggestions for mutual support and collaboration.

UNESCO’s Contribution to the Implementation of the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005 – 2014)
UNESCO, August 2005

This preliminary report was prepared to provide elements of UNESCO’s contributions to the implementation of the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD) (2005-2014). The United Nations General Assembly resolution 57/254 proclaimed the UNDESD, designated UNESCO as the lead agency and requested the Organization to prepare a draft International Implementation Scheme for the Decade, in consultation with the United Nations agencies, Member States, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders, clarifying relationships with existing educational processes, in particular the Dakar Framework for Action and the United Nations Literacy Decade. This document outlines the requested elements for developing a fully fledged UNESCO Action Plan for the Decade as requested by the Executive Board of UNESCO at its 171st session.

Web link: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001403/140381e.pdf

Guidelines for the Preparation of National Launches and Activities of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development
UNESCO

Some guidance and suggestions provided by UNESCO for the national launch and activities of DESD.


Two Concepts, One Goal: Education for International Understanding and Education for Sustainable Development
UNESCO, Bangkok 

This series of information sheets, highlighting synergies between EIU and ESD, is prepared by APCEIU and UNESCO Bangkok. The information sheets are focussing on human rights education, on environmental education, on peace education and on gender equality.

Natural Disaster Preparedness and Education for Sustainable Development
UNESCO, Bangkok

This publication provides details of the development of culturally appropriate and locally relevant educational materials for natural disaster preparedness that target key stakeholder groups and integrate Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) principles and strategies.

National Plan of Action for Germany
UNESCO, Germany

The United Nations have proclaimed the years 2005 to 2014 as a global Decade of Education for Sustainable Development. UNESCO has been designated the lead agency for the Decade. The global vision of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development is a world where everyone has the opportunity to benefit from education and learn the values, behaviour and lifestyles required for a sustainable future and for positive societal transformation.

Japan's Action Plan for the DESD
UNESCO, Bangkok

Since ESD was decided to be dealt with on a global scale based on Japan's proposal, our government will press ahead with measures at home and abroad, and lead domestic and world programs in accordance with our plan of implementation. In addition, in order for each organization to play an appropriate role in each region in collaboration with other organizations, we will clarify guidelines for implementation as well as show the details each organization is expected to achieve.

Caring for Our Future - The Australian Government Strategy for the UNDESD
UNESCO

Education for sustainable development recognises the relationship between issues such as poverty,health, education, security, human rights, economic development, and environmental concerns such as climate change, natural resource management and water and energy consumption.Australia has a role to play in meeting these challenges, both domestically to serve its own interests, and internationally as a member of the global community.

Learning For Our Future:Scotland's First Action Plan for the UNDESD
Scottish Executive, Edinburgh
 
This Action Plan explains the first wave of actions we will be taking over the next five years in support of the global programme to integrate the principles, values, and practices of sustainable development into all aspects of education and learning – the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development – and elaborates on the principles in our Strategy.

Vietnam's Action Plan for DESD
Hiroshima, Japan

Draft Africa regional strategy: Education for Sustainable Development
Nairobi, UNESCO

Collective analysis and reflection on education for sustainable development (ESD) in sub-Saharan Africa has resulted in a draft regional strategy that is intended to guide countries in their efforts to meet the goals of the United Nations Decade on Education for Sustainable Development. The sub-Saharan Africa regional strategy paper is work in progress coordinated by the UNESCO Regional Office in Dakar, Senegal.

Kenya develops its Education for Sustainable Development Strategy
Nairobi, UNESCO

Kenya is in the process of developing its Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Strategy for the Decade for Education for Sustainable Development (DESD).Several initiatives have contributed to the strategy development including:

• A road map towards achieving DESD in Kenya
• A baseline survey on the status of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in Kenya and the region
• A working paper and model ESD framework for Eastern Africa
• Stakeholder analysis, integration and networking
• Consultative meetings and workshops on the ESD