Erasmus+ “ForLife” project at destination – Soverato, Italy
After the trainings held in Slovenia in Celje (13-17 May 2022) and in Serbia in Kraljevo (26-30 September 2022), teachers from three countries, Slovenia, Serbia and Italy, gathered again in Italy in Soverato, from the 17th to the 21st April 2023 within the Erasmus+ project “ForLife”. About thirty teachers will share their experiences in using different tools and methods in teaching the importance of forests, from biodiversity, through health and sustainable use of resources, to the preservation of the natural environment.
Together with the hosts of the “Jump” organization from Soverato, schools and the local administration of Soverato, the opening ceremony at the “ForLife” project was in honor of the sea, about the importance of the sea for society, economic development of the community. Special attention was paid to a demonstration of the skills of special rescuers – dogs, who are trained to react quickly and energetically if the safety of swimmers is threatened.
Very positive energy, free and uninhibited behavior of children, happiness and pride that they are “part of the marine ecosystem”, is the special impressions that we experienced greeting the sea, and a sense of togetherness that different social structures and interests bring together inhabitants in the fight for a healthy environment and especially a clean sea.
During the four days of training, the participants will have the opportunity to become familiar with the forest and marine ecosystems in the vicinity of Soverato municipality and to share previous knowledge and experience about the importance of forests and green areas for the general well-being of people and wildlife.
The training agenda can be found at the link.
Erasmus+ mobility in Serbia ForLife
From September 26 to September 30, the second mobility for educators and teachers participating in the project Forest – our lifelong teacher took place in Serbia (in the city of Kraljevo and the surrounding area). The training was attended by almost 50 teachers from Slovenia, Italy and Serbia. The participants had the opportunity to get to know the Serbian school system and get the insight into curricula and learning content related to the forest and related topics. During four days, a few kindergartens, primary and secondary schools were visited: Kindergarten Đurđevak, Primary school Branko Radičević Vitkovac, Primary school Olga Milutinović Godačica, Primary school Jovo Kursula, Primary school Dimitrije Tucović, Primary school IV Kraljevački bataljon Secondary Mechanical and Secondary Forestry school. At each of the visited institutions, accompanying activities related to the project topic were prepared for participants. They presented the activities and good practices they carry out with their students, and participants could also join the students and thus enrich their knowledge.
In addition, participants also visited the mountain Goč, which is located near Vrnjačka Banja and offers a wide range of activities in the forest. A group of students, who were just in the autumn forest school in nature, joined us in the forest activities and getting to know the Serbian forests.
Among the Slovenian participants was Mr. Bostjan Hren, forestry engineer, regional forester and head of forest pedagogy, employed at the Forestry Institute in Slovenia, which is an associate partner of the project. Boštjan presented the principles and functions of forests and reinforced the basics of forest pedagogy with numerous practical activities.
During the week, participants had opportunity to gain new experience and ideas, which they will be able to transfer to their work with children and students and also share among colleagues and beyond.
The first national meeting on the ForLife project “Forest – our lifelong teacher” was held in Forestry school in Kraljevo
On the occasion of the World Forest Day, the first national meeting was held in Kraljevo as an introduction to the For Life project “Forest – our lifelong teacher”. The meeting was attended by representatives of all Eco-schools from Kraljevo and Cacak, who will work in the coming months on the preparation of materials on forests and climate change, for teachers and students and participate in exchanges organized in Slovenia and Italy during the project. The participants presented their previous experiences in working with children and students aged 5 to 15, on the topic of forests and climate change. There is already a lot of interesting material, which will be renewed and improved during the project.
As a symbol of the project, a tree was planted in the yard of the Forestry School, so that it grows as the results of the project grow. A meeting of all partners and training for teachers from Slovenia and Italy will be held in Serbia, in September 2022, hosted by teachers and staff of the Forestry School from Kraljevo. They will show the area under the forest and prepare materials on the importance of forests, sustainable management, forests as an economic resource, but also about forest importace for climate change mitigation and environmental protection.
Eco-schools participating in the project are following: Forestry School, Mechanical Engineering School, Elementary School IV Kraljevo Battalion, Elementary School Dimitrije Tucovic, Elementary School Branko Radicevic, Elementary School Jovo Kusula, Elementary School Olga Milutinovic (Kraljevo), School Vuk Karadzic (Sombor), PU My childhood (Čačak).
