January 2004
Report summary
The purpose of this think-piece is to raise the level of debate about education for sustainability, and to stimulate effective action so that New Zealanders can learn to live in sustainable ways. It highlights how education, in its broadest sense, needs to bring about a 'sea change' (a transformation) for the better. This will require a shift in perception and understanding among many people and organisations in New Zealand today.
Commissioner's preface
This century may well be one of relearning on a grand scale. We need to learn why it is important to live within nature's limits, and to understand the many factors that contribute to unsustainable practices and lifestyles. This learning needs to be deeply embedded in all our formal and informal streams of education. In fact, it needs to be a core part of learning across society. Is such a sea change in learning likely? Yes, because the first lappings of the turning tide are already with us, as outlined in this report.
Making progress towards better ways of living needs to be a deeply social, cultural, philosophical and political process - not simply a technical or economic one. Technical and economic mechanisms will certainly be key parts of the process. However, they will not come into play unless we, as a society, are prepared to openly and honestly debate the ways that our desired qualities of life can be met. There will be much heated debate, as it is necessary to challenge deeply held beliefs about our social and economic systems and the sustainability of our lifestyles. Nonetheless, when a wave of change begins to swell, the quantum and speed of transformation can be dramatic.
Executive summary
It has been over ten years since New Zealand made a commitment to education for sustainability, by signing the Rio Declaration in 1992. At the World Summit in 2002, governments from around the world agreed to integrate sustainable development into education systems at all levels. A United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development begins in 2005. How well is New Zealand placed to promote education as a key agent for change?
This report looks at learning across New Zealand society (well beyond what happens in schools). It examines existing efforts to educate people and organisations for sustainability. To date, the environmental dimensions of education for sustainability have mostly come under the banner of 'environmental education'. This has had a slow and rocky start in New Zealand. It has often suffered from a lack of support, relying on the enthusiastic efforts of many individuals. For example, central government still does not perceive environmental sustainability as a priority for the formal education system - regardless of their international commitments. Where environmental education has taken place, connections between environmental issues and social, cultural and economic concerns have seldom been made. The underlying causes of environmental problems are rarely being addressed. A major focus has been on changing individual behaviours, instead of changing the systems that perpetuate unsustainable practices.
Efforts to educate people always take place within a wider social context. This report therefore examines other major influences that are shaping the ways people think, feel and act. It briefly looks at families, peers, religions, the mass media, marketing, art, literature, language, technology and globalisation.
A case study on waste is used to bring together many ideas. It emphasises the need for education to peel back the layers of waste problems and to address their underlying causes. For example, many waste issues can be linked to the rise of a consumer society in New Zealand. This has far-reaching implications for the ways people learn, what they value, and how they live their lives.
Future directions
Key areas of focus that the Commissioner believes are necessary to enable learning and education for sustainability are:
- a strong focus on the quality of life that people enjoy in communities across New Zealand
- building on the achievements of environmental education efforts and developing the capacity across all sectors of society to engage with the broader concept of education for sustainability
- using social marketing to reach a bigger audience on sustainability issues
- being responsive to the different cultural backgrounds of a diverse population
- developing collective responsibility for redesigning social and economic structures and institutions that perpetuate unsustainable practices.
The report highlights key areas for action for local government, central government, schools, the tertiary sector, community organisations and businesses.
Downloading this report
This report was designed to be easy to read in electronic form. At 160 pages long, we encourage you to read this report on-screen to avoid the need to print it out in its entirety.
