Experts Meeting on Climate Change Education for Sustainable Development in Africa

20-22 March 2013InterContinental Mauritius Resort Balaclava Fort

Mauritius

Abstracts of Presentations

Supported by:

REPUBLIC OF MAURITIUSMINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND HUMAN RESOURCES

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Theme 1: The Most Affected and Vulnerable to climate Change

Children and youth as advocates for climate change adaptation and awareness: the case of ZambiaBy Mirriam S. Moonga

Climate change affects everyone, but it does not affect everyone equally. Vulnerability is dictated by both individual and social factors. The livelihood context, location, level of income, education, asset holdings, gender, age, social class and ethnicity all combine to determine vulnerability and coping abilities. Women, children, the elderly, ethnic minorities, marginalised communities and those with disabilities are disproportionately affected by the negative impacts of climate change. Different social groups will be able to adapt and respond differently to climate change depending on the scope and strength of their formal and informal coping mechanisms, and the level of societal influence. Within social groups, some may be more vulnerable than others depending on their economic status, level of education, and physical location. Social exclusion is gendered in ways that make women and children more vulnerable to natural disasters. Children are aware of their changing environment and climate. Their early understanding can be advantageous in furthering climate-related programs and initiatives. Children and youth are strong advocates, helping their families, schools, and communities adapt to climate change. They are often more knowledgeable about climate change impacts than adults, based on information they learn at school or from accessing other media.

Bio My names are Mirriam Sampa Moonga from Zambia. I am married with four children and currently lecturing in Environmental Education (EE) as well as Education for sustainable Development (ESD), at University of Zambia (UNZA), in the faculty of Education, department of Language and Social Sciences Education. I hold a Bachelor of Education and a Master of Education in Environmental Education both from UNZA. I am also a registered PhD student at the University of South Africa (UNISA). I have done part time lecturing in two private Universities in Zambia as well as high school teaching in different schools. I have been an EE/ESD practitioner for about eight years now and gender and climate change issues are part of my expertise. I am currently secretary of the newly born RCE Lusaka as well as Chairperson of the Environmental Committee at the University.

The Role of Education on Climate Change Impacts on Gender, livelihood, Vulnerability and Coping Mechanisms in the Arid and semi Arid Lands (ASALs) of Kenya

By Nancy Wanjala

Education on climate change in Africa is still scanty despite its importance in strengthening mitigation and adaptation capacities of African nations to climate change thus facilitating the achievement of national goals and sustainable development as well as increasing their resilience. This paper will investigate the role of education on Climate Change Impacts on Gender, livelihood, Vulnerability and Coping Mechanisms in the Arid and semi Arid Lands (ASALs) of Kenya. Women education in the ASAL’s needs to be encouraged to equip them with information on climate friendly means of production and climate change disaster management. Education facilities for ASAL areas should also be improved with due consideration to pastoralist mobility

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and gender roles. Youth education should also be improved in these areas. Traditional community climate change adaptation measures should also be incorporated as well as increasing awareness and education of the potential impacts of climate change. Ultimately, social development will be achieved hence sustainable development; alleviation of human suffering will also be realised; the exacerbation of the gap between rich and poor will be curbed and the inequities between women and men reduced leading to informed and collective decision making. This paper will contribute to future research on similar topics.

BioNancy Wanjala is a gender expert having studied gender at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. She holds B.A. and M.A. degrees in Gender and Development Studies from the University of Nairobi and lectures courses on gender and development at the University of Nairobi and Egerton University. A dedicated researcher on gender issues, Nancy is currently pursuing her Ph.D in Environmental Policy at the Centre for Advanced Studies in Environmental Law and Policy (CASELAP), University of Nairobi.She has advocated for the empowerment of women by giving women hope through developing their skills and improving their livelihoods. Her work also includes capacity building, budget preparation, reviewing and formulation of policies, advocating good governance for the advancement of women and gender mainstreaming and has raised awareness about women’s rights. She has written a book entitled “The Role of Women in the Management of Water Resources in Western Kenya”, and presented several papers at workshops and conferences.

Influences du changement climatique sur le système éducatif des populations de Saint-Louis et de Dakar

Par Dr. Aly Tandian

Au cours des dernières années, les sociétés sénégalaises sont diversement marquées par le changement climatique. Des populations, affectées, se sont retrouvées avec des problèmes d’inondations, de dégradation d’habitats, d’assainissement, de salinisation de la nappe phréatique et des terres agricoles, de réduction de ressources halieutiques, etc. Ces effets agissent sur les conditions de vie socioéconomique en termes de réduction de moyens d’existence déjà fragiles.

Des recherches sur le système éducatif sénégalais se sont peu intéressées au changement climatique alors que ce dernier engendre des déplacements de populations, d’occupation d’écoles par des familles sinistrées, etc. qui ne font qu’aggraver les risques de déscolarisation. Si les migrations constituent des stratégies d’adaptation pour mobiliser de meilleures conditions de vie elles ne font que contribuer parfois à l’échec scolaire de plusieurs enfants privés de surveillance.

Une collecte d’informations à Dakar et Saint-Louis nous a permis de discuter avec des populations autour de leur vulnérabilité, de leurs perceptions sur les effets du changement climatique sur le système éducatif ainsi que l’élaboration et l’exécution de politiques relatives au changement climatique.

BioDr. Aly Tandian est de nationalité sénégalaise. Il est enseignant-chercheur au Département de Sociologie de l’Université Gaston Berger (Sénégal) où il dirige le Groupe d’Etudes et de Recherches sur les Migrations & Faits de Sociétés (GERM). Il est Membre Associé au Centre d’Anthropologie de l’Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales (EHESS-CNRS, Toulouse), Membre du Conseil Consultatif de l’Observatoire sur les Migrations des pays membres de

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l’Afrique Caraïbes et Pacifique et Collaborateur scientifique du CEDEM (Université de Liège, Belgique). Ses récentes publications portent sur le changement climatique, les migrations, les violences urbaines et les technologies de l’information et de la communication.tel. +221 - 77 440 52 68 – email. Aly.Tandian@ugb.edu.sn - website. www.germ.sn

Climate Change, Gender and Reproductive health for Sustainable Development

By Edward Paul Munaaba

Africa is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, given its reliance on rain‐fed agriculture, limited supply of freshwater resources, widespread poverty and disease, weak institutions, limited access to information and technology, complex disasters and conflicts, and inadequate access to basic services. Decisive action on climate change and building capacity for adaptation are therefore key priorities for sustainable development in Africa.According to UN statistics, women do 67% of the world’s work, yet their earnings for it amount to only 10% of the world’s income. Women’s roles encompass work in what is referred to as women’s Triple Role of Productive, Reproductive and Community work. In Aceh, Indonesia, more than 75% of dead were women; death of mother had adverse consequences on infant mortality, early marriages of girls, neglect of girl’s education. Sexual assault, trafficking in women and prostitutionWomen’s work load can prevent them from participating in development projects and climate change programmes. When they do participate, extra time spent farming, producing, training or meeting, means less time for other tasks, such as child care and food preparation.Lack of information on access and control of resources and benefits has led to many incorrect assumptions about what women will be able to achieve and how they will benefit from both women specific and integrated projects. Education plays a crucial role in enhancing adaptation knowledge and skills and therefore the resilience of particularly concerned and vulnerable groups of society.APCCC has been advocating, empowering and enabling vulnerable people to adapt to climate change by building resilience through investment in social protection, health, education, and gender.This paper strengthens this information which is required to mainstream climate change gender, reproductive health and sustainable development.

BioEdward Paul Munaaba born on 23rd, December, 1967 holds an International Training Advanced Certificate in Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation from Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI)-Norrkoping, Diploma in NGO Leadership and NGO Management from Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Certificate in Management for Development Practitioners from MDF Training and Consultancy in Ede, The Netherlands, B A Development Studies.

He has worked with Caritas Nerlandica as External Adviser in Rulenge Catholic Diocese, Education department -Tanzania for five years, Programme Manager for Lake Victoria Environmental Management, carried out a research on Inventories for Lake Victoria Basin Wetlands of Tanzania and Uganda and Potential Climate Change Adaptation Strategies supervised by Swedish International Development Agency, supervised by Swedish Hydrological and Meteorological Institute in Norrkoping, Sweden. He currently holds the post of Executive Director Africa Partnership on Climate Change Coalition in Tanzania.

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Climate Change and Girls Education in Malawi

By Gift Richard Maloya

Children from Malawi have contributed least to the causes of climate change but are the worst affected by it. Despite children being effective communicators of risk and drivers of change in their communities, investment in children’s education about how to adapt to climate change is an investment for future generations, their participation in decision-making and action on climate change is limited. Climate change is set to have different impacts on girls and boys, both directly and indirectly. Girls ‘productive and reproductive roles and responsibilities, their reduced access to education and to participation in local organizations and decision-making all contribute to their greater exposure to climate risks. As a result, compared to boys, girls’ chances of survival are lower, as is their capacity to pursue resilient livelihood options and to realize their rights to protection, and dignity.

At household level girls are expected to take up additional domestic chores and to support income generation. In many cases, if a mother goes out to work, it is the older daughters who are taken out of school to take her place at home. As climate shocks raise the income pressures on vulnerable households, girls’ work at home becomes more arduous and it becomes increasingly difficult for them to stay in school. This lack of education, a direct result of the impact of climate change on individual households, will have a detrimental effect on the rest of their lives. These additional responsibilities are having a substantial effect on girls’ right to education. A qualitative research was undertaken to find out why girls are not sent to school during climatic shocks and disasters. Two communities that are highly affected by climate change and less affected were sampled to understand the community’s behavior and the reasons that govern such behavior through asking broad questions and collecting data in the form of words, images, videos that were analyzed searching for themes. The research aimed to investigate a question without attempting to quantifiably measure variables or look to potential relationships between variables. It is viewed as more restrictive in testing hypotheses because it was expensive and time consuming.

