Higher Education and Climate Change:
Mary Clarke
[email protected]
Therese Hume
[email protected]
Cross Disciplinary Learning for Sustainable Development in
Local and Global Communities
What is the role of higher education in
educating for a sustainable future?
• Key questions - who needs to be involved?
• Complex Problems - cross-disciplinary learning
and community engagement
• Where are we now – what resources exist?
Source: Irish Times 28-12-2015
“There is a conversation that we need to have around our kitchen tables
in Ireland. Among all of the pressing issues of our time, there is one
which, if left unchecked, will exacerbate all others. And it hinges on a
seemingly simple question – how do we power the world without
destroying the planet? “
(Mary Robinson – Irish Times 17-9-2015)
Lahinch, Co. Clare
Source: Irish Examiner 26-2-2014
Indian drought
“Arguably, the most fundamental shift in modern society in the 21st
century will be to reinvent what it means to have a high level of societal
well-being . Otherwise there is an increasing risk that breaching tipping
points and moving beyond limits might bring more disruptive and
unwelcome pushes towards societal change”
(European Environment Agency 2015:169, emphasis added)
“Wicked” Problem = No Easy Answers
Indian
Drought
Emissions
Rural
isolation
Irish storms
consumption
Complex problems
“solutions” have unintended side effects
input from many disciplines
diverse worldviews
Learning at personal, organisational, community,
societal levels
Social innovation as well as technological
innovation
Contradictions……..
“a reframing of consumption is required
so that sustainable consumption is
viewed as a progressive means of
achieving a good quality of life, rather
than a sacrificial return to some bygone
era of austerity “
(Davies et al 2014)
“A key theme of the recently published
Energy Green Paper is empowering
people to give them more control over
their energy choices. However, for those
in energy poverty it is difficult to feel
empowered when the burden of energy
costs is so high “ (DCENR 2015a)
Education for sustainability: role of
higher education
• inter-dependencies between human communities and the natural
world
• global/inter-generational implications of current, local actions
• biophysical limits
• complex systems, persistent problems
• appreciating different world views
• inter and trans-disciplinary approaches to research and problemsolving
• social learning/communication and active citizenship skills
• anticipatory thinking / acknowledging uncertainty
How can HEIs contribute to
addressing complex problems?
Example: Irish Green Paper on Energy Consultation
• “majority of responses suggested that the onus lies on the
Government to raise awareness of energy challenges through policy
documents and by building dialogue & problem solving capacity
among stakeholders. “
• Participatory approach was needed to improve citizen engagement.
• Biggest barrier to citizen engagement was a lack of education.
(Source : Green Paper on Energy Consultation summary, DCENR 2015)
Example: What exactly might ‘transform
Ireland's energy production and
consumption patterns” mean?
“We will transform Ireland's energy
production and consumption
patterns so that, by 2050, our
system is largely decarbonised.”
(Minister Alan Kelly, DCENR Oct
2015)
2014 Report on Energy Statistics
(source SEAI 2015)
How can the transport system transform in a way that
improves well-being in local and global communities?
(Source : SEAI 2015)
In 2014, the number of vehicles on Irish roads exceeded 2.5 million for the first
time (2,515,322), of which 77% were private cars. (SEAI 2015)
71% of respondents reported driving to work, school or college
(CONSENSUS survey -Davies et al 2014:12)
Dominant travel mode to this Institute was by private car at 80% , online
survey (60% for live survey) (IT Sligo surveys - Mc Cann 2015)
Not a simple problem…..
“almost half of all rural respondents (43%, n=208)
reporting that there was no public transport
available to them for their daily commute,
compared to 27% of urban dwellers.”
(source : Consensus 2014 Summary Report, Davies et al
2014:12)
Communities , Conversations and
Capacities
• critical capacity to acknowledge the processes
taking place in society moving us towards
unsustainability
• creative capacity to envisage and create a more
sustainable future.