The ForLife project is implemented within the Erasmus + program, supported by the European Union. The project was managed by the Doves organization from Slovenia, and the partners are Jump from Italy and the Ambassadors of Sustainable Development and Environment from Serbia.
You can see the materials from the first national meeting here 1, 2, 3.
Forest – our lifelong teacher (Erasmus+)
ForLife is a joint project of three partners: Doves, Slovenia (project leader), Jump (Italy) and Environmental Ambassadors for Sustainable Development (Serbia), under the Erasmus+ Program.
EC Project Number: 2021-1-SI01-KA210-SCH-
National Project ID: KA210-SCH-2/21
Project title: Forest – our lifelong teacher
The projects is in line with the new EU Priority “European Green Deal” which is a strong claim and a new strong message of the EU towards all citizens. The project aims to train and empower teachers in the field of global challenges of environmental education (with emphasis on forests and the connection to climate change), through quality lessons and outdoor activities to achieve goals in the field of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). The professional support of experts who will share their knowledge in the field of forestry will be provided to teachers, in order to enable them the opportunity to exchange experience of good practice that they will transfer to their work. At the end of the project, teachers will be sufficiently qualified, confident, with new skills and knowledge to be able to pass on to students and educate them about the importance of forests in relation to climate change. It is expected that students will, in following period, change their attitude towards forests and show the concern for nature and the future of our planet through their activities (not only in schools, but also widely) and to become active citizens. The role and importance of forests and their main functions (social, production and especially ecological) will be emphasized during the project, as well as the inclusion of forest visits in regular school work will be proposed, in order to improve knowledge regarding forest as a natural environment in Europe, to emphasize the importance of forest protection, but also afforestation and sustainable forest management. Teachers that teach students with special needs, marginalized and sensitive groups (Roma and immigrants who often have difficulty learning due to their knowledge of terminology, women and girls) will be included in the project, having in mind they do not have as many opportunities to participate in international projects. Through practical activities, games and outdoor activities, the mentioned groups can actively participate, learn and gain new knowledge about forests. The sustainable forest management requires the adoption of practices that take in account scenarios of future climate. Information/educational instruments are foreseen as the important tool of the resilience of the forest to climate change (educational institutions have important role, including Eco-Schools and others).
The implementation of these measures needs to be supported by a training and awareness raising that builds both general knowledge on climate change and forest management. The project is primarily aimed at teachers who teach students aged 5 -15. Teachers who educate children with special needs or work with marginal groups (Roma and immigrants), with the project activities they will help these children to easily integrate into society and encourage them to contribute to the overall progress.
The project goal is to achieve state in which teachers will feel equipped and competent to transfer knowledge in the first place to the secondary group indirectly involved in the project: colleagues, school managements and further students, which will gain new knowledge in the field of forests. The teachers involved will continue to share their knowledge and experience at professional meetings for teachers, study groups, thematic conferences, the network of Eco-schools in Slovenia and Serbia also have its own monthly newspaper, through which they inform the teachers involved in the programme.
Project ForLife started in February 2022, and lasts until July 2023. It is supported by EU, throught the Erasmus+ programm.
Kick-off meeting was held on February 24-25, 2022 in Portorož, Slovenia, with participation of all three partner organizations. It was very good opportunity to discuss upcoming activities in each country, as well as activities that will be organized jointly, as trainings for teachers involved in the project. During the meeting there was also opportunity to visit Skocijan cave, to see how on of the forest track in the vicinity of Skocijan looks, to learn about educational activities that National forestry institute from Slovenia organize with school children, and to see how Eco-schools program is running in pre-school in Slovenia.
Final online Conference on the project: Forest – our lifelong teacher May 29-31, 2023
Schools go green and digital – and Erasmus+ supports teaching excellence!
Call for participation for EnE18: Nature protection – Nature-Responsive Development
We are pleased to invite you to The Fourteenth Regional Conference ”Environment to Europe – EnE18‘‘, which will be held on June 5th 2018 in Belgrade (Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia). Conference is UN WED (World Environmental Day) and ESDW (European Sustainable Development Week) event. On the World Environment Day 2018 , the UN is expected to give emphasis on the fact that individual actions to preserve the nature can actually help in sustaining a green environment and to understand why forests are important.