BioGift has over five years’ experience working with local and international non - governmental organizations in the area of child focused community development and climate change adaptation and mitigation. He has attended many local and international workshops and conferences on international development and climate change education. Gift has a Diploma in Rural Development and Bachelor of Arts Degree in Environmental Management.Gift is currently working as National Climate Change Coordinator at Plan Int. Malawi – responsible for coordination of climate change and building resilience programs at national level

Creating Climate Change Communication Agents to Inform and Prepare Local Communities to Face the Challenges of Climate Change

By Bubu Pateh Jallow

In order to increase the resilience of the most vulnerable local communities of The Gambia, there is a need to ensure they have access to information on appropriate adaptive practices. Information sharing is typically concerned with channeling messages between knowledge producers and target audiences. Knowledge sharing requires the use of approaches that are tailored to the needs and constraints faced by particular stakeholders. In The Gambia the local

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communities, most of whom are illiterate require non-text-based communications such as face-to-face discussions, local-language radio and TV broadcasts, and video or theatre.The National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMH) of The Gambia is implementing a GOTG/GEF/UNEP Project to strengthen government’s early warning system with a view to facilitating the timely production of climate and climate change early warning products (weather forecasts and prediction bulletins, warnings, advisories, etc.) and the effective dissemination of such products to the general public but with special emphasis placed on communicating to local communities (farmers, fisher folks, horticulturists, etc) who are the most vulnerable to the negative impacts of climate and climate change.The Project Baseline studies identified weaknesses in the existing products from the NMHS emphasising on the inappropriateness of technical content and the medium of communication to the largest and most vulnerable communities which the products should support in making decisions. The same studies identified the Multi-Disciplinary Facilitation Teams (MDFTs) in the Administrative Regions to serve as Communication Agents between the NMHS (providers) and the local communities (users) of climate and climate change early warning products. The membership of the MDFTs is drawn from, among others, government extension services, civil society organisations and local media houses (community radios, print media, etc) at the Administrative Regions. The MDFTs understand and speak the local language, are fully integrated in and work within the decentralized structures and are aware of climate change. The Management of the Early Warning Project realised that with appropriate training a critical mass of Climate Change Communication Agents can be created from the membership of the MDFTs and effectively used to bridge the communication gap between the scientists at the NMHS and the local communities.

BioBubu Pateh Jallow has worked with UNEP's Energy Branch of the Division of Technology, Industry and Economics as the Project Manager of the CC-DARE (Climate Change and Development – Adapting by Reducing Vulnerability), which is a Joint UNEP/UNDP Programme for Sub-Saharan Africa funded by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Mr. Jallow served under the Government of The Gambia as Meteorological Observer, Weather Forecaster and Head of the Forecasting Unit Head of the Meteorology Division of the Department of Water Resources from 1985 to 200, Director of the Department of Water Resources, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Fisheries and Water Resources from March and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Forestry and the Environment. Bubu has a BSc. degree in Meteorology form University of Reading, England, MSc. in Remote Sensing, Image Processing and Applications from University of Dundee, Scotland, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Agrometeorology of Semi-Arid Lands from Israel. Professionally, he is a World Meteorological Organization (WMO) certificated Weather Forecaster with specialization in Aviation Meteorological Forecasting

Policy options to empower youth to mitigate and adapt to climate change

By Antwi-Boasiako Amoah

Climate Change is already having an impact on delivery of quality education in globally, especially in sub-Sahara Africa. Available meteorological projections indicate quality in developing countries will get progressively worse as climate change impacts and associated risks of disasters increase. In most countries in sub-Sahara Africa, there exist no proper guidelines on infrastructure design in terms of school facilities taking into accounts climate change and climate variability. In addition, there exit weak collaboration between the education systems and other key

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stakeholders such as ministries, departments and agencies in addressing very key climate change issues that affect the education sector.Sometimes the lack of a clear emergency prevention and response plans as well as the failure to reinforce good environmental and sanitation practices in schools leave much to be worried about.My presentation focuses on policy issues that are very relevant to ensuring sustainable education amidst the changing climate. It proposes policy options for the education sector’s policy framework that will protect the physical infrastructure from the impacts of climate change and equip the citizenry, especially the youth with the requisite capacity and knowledge to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

Bio

Antwi-Boasiako Amoah is a Senior Programme Officer at the Climate Change Unit of the Environmental Protection Agency, Ghana since June 2006. He holds an MSc in Environmental Science from Lund University, Sweden. He is the officer in charge of climate change adaptation and played a lead role in the development of Ghana’s National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy (NCCAS). He is currently the project manager for the Africa Adaptation Programme (AAP) on Climate Change. He has wide experience in international, regional and national climate change negotiations. He has worked extensively on climate change education and capacity building with special focus on the youth.

Practical Approaches for Climate Change Education for Sustainable Development

By Gillian Cambers & Lausanne L. Olvitt

Climate change is an immensely complex issue covering all facets of our daily lives and educational systems. It is also a relatively new issue so although several attempts have been made to integrate it into the educational system, these are still in the preliminary stage in terms of implementation.

This presentation describes a new approach that focuses on climate change education at the secondary level both inside the classroom and in the real world outside the classroom. The approach involves developing a cross-curricula training course for secondary school teachers that provides classroom training on topics including orientations to education for sustainable development, building a culture of safety and resilience, underlying science of climate change, climate change adaptation and mitigation and linkages with disaster risk reduction, among others. These background topics are then applied to a beach environment using the Sandwatch approach which focuses on measuring environmental change, analysing the results, communicating the findings and then taking action through small focused projects to enhance the beach environment, address a particular beach-related issue or help the beach ecosystem become more resilient to climate change.

The course also provides an opportunity for teachers to identify and develop a specific teaching activity on climate change based on the course content and which can be incorporated into their teaching practice after the workshop. The development of the course is supported by UNESCO’s education and science sectors.

Bio Gillian Cambers obtained a BSc in geography from the University of Bristol, U.K., and a PhD in environmental sciences from the University of East Anglia, U.K. Her main fields of interest and

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expertise are climate change; coastal zone management and especially beach dynamics; environmental education and communication; and small island sustainability. Residing in the Caribbean for more than 25 years, she worked for the Governments of Barbados and the British Virgin Islands; for international organizations such as United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, United Nations Development Program, Organization of American States, Caribbean and Asian Development Banks, among others; for regional and international non-governmental organisations; and for the private sector. She has worked in more than 40 different countries, mainly in the Caribbean, Indian Ocean and Pacific regions. She was Review Editor of the small island chapter in the 2007 Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Working Group II Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. At present she is the Program Manager for the Pacific Climate Change Science Program, based in Melbourne, Australia and working for the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation and the Bureau of Meteorology.

Case of Educating Communities in Mandera, Kitui and Vihiga Counties, Kenya

By Joseph Ngondi

The paper will focus on ‘Targeting the most affected and vulnerable groups’. Three counties of Kenya - Mandera, Kitui and Vihiga-, where the writer has had an experience educating communities will be used to confirm the assertion that ‘Education plays a crucial role in enhancing adaptation knowledge and skills and therefore the resilience of particularly concerned and vulnerable groups of society’. The paper will show a connection between the people’s livelihoods and the changed weather patterns as is evident in all the regions. In Kitui County, community involvement in coming up with coping mechanisms for especially, adaptation to climate change, in the area of diversification of livelihoods will be shared. Finally the paper will briefly share the process through which an ABC booklet was written out of the discussions shared with the community of Mandera East. In conclusion, the paper will propose a number of approaches to find good entry to the most vulnerable communities of Africa, towards education for sustainable development, out of the various experiences shared.

Bio

Trained and graduated as a Mechanical Engineer in the University of Nairobi, currently I am the coordinator of the Kenya Climate Change Working Group, hence the key technical fundraising and chief Officer. In coordinating the working group I work with KCCWG members in different parts of Kenya to design programmes for climate change response .In 2012 and 2013 I wrote facts booklets for Mandera, Wajir and Garisa counties; with emphasis to community efforts towards climate adaptation efforts.I have been a consultant in different fields since 2002 to date, including evaluating a national civic education programme in 2002 and also evaluating the water harvesting structures in 2007, as a project officer in the Green Belt Movement. I am a projects development expert in the area of climate change and livelihoods in Kenya. As a trainer in climate change I have trained for the PELUM –Kenya programme on adaptation in 2011 and 2012, I have trained for BUCODEO, Horn Aid Kenya, KCCWG, FADC, KICIP among others

Atteindre les couches les plus vulnérables et les plus touchées

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Par Ibro Oumarou

La présentation porte sur le travail que mène l’ONG GEDD Gao dans les domaines de l’éducation et de la sécurité alimentaire pour renforcer la capacité de résilience des communautés rurales face aux effets du changement climatique. GEDD travaille pour des populations vivant dans la zone semi-désertique avec un mode de vie agro-pastorale. Les ressources alimentaires proviennent essentiellement de l’agriculture et de l’élevage. Le contexte environnemental est marqué par une fréquence de sécheresse, les unes plus sévères que les autres, des terres arides et insuffisantes, une quasi absence de flore, une mauvaise répartition de la pluviométrie, un manque d’eau de surface, une couverture végétale dégradée. L’ONG GEDD Gao cherche à renforcer les capacités des communautés de façon qu’elles prennent conscience de l’irréversibilité du changement climatique et surtout des effets de celui-ci sur le micro et macro environnement. L’ONG utilise comme stratégie la sensibilisation et la formation continue des adultes ainsi que les formations techniques et les échanges de pratiques entre les communautés.Les résultats acquis restent à être partagés avec d’autres communautés et acteurs.

BioMr IBRO Oumarou est titulaire d’un diplôme de Master in Business and Administration (MBA2). Il est expert national en Gestion des Projets/Programmes, en renforcement des capacités des communautés et des OCSs et également en Plaidoyer, techniques de communication et suivi budgétaire.

Mr IBRO Oumarou est Président du Conseil d’Administration de l’ONG Groupe Education pour le Développement Durable (GEDD Gao). Il œuvre pour la réalisation des actions en faveur des communautés vulnérable et aussi pour la participation de l’organisation à tous les espaces de discussions qui cadre avec nos domaines d’intervention : l’éducation, la santé, l’environnement et la sécurité alimentaire. Il assure cette fonction en mettant un accent particulier sur la contribution que GEDD doit apporter pour permettre à l’Etat du Niger d’assumer pleinement sa responsabilité de garant du bonheur de chaque citoyen et du respect de tous les actes internationaux dont le Niger est partie prenante.

Does the climate change education and can education change the climate: perspectives from Zimbabwe

By Raviro Kasembe

The paper presents perspectives on the relationship between climate change and Education for sustainable Development (ESD). The central questions are; can education change the climate, and if so what sort of education is required? The paper gives a swot analysis of how the formal curriculum in Zimbabwe is responding to climate change. Data was generated through interviews, a questionnaire and documental review. The paper argues that Zimbabwe is signatory to international legal frameworks that regulate the emission of green house gases, yet it does not have a legal and binding document to translate these commitments into action. Even though work on the development of a national climate change policy is now at an advanced stage, the government has taken rather long to develop the policy. Education institutions in Zimbabwe hence operate without a clear strategy on how climate change should be addressed. Climate change education (CCE) is largely informal and uncoordinated. This is compounded by the low supply of teachers who are adequately trained to teach climate change. Levels of climate change awareness among Zimbabweans, including teachers are still very low. More so,

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contextual research and literature on CCE as well as resources for climate change are still very scanty.

