Chapter Two
The Vision Framework
"Give us vision, lest we perish…." Jamaican National Athem
"We cannot build a future we cannot imagine"
Elgin, B. 1991. "Creating a Sustainable Future", in ReVision, 14, quoted in Hicks,.D. (1996) "Envisioning the Future: The Challenge for Environmental Education". Environmental Education Research, Vol. 2:1
"Vision without action is useless. But action without vision does not know where to go or why to go there. Vision is absolutely necessary to motivate action. More than that, vision when widely shared and firmly kept in sight, brings into being new systems."
Meadows et al. (1992). "Beyond the Limits: Global Collapse or a Sustainable Future?". London:Earthscan. Quoted in Hicks, D.(1996) "Envisioning the Future: The Challenge for Environmental Education". Environmental Education Research, Vol 2:1
There are many broad definitions of sustainable development. These integrate the needs of human society and of the natural environment on which we depend. Yet, realizing these definitions requires us to identify desired levels of sustainability and quantify the social costs of a transition to sustainable development – a complex process in itself.
A first step, is developing a vision of a sustainable future, as a basis on which to plan and to build. The following is a composite, multi-stakeholder vision of a sustainably developed Jamaica:
A wholesome, beautiful physical environment, its natural resources managed with a view to sustainability.
Fully educated and Environmentally literate citizens, meaningfully
employed, concerned with future as well as present generations, cognisant of their inter-relatedness with a finite physical environment and with a sense of responsibility for action as it relates to that environment; guided by a political and economic system committed to principles of equity, participatory democracy and sustainability.
The vision is drawn from a series of specific elements identified by stakeholders, which reflect the social, environmental and economic spheres. Several also relate to governance: that framework created and accepted by society within which deliberate social, environmental and economic inter-relationships are conducted. Governance occurs along a continuum which affects individuals and communities at the local and national levels.
Social
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Basic needs met; |
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Environmentally literate and active citizens; |
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Citizens and communities committed to sustainable living; |
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Gender, class, social and economic equity; |
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Respect for human rights; |
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An emphasis on consensus, not conflict, in problem-solving; |
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Positive role models and education which adequately prepares all citizens for sustainable living; |
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Respect for diversity, local knowledge and culture; |
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Health and well-being for individuals and communities. |
Environmental
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Environmental friendliness in all sectors; |
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Urban forests and reforestation of watersheds; |
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A managed coastal and marine environment; |
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Wildlife and plant habitat protection; |
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Reduced pollution and managed waste; |
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Improved air, water and land quality, based on a determination of levels of acceptability; |
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Conservation of remaining pristine physical environment. |
Economic
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Poverty eradicated; economic equity; |
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Sustainable economic and industrial development, including careful use of resources; limited emissions, clean-up of pollution; |
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Corporate responsibility and commitment, leading to the use of appropriate, environmentally-friendly technologies; the production of environmentally-friendly products; as well as socially-responsible accounting and other business systems; |
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National financial systems which capture and underwrite the costs of natural resource depletion and pollution; |
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National and business enterprise standards and targets; |
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Tourism earnings used for environmental care and education; |
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Sustainable agriculture; encouragement of environmentally-friendly traditional practices; |
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Adequate rehabilitation and appropriate use of mined-out land; |
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Global market niches in tourism and agricultural products and services; |
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Full and meaningful employment with de-centralized job opportunities and new jobs stemming from a focus on sustainable development; |
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Sustainable urban and industrial infrastructure and services; |
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Research to identify new areas of economic growth. |
Governance
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Cross-sectoral approaches and linkages including partnership structures to handle interactions between groups in the public, private and NGO domains; inter-agency cooperation; |
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Sustainability as a context for long term development of the economy and society; |
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A focus on planning, with decision-making based on research and information; |
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Centralized land use policy; decentralized planning and regulation; |
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Devolution of services to local areas and communities with accompanying capacity and resources; |
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Monitoring and enforcement of laws; |
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Incentives to encourage positive action, as well as deterrent legal sanctions; |
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Efficient resource allocation, and systems to regain environmental costs; |
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Economic, political and social support for maintaining a wholesome environment; |
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An integrated approach to the environment. |
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Government support of 'green' and environmentally friendly products and technologies; |
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Standards for environmentally-friendly products and packaging; |
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Investment in science and technology; |
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Environmental and gender considerations integrated into government policies. |
The vision can be achieved. Local environmental activist and teacher, Jean Brown, contends: "Moving Jamaica forward in sustainable development is an achievable goal which must include social sustainability, environmental sustainability and economic sustainability, through an inter-disciplinary framework of environmental education – formal and informal; with environmental groups playing a major role."