Environmental Ambassadors for Sustainable Development in partnership with Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia organize The Fourteenth Regional Conference ”Environment to Europe – EnE18”. Thematic area this year is Nature protection – Nature-Responsive Development
Nature protection is highly ranked on the list of priorities of the United Nations (Sustainable Development Goal 15 and UN Decade on Biodiversity by 2020), the European Union (NATURA 2000) and all countries that strive to preserve natural values, biodiversity, geodiversity have to develop with responsibility to nature. The goal of the UN Decade on Biodiversity is to support the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity and to promote its overall vision of living in harmony with nature. UN SDG 15 refers to the protection, restoration and promotion of sustainable ecosystems use, sustainable forests management, combating desertification and preventing land degradation and biodiversity loss. In response to the threat to nature and biodiversity, the EU has formed a wide European network of protected natural areas, known as NATURA 2000. It covers over 18% of the EU territory, ensuring long-term survival of the most valuable and threatened species and habitats in Europe. Candidate countries and potential candidates for membership in the European Union are facing a great challenge to protect nature and implement a development responsive to nature.
The aim of the EnE18 Conference is to highlight the importance of environmental protection and sustainable development in the context of the protection of nature. The Conference is an opportunity for representatives of state institutions, professional, consultative, educational and scientific institutions, managers of protected areas, civil sector, to present current topics in the field of nature protection.
Traditionally, within the Conference every year we have a significant number of participants from Serbia and abroad, the participation of over 150 authors and co-authors of papers who published in the CD Proceedings of the Conference, as well as participants without paper.
We firmly believe that your scientific/research results/consultancy/views and experience will substantially help a better understanding of these fields. Being aware of the necessity of a close cooperation between science and practice, we invite you to take active participation in the Conference Environment to Europe – EnE18, either by preparing and presenting your paper or by contributing as an auditor and participant.
Application forms (with or without paper) should be sent by email: eneconference@feeserbia.com
Focus themes on WED through years:
- Theme of the year 2017 – “Join the race to make the world a better place”.
- Theme of the year 2015 – “One World, One Environment”.
- Theme of the year 2014 – “small island developing states” or “SIDS” and “Raise your voice, not the sea level”.
- Theme of the year 2013 – “Think. Eat. Save.” And slogan – “Reduce Your Foodprint”.
- Theme of the year 2012 – “Green Economy: Does it include you?”.
- Theme of the year 2011 – “Forests: Nature at your Service”.
- Theme of the year 2010 – “Many Species. One Planet. One Future”.
- Theme of the year 2009 – “Your Planet Needs You – Unite to Combat Climate Change”.
- Theme and slogan of the year 2008 – “CO2, Kick the Habit – Towards a Low Carbon Economy”.
- Theme of the year 2007 – “Melting Ice – a Hot Topic?”.
- Theme of the year 2006 – “Deserts and Desertification” and slogan – “Don’t Desert Drylands!.”
- Theme of the year 2005 – “Green Cities” and slogan – “Plan for the Planet!”.
- Theme of the year 2004 – “Wanted! Seas and Oceans” and slogan – “Dead or Alive?”.
- Theme of the year 2003 – “Water” and slogan – “Two Billion People are Dying for It!”.
- Theme of the year 2002 – “Give Earth a Chance”.
- Theme of the year 2001 – “Connect with the World Wide Web of Life”.
- Theme of the year 2000 – “The Environment Millennium” and slogan – “Time to Act”.
- Theme of the year 1999 – “Our Earth – Our Future” and slogan – “Just Save It!”.
- Theme of the year 1998 – “For Life on Earth and slogan – “Save Our Seas”.
- Theme of the year 1997 – “For Life on Earth”.
- Theme of the year 1996 – “Our Earth, Our Habitat, Our Home”.
- Theme of the year 1995 – “We the Peoples: United for the Global Environment”.
- Theme of the year 1994 – “One Earth One Family”.
- Theme of the year 1993 – “Poverty and the Environment and slogan – “Breaking the Vicious Circle”.
- Theme of the year 1992 – “Only One Earth, Care and Share”.