Bio Raviro Kasembe is a Physics Lecturer in the Department of Science and Mathematics Education at the University of Zimbabwe. She is interested in Environmental Physics and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) research with a Science Technology and Society (STS) orientation.. Raviro has participated in regional and international training programmes on mainstreaming EE/ESD in the curriculum and has presented her research outputs at a number of conferences. Raviro briefly worked for UNICEF Zimbabwe as an Education Specialist responsible for curriculum review and was instrumental in the development of the draft strategy for Zimbabwe’ current national curriculum review process. Currently she is developing her PhD proposal that seeks to interrogate the role of social mobilization in climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Climate Change Education for Sustainable Development: Implications to the Marginalized Communities –Focus on Indigenous and Local Communities

By Cynthia Asafi Wechabe

Climate change is a highly complex, dynamic and controversial phenomenon. Its impact on environment, food production and security and management of natural recourses in developing countries such as Kenya is still severe. At different levels and scales appropriate adaptation and mitigation responses are needed. In the African context, climate change has implications for cultural adaptation to the environmental stresses. Cultural adaptation which includes the use of traditional and indigenous knowledge and practices facilitates sustainable development, which involves complex social change processes. The complexity of these processes requires profound analysis. Thus, it requires the involvement of different stakeholders such as policy makers, scientists, communities, citizens, farmers, extension workers, media, and businesses. Having explored the interaction between climate change and cultural adaptation in regard to livelihoods is different in Kenya, it is import to put in mind that majority of pastoralist/nomad use the indigenous knowledge and practice to adapt to this effects. It is good to be concerned with the role indigenous methods, practices and knowledge of natural resources management which have been employed in the context of the mitigating the complex process of climate change and its attendant effects. It also important to examine the relationship between climate change and the concomitant social processes and change. In the context of the different studies done, one of the major concerns regarding climate change in relation culture and livelihoods is connected to the capacity of local, indigenous cultural systems to cope with the changes. Thus, the adaptation and mitigation measures involve social and institutional change. This means that local communities, using their dynamic local knowledge, have to play an active role in the governance of climate change processes. Thus, as anthropologists, legal scholars, ecologists and other (social) scientists, have the task of offering conceptual frameworks to holistically understand climate change, vulnerability and adaptation and mitigation options through sustainable education. This will help in building necessary skills to apply the relevant tools for stakeholder engagement, policy influencing, advocacy and negotiation.

Examples Indigenous communities in KenyaNorthern and eastern part of Kenya are measured as one of the major drought stricken areas and are the areas where most of the IPs reside. The people living in these areas have depended on pastoralism as their livelihood and also their source of income. Due to climate change most of their animals have died and therefore the people living in this area have a major

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challenge in access to food, clean water and medical care. These areas are characterized by a bare, rocky, dry land and also a sparse population and therefore access to basic commodities like food, water and medical care is a big challenge. There is still a lot to be done as far as climate change education is concerned to enhance sustainable livelihoods through initiation of sustainable education in agriculture, Use of traditional Knowledge-practices, indigenous knowledge which will be achieved through capacity building. Capacity building will aim at training and empowering community with alternative s which will improve the food security status, encourage school enrollment and finally boost development in the area.

BioCynthia Asafi Wechabe is currently a gender and environment associate with a working experience of more 4 years for Indigenous Information Network (NGO) Kenya. At the moment undertaking Masters Degree in Community development and project management at the Egerton University class of 2012/2013. Has graduated with a Bachelors degree in Gender studies and Development at the University of Nairobi in 2011. Have been dedicated in carrying out trainings, capacity building, and involvement in policy formulation , monitoring and evaluation at local, national level and research on different aspects of social issues mainly on gender and environmental issues (climate change one sub component) for the organization and partner institutions in Nomadic pastoralists and hunter gatherers areas within Kenya and Tanzania. Have a passion, and experience as a grassroots organizer on issues relevant to women, men and the youths and on sustainable development (e.g. water, land, food, forestry, oceans, and renewable energy among others. Email:asaficynthia@yahoo.com or cwechabe@gmail.com; Tel: +254724961263

Adapting to climate change through appropriate climate change adaptation strategies to reduce vulnerability: “A case of Gishwati area-Rwanda”By Johnson Nkuusi, National Project Coordinator, RENGOF CC DARE project

Launch of the global Sandwatch database

By Dave Gray & Hans Dencker Thulstrup

Sandwatch is a volunteer network of children, youth and adults working together to monitor and analyze changes in their beach environment using a standardized approach, share their findings with the wider community and then take action to address issues, enhance their beach environment and build resilience to climate change.Sandwatch is implemented by teachers and their institutions as well as communities and individuals in more than 50 countries, with some Sandwatch teams recording data about their coastal environment for more than a decade. Launched today, the global Sandwatch database is an educational tool which provides a secure, easy-to-use online platform for recording, sharing and analyzing data and images gathered during Sandwatch activities. It will help systematize Sandwatch data collection and in time build up a significant data set covering beaches and coastal areas often not monitored by other means – thereby making a contribution to global climate change monitoring. The Sandwatch database will facilitate exchange, interaction and comparative analyses between Sandwatch practitioners in different parts of the world. With a built-in mapping function and the facility to upload and share images as well as text and figures in a secure and protected

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environment, the Sandwatch database will significantly strengthen and broaden the scope of an already versatile and innovative programme.

BioDave Gray is am a principal software developer with a commercial software company. In his free time his have assisted various organizations with their use of technology – both training and development. This has included development of the Beach Profile software and the Sandwatch Database for the Sandwatch Foundation.

HansThulstrup worked with UNESCO's Division of Science Policy and Sustainable Development since 2008, focusing on interdisciplinary programmes in small island developing states. Prior hereto, he spent 12 years with UNESCO's natural science programmes based in field offices in the Pacific islands and Southeast Asia. He holds a postgraduate degree in science and development studies from Roskilde University in Denmark, and currently undertakes research towards a PhD in science communication with the Australian National University.

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THEME 2: Draw from various knowledge sources

The Young Masters Programme on Sustainable Development

By Raphael Bhembe & Elisabeth Knoppel

The presentation will give insight into how the “crowdlearning”-method for on-line learning could contribute to facilitate the need for large scale, action oriented, case based and qualitative education on sustainable development, climate change and climate change adaption. The method is an instrument for empowering participants, to facilitate focus on local perspectives and best practises, contextualized through larger regional or global perspectives.To illustrate the method in practice, the Young Masters Programme on Sustainable Development (YMP), will be presented.The YMP is a global online education and learning network for upper-secondary students and their teachers, available to all schools free of charge. So far, more than 22 000 students from 113 countries have participated in the YMP. The programme is a creative model for engaging and empowering students, as well as their teachers and schools, to be innovative and action-oriented. Practically, this means involving teachers from different disciplines to stimulate multi-disciplinary interactions and discussions with students, and encouraging activities “out of the classroom” that involve different actors, such as local government, business and industry as well as community groups.The program focuses on solutions and applying knowledge and understanding to local conditions. It promotes local capacity building, impacting local schools and communities with lasting effects.

BioMr. Raphael Bhembe is a teacher at Michael Rua School in Johannesburg, South Africa. He is a native of Swaziland and did his undergraduate studies in East Africa. The majority of his students come from farm settlements, south east of Johannesburg. He strives to make education exciting for his students by incorporating Education for Sustainable Development.Mr. Bhembe had his first encounter with Education for Sustainable Development when he was still a student in Swaziland. He eventually participated in the first Global Environmental Youth Convention in Sweden at the age of fifteen. This life-changing experience motivates him to teach the same Young Masters Program which he did when he was a student. Mr. Bhembe is also a proud conqueror of Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Since 2007, Ms. Elisabeth Knöppel has been a key member of the team developing and managing the global ESD-program “The Young Masters Programme on Sustainable Development” (YMP). The YMP has been developed at The International Institute of Industrial Environmental Education (IIIEE) at Lund university, Sweden and is distributed free of charge to schools world-wide. Ms. Knöppel has a M.Sc. in Business Administration from Lund University as well as a major in Art History. She is a firm believer in ESD as a fundamental driver of change towards a sustainable and equitable world.

Local and indigenous knowledge in adapting and mitigating the effects of climate change is essential for sustainable development in Africa

By Charles Lwabulala

One of the emerging challenges from the 20th century now affecting the global livelihoods in the 21st century is climate change. Although it is always attributed to global warming, global climate

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change involves more serious disruptions of the entire world’s weather and climate patterns including: Rainfall ; Temperature increases; Sea level rise; Extreme weather occurrences.Sectors potentially affected by climate change include among others, agriculture, forestry, livestock, wildlife etc. this causing adverse impacts on natural ecosystems. About 80% of Tanzanian population lives in villages, depending on agriculture for their livelihoods. Following persistent drought, steadily rising temperatures, crop failure has become a common phenomenon particularly among seasonal food and cash crops leading to food insecurity situations and loss of livestock especially in semi-arid and arid areas of Tanzania.Together with these adverse situations life has to go on.Untold famine livestock deaths leave alone stunning diseases befalling the people decisive stapes have to be taken. Local and indigenous knowledge in adaptation strategies, coping mechanisms are being undertaken and can be shared and eventually be integrated/adapted in technical and vocational education and skills-training

Bio I was born 64 years ago in Kagera Region where I attended my primary and my secondary education in Shinyanga Region. I am married with four children. After that I was employed by M/S Williamson Diamonds Limited for five years as a plant operator. During that time I attained a Diploma in plant supervision from International Correspondence Schools- London.From 1978 to 1995 I joined M/S Tanzania Diamond Cutting Co. Ltd and worked in different capacities during which time I attained a Diploma in diamonds polishing, grading, production planning and marketing in Belgium .From 1995 to date I am working with the Civil Society family. I have participated in different workshops trainings and conducted researches and trainings on different issues i.e. Climate Change, poverty and education. I am a member of Forum for Climate Change – Tanzania (FCC) and Pan African Climate Change Justice Alliance (PACJA). Through these Organization, I have participated in National and International deliberations to contribute CSOs opinions on Climate Change. I participated in a Ten Countries TRANS AFRICAN CARAVAN OF HOPE to Durban and attended COP 17- just to mention a few.