• communicative capacity in a variety of contexts
• reflection and reflexivity
Example : Examining a
Problem from Multiple
Perspectives
Business, Environment, Social,
and Technology (Dobson and
Tomlinson, 2012)
Some Initiatives
•
•
•
•
UN DESD 2005-2014
Irish National Strategy 2014
Copernicus Alliance (UN4SD)
National/international
organisations, networks
e.g. Rio+20 Higher education Initiative
Actions ‘…… towards societies that are fair, participatory, future facing
and peaceful and able to restore the integrity of Earth’s ecological
systems, as well as promoting human development in an equitable and
inclusive manner’ (Copernicus Alliance 2012)
1)
2)
3)
4)
Teach sustainable development concepts, ensuring that they form
a part of the core curriculum across all disciplines.
Encourage research on sustainable development issues, to
improve scientific understanding through exchanges of scientific
and technological knowledge.
Green their campuses
Support sustainability efforts in the communities in which they
reside.
www.uncsd2012 .org
The National Strategy on Education for
Sustainability in Ireland 2014-2020
• total institution responses,
• interdisciplinarity and innovative pedagogies in
formal and non-formal education.
• knowledge, skills and value systems for
sustainability and equality as core aspects of
change.
• integrated education programmes resisting
‘silo-isation’ and with ‘build-in’ rather than ‘bolton’ approaches.
(DES, 2014: 21)
Major Declarations
• Belgrade (1975)
• Tbilisi conference (environmental education) 1977
• Tailloires 1990 : University leaders for a sustainable
future
• Copernicus 1993 (signatories include QUB,UU,
TCD,DCU,NUIG, UL)
• Agenda 21 chapter 35 (Rio)
• UN DESD 2005-2014
• Ahmedabad 2007 (Tblisi+30)
• ACUPCC (2007))
• Rio+20 Higher Education Initiative (2012)
Transition to a sustainable future?
• How can change be designed to build resilience in
communities and individuals?
• What kinds of knowledge might be needed and where?
• What type of learning, skills, expertise are needed?
• How can effective communication/participation be
achieved?
• What can higher education contribute, and in what
ways?
Unintended side effects might be positive.
References
Clarke Boyd, M and Hume, T (2015) 'Addressing the Challenges of Climate Change: The Potential Role of Development Education in the Tertiary
Sector', Policy & Practice: A Development Education Review, Vol. 21, Autumn, pp. 63-86.
Extra Slides
Belgrade (1975) International workshop on environmental education – Belgrade Charter [accessed
http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0001/000177/017772eb.pdf 21-7-2013].
Davies et al 2014 Consensus Project Final Report (accessed http://www.consensus.ie/wp/launch-of-consensus-final-report-may-2015/ 1-122015)
Department of Education and Skills (2014) Education for sustainability: the national strategy on education for sustainable development in Ireland
2014-2020, available: http://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Policy-Reports/National-Strategy-on-Education-for-Sustainable-Development-inIreland-2014-2020.pdf (accessed 24 June 2015).
Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (2015) Energy Green Paper : Summary of consultation responses
[accesed http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/energy/en-ie/Energy-Initiatives/Pages/White-Paper-on-Energy-Policy-in-Ireland-.aspx 1-12-2015]
Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (2015a) Towards a new affordable energy strategy for Ireland [accessed
http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/energy/enie/Pages/Consultation/Towards%20a%20new%20Affordable%20Energy%20Strategy%20for%20Ireland.aspx 1-12-2015]
European Environment Agency (EEA) (2015) State of the European Environment: Synthesis Report, EEA, available
http://www.eea.europa.eu/soer-2015/synthesis/report (accessed 15 July 2015).
Mc Cann, Brian (2015) Analysis of a Sustainable Travel Modal Share Study at the IT Sligo Campus, Proceedings of the ITRN2015, Galway 2015
UNESCO (2005) United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014), ‘International Implementation Scheme’, Paris:
UNESCO.
UNCSD (2012) Education Sustainability Initiative for Rio+20, http://www.uncsd2012.org/index.php?page=view&nr=107&type=1000&menu=126
(accessed 15 July 2015)
Robinson, Mary how-do-we-power-the-world-without-destroying-the-planet-, Irish Times 17-9-2015http://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/maryrobinson-how-do-we-power-the-world-without-destroying-the-planet-1.2354200
CCTransitions - Catalysing and Characterising Transitions
https://www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/TheInstituteofSpatialandEnvironmentalPlanning/Impact/CurrentResearchProjects/CCTransitions/