- Theme of the year 1991 – “Climate Change. Need for Global Partnership”.
- Theme of the year 1990 – “Children and the Environment”.
- Theme of the year 1989 – “Global Warming; Global Warning”.
- Theme of the year 1988 – “When People Put the Environment First, Development Will Last”.
- Theme of the year 1987 – “Environment and Shelter: More Than A Roof”.
- Theme of the year 1986 – “A Tree for Peace”.
- Theme of the year 1985 – “Youth: Population and the Environment”.
EASD activities related SDGs
EASD team , from January 1,2018 will follow activities through SDGs lenses:
SD GOAL 1 – No Poverty SD GOAL 2 – Zero Hunger SD GOAL 3 – Good Health and Well-Being SD GOAL 4- Quality Education SD GOAL 5 – Gender Equality SD GOAL 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation SD GOAL 7 – Affordable and Clean Energy SD GOAL 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth SD GOAL 9 – Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure SD GOAL 10 – Reduced Inequalities SD GOAL 11- Sustainable Cities and Communities SD GOAL 12 – Sustainable Consumption and Production SD GOAL 13 – Climate Action SD GOAL 14 – Life below Water SD GOAL 15 – Life on Land SD GOAL 16 – Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions SD GOAL 17 – Partnerships for the GoalsIn addition, we are following our activities as UN Environment TOPICS:
AIR CHEMICALS AND WASTE CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCATION AND TRAINING ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE FORESTS GREEN ECONOMY RESOURSE EFFICIENCY SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS WATER SCIENCE, INNOVATION ENVIRONMENT UNDER REVIEW ( ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT, INFORMATION MANAGEMENT).The goal of this activities categorisation is EASD strategic planning of activities in future. It is also lesson learned after EASD representative participation at UNEA3 in Nairobi.
SDGs as the relevant part of the context within which FEE operates
After a long series of intergovernmental negotiations on various themes,which saw a broad participation from major groups and civil society stakeholders under the guidance of the United Nations State Members, the Goals have been adopted on September 25th at the New York United Nations Summit by 193 Member States. In the same occasion, the UN launched their post-2015 development agenda, in which the Goals are integrated. UN Member States, the civil society and private sector contributors will use this new, universal set of goals, targets and indicators to guide development global efforts over the next 15 years in a concerted international action within the broadest, most ambitious development agenda ever agreed at the global level. The 17 Goals and 169 Targets are meant to be action-oriented, concise and easy to communicate, aspirational, global in nature and universally applicable to all countries, while taking into account the different national realities, capacities and levels of development and respecting national policies and priorities.
The Foundation for Environmental Education with its global network thus needs to frame and highlight its role as a stakeholder and trendsetter in the Sustainable Development process, particularly for environmental, educational and eco-tourism matters. The SDGs will define a relevant part of the context within which FEE operates, thus we are driven to reflect our work in the Goals.
FEE through its mission of fostering awareness, knowledge, participation, commitment, skills, actions and creativity on the environment and on sustainable development, shares the core values behind the set of SDGs. The programmes based on Education for Sustainable Development, such as YRE, Eco-Schools and LEAF show a strong link with the educational Goal (SDG 4) and the Goal on global partnership for sustainable development (SDG 17). FEE’s tourism eco-labels, Green Key and Blue Flag, on the other hand, have a focus on making human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable (SDG 11) and on implementing tools for monitoring sustainable development impacts for tourism (SDG 12.b).
Thus, FEE as an umbrella organisation aims at reaching objectives as indicated in the SDGs:
– “Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages” (SDG 3).
– “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote life-long learning opportunities for all” (SDG 4).
– “Ensure availability and sustainable management of water..” (SDG 6),
– “Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all” (SDG 7),
– “Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development” (SDG14), as well as to
– “Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems..” (SDG 15).
– “Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth..” (SDG 8), particularly to “..Implement policies to promote sustainable tourism which creates jobs, promotes local culture and products” (SDG 8.9).
– “Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable” (SDG 11).
– “Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns” (SDG 12).
– “Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts” (SDG 13).
– “..Promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems..” (SDG 15).