Non-formal Climate Change education and Advocacy : Experiences from Malawi

By Deepa Pullanikkatil, Gibson Mphepo, Welton Phalira and Sosten Chiotha

Malawi is particularly vulnerable to the impacts and effects of climate change, due to its dynamic and fragile ecosystems as well as socio-economic and demographic factors such as high poverty level, slim economic base, reliance on biomass energy, heavy reliance on natural resources related livelihoods, dependency on rain-fed agriculture, and low adaptive capacity at the community and national levels.

Creating more awareness and educating communities on climate change will help improve resilience and reduce vulnerability to climate change related impacts.

In Malawi, non-formal education in climate change has been through short targeted training programmes and, science and wildlife clubs trained by both government and non-governmental organizations.

LEAD Southern and Eastern Africa has been providing non-formal climate change education to various groups including drama groups, music groups, faith groups, members of parliament, community based organizations and radio listeners clubs. This has been found to be successful in increasing awareness and action on climate change adaptation and mitigation.

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This paper highlights the successes and lessons learnt from these trainings. Communities have taken action after the trainings through tree planting and demonstrating social change. There is need for strengthening educational response to climate change through promoting non-formal climate change education and advocacy in Malawi.

Bio An Environmental Management professional with an engineering background, Deepa Pullanikkatil, is deeply passionate about environment and natural resources management. She has been working at Leadership for Environment and Development (LEAD) Southern and Eastern Africa since 2010 coordinating the training programmes on leadership and sustainable development, and managing projects on natural resources management, capacity building and also conducting studies on integration of population issues into climate change management. Ms. Pullanikkatil has a total of twelve years of work experience in India, Lesotho and Malawi, and is well networked with professionals across the world. She is also member of a number of professional bodies, including being the Founder Member of African Women Forum for Science and Technology (under African Technology Policy Studies Network -ATPS) and is currently a Board Member of Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi.

Education for Climate Change Adaptation

By Manoah Muchanga

This paper shows the fields of education that would be relevant for climate change adaptation learning. It locates within the Ahmadabad framework of Environmental Education. There is need for diversity in terms of fields of Education for Climate Change Adaptation. Relevance, quality and sustainability of Climate Change Education would be dependent on contextuality, flexibility, responsiveness and topical diversity. Such themes need an emphasis into the broader portfolio of national plans for Climate Change Education such as national educational curriculum, National Adaptation Programme on Action (NAPA) and the National Climate Change Response Strategies (NCCRS). Climate Change Education should embrace a critical realist paradigm thus, not only focusing on the closed system of knowledge about climate change, but also the open system through a combination of pure scientific knowledge, social knowledge and educational knowledge.

BioI am a lecturer at the University of Zambia. I hold a bachelors degree in geography. I hold a masters degree in environmental education with emphasis on climate change education (cce). I am currently preparing a PHD proposal in climate change education. I am a founder and coordinator of the youth environment and sustainability consortium (yesco) at the University of Zambia. I teach environmental management, education for sustainable development and physical geography. I have designed an advanced course: ‘climate change education’ at the University of Zambia, School of Education.

Education a Key to Addressing Climate Change Challenges

By Lawrence Aribo

Climate Change indeed is a crucial issue not only at global but also national and sub-national to local levels. It’s adverse impacts pinch worse the developing especially the least developing countries than developed countries due to very limited capacity and level of awareness to

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respond to climate change. This calls for urgent action to strengthen action on UNFCCC article 6, including the pillars of education, training, public awareness and access to information not undermining international cooperation. The objective of this paper is therefore to high light the actions currently being undertaken by Uganda to address climate change mitigation and adaptation issues through education and related ventures. The current actions include among others the mainstreaming of climate change into education curriculum, training of journalists and district local governments on climate change, development of training materials. Although a number of target beneficiaries have been reached quite a lot is still needed.

BioAribo, Lawrence, Principal Climate change Officer, Ministry of water and Environment, Climate Chsnge Unit, Uganda. UNFCCC article 6 Focal Point, Uganda. MSC Geoinformation Science and earth observation, Post Graduate diploma in education, Diploma in Meteorology, tailored training certificates in Climate Change. Worked as a forecaster in Department of Meteorology 1995-2008, a lecturer in National Meteorological Training School Uganda from 2006 -2007 and a researcher for National Geografic Society project in Uganda and a consultant for Geoinformation and Communication (GIC) Ltd, Uganda.

Climate Change Education in Teacher Education within Higher Education Institutions in the SADC Region

By Soul Shava

Climate change is emerging as a major global environmental issue due to an increase in the intensity and frequency and the large scale impact of climate change effects. The southern Africa region is particularly vulnerable with regards to climate change impacts. The effects include reduced agricultural production, worsening food insecurity, increased flooding and drought, and spreading of diseases. This has had a negative impact on the agro-based economies of southern Africa. In this regard, climate change awareness and education is important for the local communities to respond and adapt to climate change effects. This paper explores the coverage of climate change issues in teacher training/education curricula within higher education institutions (teacher education colleges and university teacher education programmes) in the Southern Africa Development Community nation states. Such institutions influence the coverage of climate change education in the formal school curriculum.

BioSoul Shava is Senior Lecturer (Environmental Education) at the Department of Science & Technology Education, University of South Africa

Adapting to Climate Change – Rainwater Harvesting in Schools

By Jeannette Larue

Seychelles, a small island developing state is vulnerable to particular climate change effects and challenges which include sea level rise, increase in sea surface temperatures and changes in rainfall patterns with short periods of heavy rainfall during the rainy season and severe droughts during the dry season being a common occurrence. These effects have adverse

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impacts on the health and functioning of ecosystems and consequently on the wellbeing of humans as they affect the social and economic systems that are central to human existence.This problem of water scarcity is further compounded by the ever increasing demand for water occasioned by increased economic and social development as well as population growth. To address this, the country has invested heavily in the construction of reservoirs and desalination plants, but this did not help but instead it has increased the use of fossil fuel which only helped to emit more GHGs. Increased school population and the local educational campaign to green school grounds, resulted in increased demand for water resulting in high water bills.As part of the Environmental Education programme, the Education programme (EE) Unit in the Department of Education (DOE) initiated the School Rainwater Harvesting Project (SRWHP) with the assistance of local and international donors, especially from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). EE Unit launched the project in 2009 in 10 schools.The objectives were to harvest rain water from school roofs so as to meet the needs of selected schools and to reduce the cost of water bills, educate school children on the impact of climate change on our water resources and on the methods used to adapt to climate change, raise awareness among the general public on climate change impacts on the Seychelles and on rainwater harvesting as a means of adapting to water problems caused by climate change and finally share the water harvesting experiences of the schools with other organizations.

Bio: I am presently the Technical Adviser for Environmental Education for the Ministry of Environment and Energy and heads the Environmental Education Section in the Principal Secretary Secretariat. Previously I was working as the Coordinator for Environmental Education in the Minister of Education for 10 years. I work for both formal and informal education in regards to raise awareness on a variety of environmental issues. For the past 5 years climate change education has been a focused of my work, both for schools and the general public.

Climate Change Education-related outcomes of UNFCCC COP 18/CMP8

By Alla Metelitsa, Team Leader for Capacity-building and Outreach at the UNFCCC secretariat

UNESCO’s Climate Change Education for Sustainable Development Programme

By Julia Viehoefer

Climate change (CC) is one of the greatest threats to sustainable development. The ten hottest years on record have occurred since 1998. Sea-levels are rising; more frequent natural disasters such as cyclones and tropical storms threaten people's homes and livelihoods. Climate Change Education (CCE) is a powerful tool to help people act on climate change. It helps learners understand the causes and consequences of CC; prepares students to live with the impacts of CC; and empowers students to take action on CC causes.

CCE is one of UNESCO's focal topics for the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development. As a core part of its Climate Change Education (CCE) programme, UNESCO offers support to Member States, particularly in Africa and Small Island Developing States, to strengthen their educational responses to mitigate and adapt to climate change. In 2012/2013 UNESCO conducts country programmes in four pilot countries: South Africa, Mauritius, Tuvalu (Pacific), and Guyana (Caribbean). A fifth country programme is being implemented in the Dominican Republic in cooperation with UNITAR. The country programmes aim to support Member States in empowering policy makers and teacher educators to act on climate change.

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They focus on three priority action areas: capacity building for national policymakers, for curriculum development experts and for teacher education institutions.

BioJulia Viehoefer has been working with UNESCO’s Section of Education for Sustainable Development since October 2011. Her work focuses in particular on Climate Change Education and Information. Prior to joining UNESCO, she worked at the German Commission for UNESCO in the area of inclusive education and communication/information. Julia holds a Master’s degree in European Studies.

The Many Sides of Climate Change Education:  South African Case Study

By Heila Lotz-Sisitka, Vivian Malema, Caleb Mandikonza, Di Wilmot, Roleen Ellman, Jabulani Mpungose

South Africa is known for its high per capita carbon emissions; the highest in Africa and amongst the highest in the world.  These emissions are produced primarily by five large industrial companies, including the country’s energy production giant Eskom. At the same time, large numbers of South Africans live below the poverty line, with little responsibility for these emissions, yet they are vulnerable to projected climate change impacts especially unpredictable climate variations. South Africa also produces sophisticated climate science, with high quality modeling facilities and a national research plan focusing on Earth and Climate Sciences within a wider framework of innovation for sustainability under the Global Change National Research Plan.  What then, should the focus of climate change education be in such a context?  This paper scopes up to 15 different possible approaches or orientations to climate change education (e.g. climate change education for sustainable development; climate change science education (new and old science); adaptation to climate variability education etc.), as observed in the South African context.This provides a conceptual framework for reviewing selected climate change education programmes and materials being implemented and pilot tested in South African teacher education and contexts at present, including global materials produced by UNESCO. This conceptual framework, being developed as part of the South African Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for the National Pilot on Climate Change Education, will also be used to review the orientation to, and framing of climate change education in national education policy and in textbook production.  It will help to evaluate both the scope, as well as orientation and relevance of climate change education in relation to the complex local/global climate change context in South Africa.  This reflexive evaluation process will be used to inform the framing of a national planning document for climate change education in South Africa.