– “Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development..” (SDG 16), particularly to build transparent institutions and promote non-discriminatory policies for sustainable development (SDGs 16.6, 16.b) with a positive, proactive, democratic modus operandi and a strong synergic support to civil society and third sector.
– “Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development” (SDG 17) through a geographically spread, multi-stakeholder approach.
Programmes’ overview:
a) YRE: Young Reporters for the Environment is a network of international youth engaged in environmental journalism and Education for Sustainable Development, where the students investigate an environmental problem and report it to the local community, while, at the international level, they may cooperate with young reporters from other countries for sharing information or data, with the aim of proposing a solution and disseminating it.
The most evident link between the Young Reporters for the Environment programme and the SDGs is found in the Goal 4:
“Ensure inclusive and equitable quality educationand promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” and its subparagraphs“..increase … the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship” (SDG 4.4) with the aim of learning to think critically, “ensure all learners acquire knowledge and skillsneeded to promote sustainable development, including among others through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship, and appreciation of cultural diversity and of cultures contribution to sustainable development” (SDG 4.7) for being able to connectwith concrete issues.
The environmental educational programme thus also wish for taking “action to combat climate change and its impacts” (SDG13), specifically for what concerns to “improveeducation, awareness raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning” (SDG 13.3) through active solution-oriented learning. The programme canalso help to“promote mechanisms for raising capacities for effective climate change related planning and management, in LDCs, including focusing on women, youth, local and marginalized communities” (SDG 13.b).
YRE is a network of young people educating for sustainable developmentand environmental issues in general, thus it also supportsthe aim of many other SDGs, such as:
“Promotesustainable agriculture” (SDG 2).
“Promote well-beingfor all at all ages” (SDG 3).
“Achieve gender equality and empowerall womenand girls” (SDG 5).
“Ensure availability and sustainable management of waterand sanitation for all”, supporting and strengthening the participation of local communities (SDG6)
“Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energyfor all”(SDG7)
“Promotesustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all”, developing measures that support creativity and innovation (SDG8)
“Build resilient infrastructure, promoteinclusive and sustainableindustrializationand fosterinnovation”enhancing scientific research (SDG9)
“Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable … Reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality, municipal and other waste management”(SDG 11)
“Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns”, raising awareness on sustainable development and lifestyles which are in harmony with nature (SDG12)
“Conserve and sustainably use the oceans seas and marine resources for sustainable development”, aiming to preventmarine pollution and protectmarine and coastal ecosystems (SDG14)
“Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss”, promoting the implementation of sustainable management of the forests (SDG15)
YRE helps to “Promotepeaceful and inclusive societies for sustainabledevelopment..”(SDG16)
YRE can encourage to “..Revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development” (SDG17)
The journalistic piece can influence the local communities to take action on various environmental matters
b) ECO-SCHOOLS: A global student-led change process in Education for Sustainable Development which involves also teachers’ training, integration in the school curriculum, environmental reviews, action plans, monitoring and evaluation, informing and involving the local community, setting an eco-code focusing on the various environmental themes (water, energy, waste, global citizenship..).
The programme is fully in line with the Goals:
“Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” increasing the number of youth and adults with relevant skills and ensuring that all learners acquire knowledge for promoting sustainable development, developinga culture of peace and global citizenship while upgrading education facilities to child, disability and gender sensitive ones as to provide a safe, inclusive and effective learning environment for all(SDG 4)
“Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”, strengthening efforts to safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritagewith a focus on schools’ waste management, resource efficiency and climate change mitigation (e.g. Litter Less Campaign) (SDG 11)
“Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development” (SDG 17).
The implementation of the Eco-Schools programme also works towards the achievement of the aim of more SDGs, such as:
“Ensure healthy lives and promote well-beingfor all at all ages” (SDG 3)
“Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all”, improving water quality and water-use efficiency with pollution reduction, minimizing the release ofhazardous chemicals, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater,increasing recycling or safe reuse and ensuring sustainable withdrawals together with the strengthening of the participation of local communitiesfor such purposes (SDG 6)
“Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all” increasing the share of renewable energy and energy efficiency, with the result of creating also savings (SDG 7)
“Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all”with the improvement of resource efficiency in consumption and production as to endeavour to decouple economic growthfrom environmental degradation (SDG 8)
“Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation” (SDG 9)
“Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns”, using the natural resources efficiently, reducing the waste generation (including the food waste) and managing sustainably the chemical products (SDG 12)
“Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts”specially improving education, awareness raising and capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning (SDG 13)
“Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrialecosystems..” (SDG 15)
“Promotepeacefuland inclusivesocietiesfor sustainable development… and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels” highlighting the theme ofsocial justice(SDG 16).
c) LEAF: Learning About Forests wants to encourage environmental education through awareness raising among students, teachers and the wider school community, to increase knowledge about the key role forests play for sustainable life on our planet, reflecting their cultural, ecological, economic and social functions, with themes as biodiversity, climate, products or services, codes and myths.
The key Goals linked to the Learning About Forests programme are:
“Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”, increasing the number of youths and adults who have relevant skills and ensuring that all learners (referring to the whole school community) acquire knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including through education for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature (SDG 4)
“Ensure availability and sustainable management of water..”, protecting water-related ecosystems and supporting the participation of local communitiesfor improving water management(SDG 6)
“Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainable manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss”, ensuring a sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, including their biodiversity, in particular forests, wetlands mountains and drylands, preventing the extinction of threatened species(SDG 15)
The principles behind LEAF are compatible with the aim of more SDGs:
“End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promotesustainable agriculture”, implementing agricultural practices, such as the tree-planting events, which help maintain ecosystems and progressively improve land and soil quality (SDG 2)
“Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages” (SDG3)
“Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainableand modern energyfor all” (SDG7)
“Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment..”, endeavouring to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation and devising policies that encourage sustainable tourism which promotes local culture and products, such as jobs related to the forest, while learning to respect the forest community as well as its myths, laws and codes (SDG8)
“Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”, strengthening efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage while supporting positive links between the urban and the rural areas as to widen the access to inclusive green and publicspaces (SDG11)
“Ensure sustainable consumption patterns” through relevant information and awareness for achieving sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources (SDG12)
“Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts” improving education and awareness raising on climatechange and the role of forests (SDG13)
“Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development” (SDG17).
d) BLUE FLAG: The world’s biggest voluntary eco-label for beaches, marinas and eco-tourism boats works towards sustainable development through compliance with criteria dealing with environmental education and information, environmental management, water quality, safety and other services.
The principles and rules of the programme comply with the content of many Goals:
“Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all”, improving water quality with pollution reduction and minimization of hazardous chemicals release, increasing recycling, safe reuse and water-use efficiency through the usage of sustainable withdrawals as to protect water-related ecosystems also with the support and participation of local communities (SDG 6)
“Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all”improving the resource efficiencyin consumption while devising and implementing policies to promote sustainable tourism which creates job, promotes local culture and products.Blue Flag focuses as well on the protection of labour rights together with the promotion of a safe and secure working environment and the prohibition of child labour (SDG 8)
“Build resilient infrastructure..”upgrading it as to be sustainable and equipped with clean technologies (SDG 9)
“by 2030 empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status”with the aim of reducing inequalities and discriminatory practices for wages as social protection policies (SDG 10.2)
“Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”enhancing capacities for participatory and sustainable human settlements as to strengthen the efforts for safeguarding the world’s cultural and natural heritage while providing universal access to the public spaces particularly for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities(SDG 11)
“Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns”for the efficient use of natural resources, through a sound management and reduction of chemicals and wastes and the promotion of sustainable public procurement practices (SDG 12)
“Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development”preventing and reducing marine pollutionalso from land-based activities, addressing the impacts of ocean acidification and conserving coastal and marine areas. Blue Flags also contributes in increasing the economic benefits to SIDS and LDCs with the sustainable use of marine resources through tourism (SDG 14)
“Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems… halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss” for halting the loss of biodiversity and preventing the extinction of threatened species, also through the integration of ecosystem values into local planning policies (SDG 15).