BioMs Malema has a Masters in Environmental Education from Rhodes University.  She started her career as a school teacher. She joined environmental education as SANBI’s outreach officer at Walter Sisulu Botanical Garden, Roodepoort, Johannesburg, inspired by some of the pioneers of environmental education, who worked for the then BopParks. She proceeded to work for Delta Environmental Centre as an education officer, a teacher trainer and also a trainer for teacher educators. She was involved in unit standard generation and also involved in the application of these unit standards through implementation of learnerships, skills programmes, etc. Recently, she was involved in a snap shot study of FET colleges and their potential service to the biodiversity sector. She was also part of a team who conducted a career study aimed at informing implementation of a well-coordinated, monitored and scalable strategy of attracting

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young people into the biodiversity careers. Ms Malema in her current role as Director Biodiversity Education and Empowerment leads an exciting SANBI led Jobs Fund Project called, ‘Groen Sebenza, a programme aimed at training 800 participants in priority skills in the biodiversity sector over a two and half year period starting from April 2013.   Ms Malema has worked in and with various sectors including higher education institutions, all tiers of government, entities, NGO’s as well as the private sector.      

CCESD - The Pathway for Learning About Climate Change , its Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies

By R Bholah, S Thancanamotoo, O N Varma, A Rumjaun, M Cyparsade, V. Putchay, P A Boullé and C Padaruth

Mauritius, as a small island developing state(SIDS) is experiencing climate variability and extreme weather events. Various strategies have been taken to minimise the impact of climate change (CC) at the national level. This paper explains how a teacher education institution, the Mauritius Institute of Education (MIE) that has been playing a pivotal role in the education sector in the island has contributed to climate change mitigation and adaptation through various ways including the climate change education for sustainable development (CCESD) project and Africa Adaptation Programme(AAP). According to a situational analysis on curriculum implementation and teaching and learning, and managerial practices related to CC at school levels (pre-primary, primary and secondary) there is absence or very little coverage of CC related concepts in the school curricula. Lack of appropriate climate change education (CCE) resources, fewer CCE extracurricular activities and the need for appropriate training in CCE and a proper structure or mechanism to empower the school managers to support their educators in CCE activities were also noted. Such findings have led to the implementation of the CCESD project which aimed at mainstreaming CCE at the MIE and the lower secondary level (Form I to III) at four schools in Mauritius and one in Rodrigues. An appropriate action plan was developed to empower a range of stakeholders including teacher trainers, teachers, curriculum developers, representatives of government and non-governmental organizations and also to develop locally adapted climate change related learning resources. The latter were systematically addressed at the above schools using the whole school approach and the CCESD implementation was closely monitored and evaluated. In the AAP project CCE was mainstreamed and addressed at primary and upper secondary school levels using a range of systematically planned activities such as workshops, in-house seminars, quiz/essay competitions and mobile graphic exhibition. The strategy used in the CCE implementation also sought to strengthen the links among the institution, schools (primary and secondary) and the local communities. This paper therefore explains the pedagogical perspectives on the challenges of mainstreaming CCESD into teaching/learning processes and how CCE has been handled at different levels in the education sector. Learning materials developed by the MIE and the strategy employed for their dissemination could serve as a model for CCESD in the SIDS.

BioRavhee Bholah holds a PhD in the field of Environmental Health and Epidemiology and a Masters in Education and a Bachelor of Science (Hons.) in Biology. Bholah worked in the Ministry of the Health and Quality of Life, Ministry of Education and Human Resources (MOEHR); and for the last 10 years, has been working as an academic in the Department of Science Education at the Mauritius Institute of Education (MIE), the unique tertiary teacher

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education institution in Mauritius. Bholah has been involved in the development and training of various teacher education programmes at the MIE and, adult training and continuous professional development programmes for other tertiary institutions to meet the needs of the country. He has broad experience in face to face and distance education, online and blended mode of delivery. Besides, he has greatly contributed in the development the National Curriculum Frameworks/ textbooks for Pre-Primary, Primary and Secondary Education for MOEHR. Mr. Bholah has also been coordinating and leading a number of Science and Technology, ESD and Climate Change Education (CCE) related projects and research studies at national and regional levels.

Climate change education for sustainable development through basic climate change science and fire education

By Overson Shumba

The paper proposes a framework for a community-linked teaching resource that supports climate change education (CCE) by looking into examples of African local land husbandry and resource exploitation practices that may contribute to deforestation, biodiversity loss, and global warming. The resource is meant to provide basic climate change science linking it to the indigenous knowledge and wisdom on which the land and resource management practices are based. These practices often incorporate the use of fires which, inappropriately used and ill-managed, significantly worsen deforestation already a major challenge in poor rural communities in sub-Sahara Africa. The IPCC estimates that deforestation produces 5.9 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide per year and 18 per cent of global carbon dioxide. The proposed resource is thus a CCE innovation involving teachers that is built around fire education to educate and raise public awareness about climate change and its connection to local community land husbandry and resource exploitation practices. Understanding basic climate change science in the context of the indigenous knowledge and practices that incorporate fire use and management can be a significant way to mitigate deforestation, biodiversity loss and the African ecological footprint.

BioProf. Overson Shumba teaches at the Copperbelt University, Zambia which he joined from the University of Zimbabwe in 2008. He has been in higher education for more than 22 years where his research interests and expertise are in chemistry teacher education, environmental science, curriculum and instruction, ESD, and monitoring and evaluation. He is a member of the UNESCO Monitoring and Evaluation Expert Group (MEEG) on the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development. He coordinates the Environmental, Medical Sciences, and Chemical Research Thematic Group at the Copperbelt University. E-mail: oshumba@yahoo.co.uk; shumba.overson@cbu.ac.zm

Intégrer l'éducation au développement durable comprenant le changement climatique dans le processus éducatif

Par Paul Randrianarisoa

C’est toujours vrai que l’éducation prépare les gens à devenir un citoyen. Il est aussi important de signaler que la façon d’éduquer façonne effectivement le profil de ce citoyen à l’avenir. La plupart des éducateurs ne tiennent pas compte de cet aspect de l’éducation et se trompent parfois à la définition de ce qu’on entend par réussite scolaire.

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La transformation de l’éducation en Afrique pour satisfaire les besoins du continent et de ses habitants constitue à juste titre une urgence vitale pour les générations actuelles et celles du futur. Les activités afférentes à cette transformation doivent être priorisées en fonction des réalités locales tout en tenant compte les divers facteurs de réussite comme la formation des enseignants et éducateurs, l’adaptation des curricula aux besoins et réalités locaux, l’établissement de collaboration avec la communauté, la participation des apprenants au processus éducatif, …L’éducation au développement durable devra inclure les causes, les conséquences et les mesures à prendre non seulement pour faire face aux aléas du changement climatique mais surtout pour réduire autant que possible l’aggravation des effets de ce phénomène incontournable. Ceci montre une fois de plus la nécessité de considérer comme piliers inséparables l’environnement, l’économie et la société pour toutes les activités à entreprendre y comprise la transformation de l’éducation.  

Drawing From Diverse Knowledge Sources to Understand Climate Change Education for Sustainable Development

By Abel Barasa Atiti

Respecting the diversity of African communities and their heritage education experiences is central to understanding climate change education for sustainable development. This requires promoting different ways of knowing drawn from diverse fields, local contexts and theories to understand the global phenomenon of climate change. It also requires advancing partnerships across geographic, knowledge and interdisciplinary boundaries. The United Nations University Regional Centres of Expertise (RCE) on education for sustainable development initiative provides a useful framework for such an engagement. The global RCE network is committed to integrating climate change issues into education for sustainable development programmes. African RCEs are pooling together capacities, expertise, resources and heritage education experiences to enhance mitigation and adaptation to climate change. These efforts are highlighted in a course manual that is being developed for use in African RCEs. This presentation will share insights into the integration of a climate change education component in the course manual to underline the unique role of RCEs in building sustainable and resilient communities. The course manual focuses on four thematic areas that are central to strengthening capacities of networked communities to adapt to climate change and develop sustainably. These are transformative learning, networked governance, collaborative partnerships and community-engaged research.

Bio Abel Barasa Atiti is a Kenyan currently working with the United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU-IAS) as a research fellow for education for sustainable development. At the UNU-IAS, Abel undertakes policy-oriented research and capacity development activities in Regional Centres of Expertise on education for sustainable development. His other research interests include transformative learning, participatory evaluation, teacher education, sustainability and networked governance. He has a keen interest in strengthening capacities of networked communities to adapt to climate change and develop sustainably.

Prior to joining UNU-IAS in 2011, he was the head of planning, monitoring and evaluation at the National Museums of Kenya (NMK). He has a teaching background in environmental education

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and biology. Abel holds a PhD in Environmental Studies from Macquarie University, Sydney and a Masters of Education in Environmental Education from Rhodes University, South Africa.

Engaging and Empowering the Youth in the Climate Change Discourse: Approaches Assessing Alternative Environmental Education in Migrant Coastal Communities

By Elaine Tweneboah Lawson, Chris Gordon, Adelina Mensah

Education, training and public awareness are vital aspects of capacity building on climate change under the Marrakesh Accord. In line with the recommendations from the 2009 UNESCO International Seminar on Climate Change Education, current efforts at climate change education in Ghana have targeted children and youth in the formal educational systems.

For example curriculum for Basic Schools lists subjects with topics relevant to climate change. However some studies have shown that the level of awareness of climate change in the Basic Schools remains poor, especially in rural and marginalised communities. This has resulted in the need for new teaching approaches to address human capacity needs for climate change.

The Hanns Siedel Foundation funded project “Halting the Menace; Improving the Management of Ghana’s Coasts by Engaging and Empowering the Youth,” is a collaboration with the Institute for Environment and Sanitation Studies University of Ghana. It uses a number of interactive and participatory methods to engage migrant children and youth (11 – 17 years) in the coastal zone of Ghana and understand their perceptions on the environment. It also aims at developing the peer-to-peer communication tools which they use to share their knowledge, skills, attitudes and abilities to adapt to a changing physical environment.

Bio Dr. Elaine T. Lawson is an environmental scientist and a Research Fellow at the Institute for Environment and Sanitation Studies, University of Ghana, Legon. Her areas of expertise include gender assessments, social impact assessments, participatory research and methods. She has experience in working with non-governmental organisations as well as civil society groups. Her interests include social and cultural impacts of environmental degradation, employing socio-economic methods to investigate human interactions with the natural environment, environmental policy issues, gender and natural resource management, Integrated Coastal Zone Management, poverty, rural livelihoods and the environment, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change and environmental education. She teaches Climate Change Vulnerability, Impacts and Adaptation and Integrated Coastal Zone Management at the M.Phil level at the University of Ghana, Legon.

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Theme 3: Prepare for Disasters

UNESCO’s work on DRR and education

By Julia Heiss

Disaster Risk Reduction education can provide life-saving and life-sustaining information and skills that protect children and young people during and after emergencies and disasters. It can bolster resilience and promote recovery. Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), which UNESCO promotes as the lead-agency for the UN Decade of ESD (2005-2014), is a valuable framework for education efforts towards disaster risk reduction with a long terms perspective. ESD addresses key thematic aspects of local and global sustainable development challenges and uses teaching and learning methods that empower learners to think critically, understand risks and complexity, think and act in an interdisciplinary manner, collaborate in decision-making, and show solidarity. These are skills that are essential for building a culture of resilience and preparedness in immediate terms, but also to mitigate the causes of natural disasters in the longer term of at least those disasters that result from human-induced hazards.

UNESCO and partners work contributes to the fulfillment of commitments made at the ISDR Global Platform for DRR in 2009 for integrating DRR into school curricula by 2015.It also refers to a key dimension of an integrated and holistic approach on DRR and which has been adopted by lead agencies in the field of DRR and education. Such a comprehensive approached in this context encompasses structural safety, as well as school disaster management and disaster prevention education and curriculum development.

BioJulia Heiss works at UNESCO (Kenya and France) since 14 years on the design and implementation of education programs in the area of science education, technical and vocational education, girl’s education, education for sustainable development, sustainable consumption and climate change as well as research in education. Ms. Heiss holds a Master in Social Anthropologist and a Master in Education .

Community Based Participation Capacity for Natural Resources Efficient Use to Ensure Resilience in Africa

By John Bosco Gakumba

Both Poverty and Climate Change have become the main barriers for social-economic development in Africa being promoted by capacity and knowledge gaps, hence, rendering the greatest vulnerability levels to climate change for communities.Climate change impacts on African human settlements arise from a number of climate change-related causes, notably sea level changes, impacts on water resources, extreme weather events, food security, increased health risks from vector home diseases, and temperature-related morbidity in urban environments. Without the skills and knowledge on sustainable use of natural resources, and climate change resilience programs, the twin goals of poverty reduction and sustainable development cannot be achieved in a changing climate. Local Communities play a vital role in achieving these twins.However, the main challenge is that community groups lack access to information, skills and the ability to participate in decision-making about how their natural resources are managed.

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There is need to develop community based tools that will demonstrate and support measures targeting poverty reduction in the context of sustainable development through Community Based Organizations and local authorities.

BioJohn Bosco Gakumba is National Project Coordinator, NBDF Rwanda and CC DARE Projects. He is also Vice Chairperson of (RWP/GWP) and SC Member of GEF/SGP/UNDP Rwanda.

Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) issues in Ghanaian Basic Schools

By Andrew Osei

The issue of disaster risk reduction (DRR) has assumed national importance in Ghana particularly over the past three years. The country has experienced series of natural and man -made disasters such as Rainstorm, Bush fire, Flooding, Water borne diseases such as cholera, Ethnic conflicts some of which have culminated in the loss of lives and property.

The education sector has borne a brunt of the burden when displaced persons occupy school buildings and compounds or where children are unable to come to schools arising from crossing rivers overrunning its banks making crossing to schools potential hazards. The education sector response has focused on mainstreaming DRR issues into the teaching and learning sessions as a component of the child friendly school programme.

To facilitate this process, the government has received support from UNICEF to develop a DRR manual to guide implementation of series of actions including training of teachers and school children and the establishment of structures that will contribute to making a school disaster resilient. Ultimately, it is required of a safe school to have a CCA/DRR environment including DRR compliant structures such as school buildings. A school with a DRR environment is the one that ensures the physical and psychological safety of the school community in the event of a disaster. It includes policy level interventions such as disaster risk reduction compliant infrastructure, continuous disaster preparedness, and mitigation, and prevention initiatives by all actors.

With the initiation of the training of teachers, additional support from UNICEF will support monitoring by national and district officials to monitor and teachers are being trained with additional plan to enable the districts strengthen monitoring to the schools. Subsequent to the manual development and teacher training, support will be provided for work to start on a DRR policy for the education sector.

BioEducation Officer in UNICEF Accra. Responsible for School Health Education and providing support to government of Ghana to establish safe, protective and health school environment as a component of the child friendly school (CFS) programme of which Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) interventions constitutes a significant element.A holder of the MSc degree in Health Education and Health Promotion, he has been working in the UNICEF Accra office since 1998.

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The Junior Farmer Field and Life Schools Programme in Uganda

By Winfred Nalyongo

The implementation of the JFFLS has helped to change the mind set of youth and the communities regarding the importance of education shown by the return to school by school drop outs, the improved attendance and retention rates in schools by participating JFFLS, the increase in agricultural, entrepreneurial and life skill knowledge and the demand by youth for their right to education from their parents/guardians. Agriculture is the backbone of most African countries, yet the sector remains one of the most vulnerable to climate change variability. While some countries have policies and programmes in place to address the issues, there is minimal effort to create awareness among the general public and proactively embed climate change issues in the formal education curricula. The education systems are not dynamic to address emerging development challenges that would be more effectively brought to light in the earlier years of children’s education.

FAO in its bid to address food security and malnutrition has pioneered innovative approaches that involve both adults and children in learning to address a multitude of issues affecting production, such as climate change. The field schools’ is one such approach that is holistic in nature, knowledge intensive, centred on learning as a core principle and provides opportunity to enhance the conceptual understanding and analysis of given phenomena. The JFFLS is an adaptation of the field school methodology tailored to cultivate understanding and evaluation by the children and youth of issues that affect them as individuals, their households and communities. It provides a platform for children and youth who are in and out of school to drive their own future, grow into responsible adults, secure their livelihoods and contribute to long term food security through imparting agricultural knowledge and life skills. Simple experiments and demonstrations are used to expose youth to the key aspects of climate change like the common hazards, causes/drivers, and practically implement climate change adaptation practices towards mitigation or prevention

Bio Ms Winfred Nalyongo is a Programme Officer for Livelihoods and Farmer Field Schools at the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Uganda. She is at the centre of designing FAO’s agricultural programmes for communities in post war, and hazard prone regions of Uganda. In addition to programme design Winfred also coordinates implementation of field school programmes in Uganda and is in charge of planning for the building of technical capacities of FAO’s implementing partners in the Farmer Field School approach and related areas. Winfred is innovative, a good trainer, and analytical thinker. She enjoys learning and continuously works to develop herself, through researching and reading extensively on any topic whether in her area of work/expertise or not, and ably provides constructive opinion/input.

The role of natural resource management in preparing for disaster

By Cecilia Kibare

OECD identifies 47 countries as fragile.  This means they have substantial quantities of natural resources but no capacity to manage them.   Greed, grievance, poor governance, and globalisation can all contribute to conflict.  Natural resources are vulnerable in periods of conflict - as they are during disasters - because they are most, of the time, lootable, geographically well positioned, far from the country capitals, appealing to private sector investors and the criminal

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networks, and offer lucrative trade opportunities.  Natural resources that are critical in disasters and conflicts are diamonds and other precious stones, gold and other ores, oil and natural gas, cassiterite, ivory, etc.  Plundering of natural resources is exacerbated by ethnic fragmentation, internal tensions, and socially generated struggles.  UNEP believes that in order to be prepared for disaster and to minimise the risk of conflict it is important to properly manage natural resources, provide targeted education, and raise awareness on the value of these resources and their management.  Courses offered through our Disasters and Conflicts Branch and lessons learned organization-wide will support a greater understanding of the implications and impacts of natural resource management.

BioMs. Cecilia Kibare works for UNEP and has a background in Social Science and Economics. She has over eight years of experience in environmental outreach under the UNEP Tunza Programme which engages young people in environmental issues through awareness raising, capacity building and involvement in decision making. She has collaborated with various partners, governments, NGO, private sector and youth organizations worldwide on climate change and other environmental issues, and has promoted a call to action.  She is a member of the United Nations joint framework on children and youth and climate change. Prior to joining UNEP she worked as a Programme Officer with the UN Word Food Programme in its Africa Office and in the Rome-Headquarters. She also worked as a Programme Officer at the UN International Labour Organization in its Eastern and Southern Africa Office for skills Development for job creation targeting youth and women in training and entrepreneurship.She has extensive training/facilitation and gender skills.

Community Based Responses to Climate Change in East Africa by World Vision

By Assefa Tofu

The consensus on climate change is clear: it is happening and is predicted to lead to an increase in the frequency and intensity of natural disasters. People in the poorest countries of Africa, especially children, will likely bear the brunt of these disasters, despite having played no role in causing climate change. Scientists overwhelmingly agree that pollution is the main cause of this accelerated change.

Because of limited economic development and institutional capacity, East Africa Regional (EAR) countries are likely to be among the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Such impacts have the potential to undermine and to even undo decades of development progress made towards improving the socio-economic well-being of East Africans.

Anecdotal feedback from some of the communities that World Vision serves, suggests that climate change pressure is compelling parents to withdraw their children from school, or to send them out to work in order to gain sufficient resources in a declining environment.

Considering the changing climate and critical importance of livelihoods for East Africa's food security & economy and employment, World Vision EAR and other partners adopted a project model called Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) - a cost effective and community driven forest restoration technique. FMNR has enabled significant and positive impact towards biodiversity, land productivity and water catchment recharge, while sequestering carbon for community revenue and enhancing adpatation to climate change. Further, FMNR is complimented by energy efficient cook stove initiatives, which promote the triple benefits of health through reduced indoor air pollution, environmental sustainability through reduced fuel wood consumption and economic benefits through perpetuation of local stove industry.

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Both FMNR and fuel efficient cookstove initiatives form part of World Vision East Africa's recently launched 'Secure the Future' program, aimed at improving community resilience to climate change on a regional scale.

FMNR and fuel efficient cook stoves projects will be discussed in the context of World Vision East Africa's 'Secure the Future' regional program, as it relates to building community resilience through climate change mitigation, adaptation and education strategy.