The implementation of the Blue Flag programme also work towards the aim of several more SDGs:
• “Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages” (SDG3)
• “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”as education has a central role in the programme and reaches out for all the persons involved in it as well as for theusers (SDG4)
• “Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls”(SDG5)
• “Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable,and modern energy for all” to help increasing the share of renewable energy and energy efficiency(SDG7)
• “Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts”(SDG 13)
• “Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development..”enforcing non-discriminatory policies for sustainable development (SDG16)
• Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development”through a multi-stakeholder partnership, which involves also public partnersand local authorities,where knowledge and expertise are shared (SDG17)
e) GREEN KEY: This eco-label for tourism facilities (hotels, campsites, small accommodations, tourist attractions and restaurants) is a voluntary award that aims at contributing to prevent climate change and reach sustainable tourism by awarding and promoting best practice, with the goal of changing the environmental practices at the awarded establishments but also the behaviour of tourism actors, including guests, staff, suppliers, authorities, local communities so to involve them in increasingly safeguarding their own environment. The focus is on themes such as environmental management, water, waste and energy saving, involvement and awareness of guests and staff, management of food and beverage and open spaces.
For what concerns the part of the programme related to environmental management, the Goals mainly involved are:
“Ensure … sustainable management of water..” improving its quality, having the proportion of untreated wastewater, increasing recycling, safe reuse and sustainable withdrawals of freshwater (SDG 6)
“Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation”setting rules for developing or upgrading quality infrastructures to support economic development and human well-being for an increased resource use efficiency and greateradoption of clean technologies (SDG 9)
“Make … human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”paying attention to air quality, indoor environment and waste management as to tackle climate change(SDG 11)
“Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns”with rules for achieving sustainable management of natural resources,respecting eco-criteria for food and beverages, reducing waste generationand achieving environmentallysound management of chemicals (SDG 12).
This way the programme “develops and implements tools to monitor sustainable development impacts for sustainable tourism which creates jobs, promotes local culture and products” (12.b).
As an eco-tourism programme focused on the environmental awareness of staff and guests, the Goals principally involved are:
“Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being..” where the programme has to encourage the users to take part in green activities (SDG 3)
“..ensure all learners acquire knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including among others through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights..” as part of the “educational Goal” (number 4), whereby the learners are the recipients of the environmental information expected in the implementation of the programme (SDG 4.7)
“Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all”, as the Green Key programme sets Corporate Social Responsibility and safety rules for the workers(SDG 8)
“Take urgent action tocombat climate change and its impacts”through a reduced environmental impact but also through the improvement of education and awareness raising for both the facilities’ staff and users (SDG 13)
“..revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development” (SDG 17).
The final 17 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
In the Outcome Document from the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals, session held on 19 July 2014, there are 17 SDGs:
Environmental Leaders from 70 Countries gathering in Copenhagen: FEE General Assembly June 2014
Over 100 representatives from environmental organisations from all over the world gathered in Copenhagen from 19-21 June. The occasion is the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) General Assembly (GA) at UN City in Copenhagen. Many topics concerning environmental education and education for sustainability were discussed and decisions taken concerning the future direction of FEE. The meeting will be attended by the Danish Minister for the Environment, Kirsten Brosbøl, and by Professor Hans Bruyninckx, Executive Director of the European Environmental Agency.
EASD, represented by Prof Andjelka Mihajlov, National FEE Mentor for Serbia, was approved as the FEE FULL MEMBER ORGANISATION.
Daniel Schaffer CEO of FEE, Professor Hans Bruyninckx, Executive Director of the European Environmental Agency and Andjelka Mihajlov, Environmental Ambassador for Sustainable Development.
More images from GE and side events
FEE is a non-government, non-profit organisation promoting sustainable development through environmental education worldwide. FEE is mainly active through its five environmental education programmes: Blue Flag, Eco-Schools, Young Reporters for the Environment, Learning about Forests and Green Key. The programmes engage over 14.5 million students from kindergarten through to university in environmental education. More than 4000 Blue Flag sites and 2100 Green Key sites have been awarded with these prestigious eco labels.
FEE is an umbrella organisation with one member organisation per country in charge of implementing FEE programmes nationally. Currently, FEE has member organisations in 68 countries worldwide including the USA, Africa, China, India, Australia and most countries in Europe, including Serbia.
FEE holds a GA every two years. The GA is the highest authority of the organisation and is used for determining the overall policy and direction of the organisation. For the FEE GA 2014 in Copenhagen, the staff at the FEE Head Office aims to provide the delegates with an impression of Copenhagen as being one of the most environmentally friendly capitals in the world.