BioAssefa started his career as a researcher in Ethiopia back in 1994. His background is agriculture, natural resource management and climate change research and development.He joined World Vision (WV) Ethiopia in 2005. Then he worked for WV Australia in climate change response programming. Currently he is working as the Climate Change Specialist for WV International, East Africa Region (EAR) being part of the Food Security, Climate Change & Economic Development Learning Centre team.Some of his experience includes development programming and advocacy in community focused climate change response, food security, natural resource management, renewable energy and community driven plant breeding.Assefa has published articles in a number of books & journals on the previously mentioned subject areas. Since 2007, he has served as a member of the Government of Ethiopia's delegation for climate change negotiations. He has had experience from grass roots community development responses to climate change, through to international negotiations on the subject.Assefa fears that if climate change is not addressed, it will undermine many years of community development and Africa’s livelihood. Hence, his prayer and ambition is to pass a safe and sustainable planet to the next generation. E-mail: assefa_tofu@wvi.org.

Paré pas Paré

Par Eric Sma-Vah

L’objectif du projet «Paré pas Paré»  est d’améliorer la diffusion des connaissances sur les risques naturels et l’appropriation des mesures à adopter en cas de catastrophe. Il s’agit de sensibiliser les plus jeunes aux risques majeurs à l’aide d’outils pédagogiques adaptés notamment grâce à une grande campagne de sensibilisation dans les écoles. Le projet inclut également des campagnes de communication (spots TV et radio), des stands lors de grandes manifestations (Grand Raid, Fête de la science, JIPC, etc.), des interventions dans les centres de loisirs et des ateliers familiaux.

Bio I am currently deputy head of delegation of PIROI (Plateforme d’Intervention Régionale de l’Océan Indien) based in Reunion and responsible of a Red-Cross regional disaster management program comprising of advocacy, DRR, preparedness and response components. The PIROI program started in 2000 and covers Comoro, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Reunion (FR) and Mayotte (FR), Mozambique and Tanzania. In addtition to these 7 Red-Cross national societies, IFRC and ICRC and also taking part in the program.

Local authorities’ capacity building for climate change adaptation and disaster management in Benin

By Saïd K. Hounkponou and Atinkpahoun C.N. H.

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Benin is one the most vulnerable countries to climate change impacts in West Africa. Agriculture, the base of economy, is the most vulnerable activity (DCN 2011). The year 2010 has recorded a wave of exceptionally large floods for at least 50 years with 55 of the 77 municipalities flooded, a very big bill for communities who are poor and subject to food insecurity. Local authorities and technical agent in charge of municipalities since decentralization implementation, have less capacity to develop projects to face climate change. In added, local development plans didn’t integrate climate change issues and needs of vulnerable communities to better adapt. The project focus on (i) strengthen capacity of local officials and technical staff and decentralized offices for climate change adaptation integration in development plan; (ii) support elaboration and implementation of climate disaster management plan. The most vulnerable municipalities’ staffs (34 of 77) were trained and local adaptation and disaster management plans they implemented help them to face flooding and support communities’ adaptation needs. Local authorities integrate budget for climate change management on municipality’s annual business plan.

BioSaid Kolawolé Hounkponou holds a degree in agricultural engineering from the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences at the University of Abomey-Calavi in Benin. He has strong seven years experiences on climate change adaptation, participatory action research on strengthening agro-meteorological knowledge, development of indigenous knowledge on climate change with local actors and capacity building.

Coordinator of several projects on adaptation to climate change in Benin namely Project capacity building in rural Benin adaptation to climate change (2007-2011), the project CCDARE-integration of adaptation to climate change in local development planning (2009-2011) and the strengthening of economic knowledge and the capacity to adapt to climate change in Benin (2011-2014), he had build practical experience with local communities in climate change adaptation and enhancing local knowledge. Currently, K. S. Hounkponou is director of NGO Initiatives for Sustainable Integrated Development (IDID) in Porto Novo, Benin.

Disaster Risk Reduction and Management in the Lower Secondary Curriculum in Uganda

By Pross Mulyowa, Coordinator of Climate Change Education at the National Curriculum Development Centre and Responsible Officer for the new initiative: Disaster Risk ReductionBioI am a teacher by profession, currently working with the National Curriculum Development Centre as a Subject Specialist for Geography. I am a holder of M.A in Land Use and Regional Development Planning from Makerere University; a Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management from the Uganda Management Institute and Post Graduate Diploma in Curriculum Design from the Open University of Tanzania. I am a National Trainer for Environmental Education; Coordinator of Climate Change Education and Disaster Risk Reduction and Management at the Curriculum Centre

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Theme 4: Building green societies through green job training

Evaluating Africa's higher and further education green economy readiness to and from Rio+20

By Godwell Nhamo

Following deliberations to and from Rio+20, there is no doubt the world is set to engage the green economy as a means to attaining sustainable development, poverty eradication, jobs creation and equity evermore. At the center of the green economy is the need to address negative impacts associated with one of the global challenges of our epoch, climate change. It is in this regard that higher and further education is viewed by many as the platform upon which green economy skills can be developed for the future we want – a future that is sustainable and one in which Africa can effectively adapt and mitigate climate change. An array of short, medium and long term green jobs skills development programmes must be initiated, including the establishment of Green Economy Mainstreaming Centers of Excellence. The question this paper seeks to address therefore is: are African institutions of higher and further education green economy ready in as far as green jobs skills development is concerned? Sadly, the answer is a huge NOT YET!

BioGodwell Nhamo is a Full Professor and Programme Manager for the Exxaro Chair in Business and Climate Change hosted by the Institute for Corporate Citizenship at Unisa. Although, Professor Nhamo has great interest in Business and Climate Change research, especially from an African perspective, the emerging field of community engagement in higher education is worth engaging for any academic. Some of Professor Nhamo’s research work has been in the broader environmental policy field. Professor Nhamo has published a number of papers addressing various policy perspectives on the Kyoto Protocol and the green global economy. His most recent work includes a 2011 edited book on Green Economy and climate Mitigation and three journal articles also published in 20111. Contact Details: Institute for Corporate Citizenship, University of South Africa, P.O. Box 392, Unisa 0003, Pretoria, South Africa. Email: nhamog@unisa.ac.za.

Education, a catalyst for sustainable development through green job training

By Malintle Kheleli

Because of the inherent uncertainties of the climate change, there has been a practical need to put in place sustainable mechanism to cope with those uncertainties. Most African countries are considered highly vulnerable to climate change related challenges of which if mitigation and adaptation measures are not put in place, future generation lives will be highly compromised. Helen Bank Jorgensen in COP 15(December 18 2009) in her statement on climate change as driver for green jobs and innovation, pointed out that climate change innovation is a powerful engine for economic growth, with the potential to create new industry. Many jobs that already exist are jobs that need new skills or transferable skills towards new sustainable green economy. Multiple efforts from all sectors and role players are essential in

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capacity building on green job training. Range of approaches, options, researches and potential operations are to be engaged in building green societies. Developing nations need to do more at the national level to confront climate change impacts. A holistic plan of action across various sectors should be brought to play and all forms of education can be a platform on capacity building for green job training(Post MDG,s geared to SDG,s).

BioMalintle Kheleli is a chairperson of a national school based association called Geography and Environmental Movement (GEM). I also work as a teacher coordinator for Lesotho Regional Center of Expertise (RCE/UNU) for ENVIRONMENTAL & SUSTAINABLE EDUCATION NETWORK of LESOTHO (Tikoloho Lehae la Rona) which displays environmental concerns in the country as well as networking. In addition, I am GEF NGO NETWORK Focal Point, a GEF National Coordinating Committee member and GEF NGO NETWORK regional deputy president. A member of regional association, Environment Education Association of Southern Africa (EEASA).Again I am a technical advisor of the National Curriculum Development Center on Environmental issues. Steering Committee member of UNFCCC and UNCCD and other environment related platforms at national level. I also work in various environmental projects in the country.

Tlokoeng Valley Biodiversity Conservation Project: Exploring Mitigating of the Impact of Climate Change

By Tšepo Mokuku

The paper is based on a project in Lesotho that is intended to conserve birds and wetlands that sustain Moroeroe river in Tlokoeng Valley and to explore initiate ecotourism. The Tlokoeng valley community has in recent years experienced successive years of crop failure and food shortage due to unprecedented extreme climatic conditions of drought and heavy rainfall. The focus of the project is to explore alternative livelihoods for Tlokoeng community through community-based biodiversity conservation and ecotourism centred on conservation of the Southern Bald Ibis (Geronticus calvus), a species that is confined to Lesotho, the eastern parts of South Africa and the western parts of Swaziland. These ibises are considered to be facing a high risk of extinction in the wild (Barnes, 2000; BirdLife International 2000, Threatened Birds of the World). Factors contributing to their vulnerable status include the loss of habitat, human interference at breeding colonies, and, in Lesotho in particular, the use of Bald Ibis parts for traditional medicinal and ceremonial purposes (Barnes 2000; BirdLife International 2000). Preliminary investigations in Tlokoeng Valley indicate that threats to the two Bald Ibis roosting/breeding sites include human interference and the killing of the birds for consumption. In addition, the wetlands that sustain a perennial water flow in Moroeroe river in the Tlokoeng valley are currently subjected to indiscriminate anthropocentric pressures, apparently due to limited knowledge about their ecological significance.

BioDr. Mokuku is a senior lecturer is science education and is currently the head of Department of Science Education, at the National University of Lesotho. He has more than 15 years of experience as an educator and researcher. His experiences and interests, which can richly inform the proposed study, include research in biodiversity conservation and curriculum development, as well education for sustainable development. His career as an educator and

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researcher has largely been guided by his academic background and interest in community development through research project as well as environmental & sustainability education.

Education for Sustainable Development of Agribusiness and Risk management, (ESDAR) in Kenya

By Dorcas B. Otieno

The 2009 census Report for Kenya indicated that out of about 11 million youth (15-35 )years who comprise about 36% of the population) only 39% are absorbed in the job market. The remaining 61% are left jobless and live below the poverty line of less than one Dollar per day. About 92% of these youth lack vocational or professional skills demanded by the economy to which agriculture contributes 30% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). (MOYAS report, 2011). Climate change has affected agricultural trends and posed a threat to food security. Climate change has also posed serious risks to other key related economic sectors including livestock, tourism, forestry, water and fisheries horticulture and forestry.

Kenya national Climate change response strategy 2010 is aimed at developing resilient and adaptive communities who for instance can engage in green agricultural enterprises for food security and environmental sustainability. Many small agribusinesses in Kenya are not enterprising. They are neither productive nor profitable since they lack access to modern technology and productive assets. There is need to revolutionize and transform subsistence agriculture into productive agribusiness in order to meet Kenya’s food security needs by upgrading value chains, exploit demand, promoting green innovations, improve access to energy to make agriculture more sustainable and a provider for environmental services. Corporations are urged to shift their investments, adopt green management practices as well as make green technologies more affordable and available as a way of utilizing the opportunities created by climate change.

Education for Sustainable Agribusiness Development and Risk management (ESDAR) is key to providing innovative, green solutions and jobs that are required. Currently educational levels fall well short of the standard required to achieve technical efficiency in sustainable agriculture and manufacturing to respond to climate change challenges. Constraints include: inadequate policy, low investment and weak inter institutional arrangements; weak links to solving real development needs, inadequate teaching and learning resources and tools, low interest in agricultural education and inadequate human resource capacity to deliver due to low incentives, gender imbalance etc. Capacity strengthening is the single most important need in order to stimulate green agricultural innovation in Kenya in supporting adoption of improved and sustainable agricultural technologies for climate change adaptation, risk management and environmental sustainability. Reorientation of vocational training to produces youth with positive attitudes, knowledge and skills for agribusiness development is urgently required to enhance employment opportunities and self reliance.

The envisaged ESDAR programme would entail: training in improved crop production, plant breeding & selection, agricultural engineering, processing, value addition and marketing, natural resource management; climate change and sustainability, risk and vulnerability reduction, gender equity, entrepreneurship & financial management, ICT, agribusiness value addition and ethics. A contextualized Action learning curriculum and materials would need to be developed. Other initiatives would include: fostering crop & livestock agribusiness through the establishment of incubators, regional centers of expertise for demonstrating green agribusiness value addition chains. Establishment of Internships with industrial incubators to enhance Action Learning for green enterprises would be key as well as building synergies to serve as resource, mentorship and linkages. Relevant multisectoral partners including, Private Sector, Civil society

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organizations, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNDP, Ministries of labor, Agriculture, Ministry of youth, Education Industrialization and Environment/NEMA (managing the Kenya Climate Change Adaptation Fund) would be involved in the implementation of the programme, using existing T VETs.

BioDorcas Otieno is the Executive Director of the Kenya Organization of Environmental Education.

Actualizing green jobs potential

By Fanina Kodre-Alexander

The critical role of education in achieving sustainable development is underscored by the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD, 2005-2014).  In line with this decade, it is imperative to promote enhanced education, public awareness and training around the theme of climate change in the context of a green economy.  The educational sector and it's institutions will need to reorient curricula, pedagogy, teacher training and in general overall policies to match the demands of a sustainable future and provide training to the youth of today to secure green jobs.  UNEP, through its many programmes and initiatives with its partners, has catalyzed the understanding of the gains that would result from the adoption of a green economy and has initiated mechanisms to advance information dissemination and awareness raising, education and training, and the actual delivery of projects in these areas.  UNEP works at various levels:  with policy-makers, learning institutions, and actual beneficiaries in Africa and other regions to actualize the green jobs potential.

BioFanina Kodre-Alexander joined UNEP in September 2004 as the Head of the Internet Unit.  Ms. Kodre-Alexander, a Slovenian / Canadian with a background in Computer Science, brought to her new post a wealth of knowledge from her previous jobs as well as extensive experience in the Information Technology field.   Prior to UNEP, Ms. Kodre-Alexander worked for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada as a network engineer and a researcher.

During her tenure with UNEP, Ms. Kodre-Alexander assumed various roles and responsibilities, and since 2008 she has been the communication and outreach officer for the climate change subprogramme.  She has developed and delivered annual strategies to support the UNFCCC negotiation process and raise awareness on the climate change agenda.  She has extensive experience in analysing scientific information generated by the organization, preparing it for dissemination to various target audiences, and strategically engaging partners to action.  She is an active member of the UN Alliance on Climate Change Education, Training and Public Awareness, among others.

Green Office Manual: A Guide to Sustainable Workplace Practices

By Lemohang Mtshali

Today, as we face unprecedented environmental challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution and resources scarcity, the time has come to reflect on the current economic practices. Efforts towards a green economy require a set of sound short-, medium- and long-term policies and approaches that will define a new development paradigm with the involvement of all stakeholders.

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One of the key planks is Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) to encourage changes in individual behaviour, attitudes, lifestyles, consumption and production patterns and the teaching of skills and competencies and research capacities, thereby contributing to a more sustainable future based on environmental integrity, economic viability and gender equality for present and future generations.

Tackling the environmental problems faced by our planet is not just a moral imperative; it makes good business sense as well. It is therefore imperative for all sections of civil society, including multinational companies, small businesses and offices to earnestly redress environmental issues through sustainable practices. Corporate firms have the ability to reach out, educate and influence their many employees as well as customers and suppliers to adopt green practices as well as initiate eco-friendly practices in the offices.

Going green has many advantages. Measures designed to reduce the use of material resources and energy, are not only beneficial to the environment, but can also lead to considerable savings and help a company achieve cost cutting targets. However, more often than not, organizations fail to undertake environmental initiatives due to the pressures of running an organization’s core business; thereby leaving Managers with little time and resources to research and implement environmental practices.

Matsapha Town Council has therefore developed a Green Office Manual, which provides concise information about environmental issues and listing practical steps needed to create a green office environment. Although the Manual is intended for the offices, the principles are equally applicable to all other sectors particularly schools, colleges, accommodation establishments and small businesses.

BioI joined Matsapha Town Council in the Department of Environment and Public Health in Swaziland in January 2012. I am an Environment Inspector. My duties among others include educating the business community about Climate Change within Matsapha Urban area, which is the industrial hub for Swaziland.I have a Masters in Environmental Management obtained from the University of Free State in Bloemfontein in 2002. I have had an opportunity to attend various Environmental Education courses mainly with support from SIDA and have implemented a number of change projects subsequent to the International Training Programmes I attended. I am a member of EEASA and have been involved in a number of ESD related projects. I attended the ESD Lens Piloting Workshop organized by UNESCO which crafted the implementation plan for ESD in the region.I also participated in the UNESCO Expert meeting held in Seoul, Korea on TVET in 2010. I spearheaded the development of the ESD Strategy for Lesotho which was launched in 2009. I was also a member of the technical working group on Climate Change which saw the development of the National Strategic Development Plan for Lesotho. I also participated in the Stakeholder meetings on Climate Change Adaptation Project in the Lesotho Highlands, a USAID funded project.

Namibian Climate Change Education: NaDEET Centre: “Practicing what we teach” &It’s Time to Work: A “Green” TVET Career Guide

By Viktoria Keding and Samuel Fernandez Diekert

The Namib Desert Environmental Education Trust (NaDEET) Centre located in a dune valley of the NamibRand Nature Reserve hosts groups of primary and secondary schools and adult workshops for rural community members and educators for weeklong non-formal programmes.

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Officially opened in 2003 by the then UNESCO Director-Windhoek Cluster Dr. Claudia Harvey, the core philosophy of NaDEET’s education programme is to ‘practice what we teach’. The biodiversity of the Namib Desert provides the scientific foundations for learning and problem-solving for our environmental problems, including climate change. The Centre is a model of sustainable living in that solar energy produces electricity, heats water and cooks food. Reduced water consumption and reduce, reuse and recycling of waste promote an overall reduction of energy consumption.

Participants therefore build knowledge to adapt and mitigate climate change through a variety of sources. For example, solar energy is explored by starting with scientific information about desert adapted insects through observation and field work followed by physics experiments to understand principles of light which are then applied practically when participants cook the day’s meals using parabolic solar cookers and solar ovens. All participants gain practical skills in adapting and mitigating to climate change on a household level. These skills can be applied in all settings and can be used for small businesses.

To support climate change education beyond the Centre, NaDEET has an active environmental literacy programme which produces amongst other publications a sustainable living booklet series entitled, “It’s Time to…”. The series already has booklets for all ages from early childhood to mature adults including “It’s Time to Solar Cook”. The current publication under development is “Its Time to Work: A Green TVET Career Guide”. This collaboration with the UNESCO office in Windhoek, Namibia aims to promote Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in the TVET sector by highlighting jobs that are typically considered “green” and jobs that may not seem “green” at first. Aimed at secondary school learners and TVET institutions, research for the book has already highlighted gaps between TVET training, the curriculum and implementation of sustainable practices.

BioViktoria Keding is the director and co-founder of the Namib Desert Environmental Education Trust (NaDEET) since 2003. NaDEET's objectives are to provide environmental education for Namibian children and educators, regardless of income, by addressing relevant environmental issues through hands-on, experimental learning, supporting the Namibian school curricula in a practical, learner-centered way and providing them with the opportunity of experiencing their county's namesake - the Namib Desert - first hand, thus creating a sense of respect and responsibility for their natural environment. Keding has spearheaded all aspects of NaDEET including: management, teaching, programme development, activities and educational materials. Viktoria Keding is one of Namibia’s Climate Change Ambassador’s and is the recipient of the Eco Media Awards for her environmental literacy publications. Currently completing her MSc in Sustainable Development, she is passionate about environmental education and believes that we must all live a sustainable lifestyle to create positive change for our environment.

The Greenbits Initiative

By Kennedy Liti Mbeva & Reuben Makomere

Climate change is the defining challenge of the 21st century, with the debate revolving on the need to safeguard the environment for future generations – intergenerational justice. Climate change education is crucial in tackling and adaptation to climate change, hence the establishment of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014). However, the dynamics around climate change education have brought forth the need for innovative climate change education initiatives.

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The Greenbits Initiative is an innovative capacity building project, focusing on enhancing youth engagement in climate policy through the production of fun, easy-to-read guides to important climate policy processes and translating them into numerous languages. The guides are distributed to the global youth community through youth and environmental networks who can then apply the knowledge to their local contexts.The objective of the initiative is to lower the barrier to youth engagement in some of the most crucial climate policy processes.The global youth demography is growing, communication tools are becoming more proliferated and effective youth networks are a growing platform for consolidating youth opinion and contribution in tackling climate change.Through crowd-sourcing the skills of youth volunteers, Greenbits Initiative (http://greenbits.herokuapp.com) aims to lower the barrier to youth engagement in climate policy through fun, easy-to-read guides to climate policy issues and processes.

BioI am a passionate youth climate activist, with a special focus on lowering the barriers to youth engagement in environmental and climate policy formulation. I also love building and strengthening youth climate movements. Currently, I am the East Africa Regional Coordinator for African Youth Initiative on Climate Change, and I also the founder and director of GreenBits Initiative; the latter is focused on making simple, fun and easy-to-read guides on climate policy. I love writing and teaching using innovative ways. I am also a regular contributor to the influential youth think tank, youthpolicy.org/environment. I am also about to publish a collection of poems I have written over time. I love good people and good food.

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