The Role of Environmental Education in Achieving a Sustainable Future
Environmental Education for Sustainable Development can help Jamaicans achieve the vision of
a sustainable society, with its pre-requisite: a sustainable natural environment.
Environmental Education for Sustainable Development, as envisioned by a multi-stakeholder assembly:
is a holistic, integrative force which will enhance Jamaicans internally, as a precursor to external action; which will work through the formal education system, and through non-formal learning to encourage environment-friendly action at the individual , business enterprise, national and community levels. Elements include appreciation of nature, respect for all living things, understanding of human interdependence with the finite, natural environment, and recognition that human society – including the economy – can be integrated with the environment in a mutually beneficial and sustainable manner.
Action in the area of Environmental Education for Sustainable Development is expected to create:
citizens – individually and collectively, in both the private and public spheres – who are prepared to participate in creating and maintaining a sustainable Jamaica.
Goals of Environmental Education for Sustainable DevelopmentBased on the vision of Environmental Education for Sustainable Development and its role in developing a sustainable society, five broad goals are identified:
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To disseminate the knowledge, know-how and skills needed to improve the understanding and management of natural resources including agriculture, energy and industrial production, and of the built environment, thereby contributing to sustainable production and consumption patterns; |
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To change values, ethics, attitudes, behaviours and lifestyles so as to facilitate improved management of natural resources including agriculture, energy and industrial production, and of the built environment; thereby helping to bring about sustainable production and consumption patterns; |
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To ensure an informed public – including individuals and groups in the private and public sectors – which will support actions emerging from different sectors aimed at an improved environment and sustainable human development; |
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To ensure an informed policy and decision-making directorate which will take a lead role on environment and sustainability issues, and which will interact with the public to develop and maintain sustainable practices; |
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To ensure systems capacity which will sustain long-term support for initiatives on environmental education for sustainable development. |
The National Environmental Education Action Plan for Sustainable Development seeks to identify actions necessary to achieve these goals.
Principles to Guide Environmental Education for Sustainable DevelopmentEnvironmental Education for Sustainable Development embodies the following basic principles:
1) Agent for Positive Change
Environmental Education for Sustainable Development seeks social, cultural and value change at an individual and systemic level. It recognizes contextual socio-economic problems, and its programmes and messages promote positive behaviour, a sense of responsibility, national identity, social justice, as well as gender, class and economic equity.
2) Life-long
Learning is a life-long activity. The learning continuum extends beyond the formal system, and strategies for environmental education embrace people at the workplace, in the home and the community.
3) Holistic
Environmental Education for Sustainable Development assumes an educational process which is learner-centered and holistic, with consideration given to spiritual, physical and emotional as well as cognitive aspects of development. It recognizes the potential for teachers and students to learn from each other.
4) Integrative
Environmental Education for Sustainable Development promotes the integration of content and processes related to society, the natural environment and the economy, within an inter-disciplinary context; enabling individuals to make connections between the personal, local, national, regional and global.
5) Systemic
Environmental Education for Sustainable Development treats critical issues as well as their causes and inter-relationships, systemically, taking account of their social and historical contexts. Fundamental issues relating to development and the environment, including population, health, peace, human rights, democracy, hunger, degradation of flora and fauna, are considered in this manner.
6) Empowering
Environmental Education for Sustainable Development is empowering and promotes opportunities for democratic participation at all levels.
7) Relevant
Environmental Education for Sustainable Development relates to the lives and livelihoods of learners and the society in general. It is issues and field based. By extension, it promotes and applies links between learning and real life, including the development of skills and the inclusion of hands-on activities. It analyses traditional practices and programmes which work well, and affirms them. Environmental Education for Sustainable Development educators practice the principles that they teach.
8) Action-oriented
Learning is a precursor to action, at the personal level, in the community, the nation and the world. Environmental Education for Sustainable Development encourages self-motivation, and is pro-active rather than reactive.
9) Dynamic
Environmental Education for Sustainable Development recognizes and keeps pace with knowledge creation. It encourages research and data collection to enable planning, guide educational activities and develop research competencies. In doing so, environmental educators make maximum use of the most appropriate technology.
10) Respectful
Environmental Education for Sustainable Development encourages respect for and care of country, taking advantage of learning possibilities offered by culture, heritage, the use of oral traditions and traditional knowledge systems.
11) Temporal
Environmental Education for Sustainable Development looks to the future, learns from the past and considers the present.
12) Ethical
Environmental Education for Sustainable Development helps develop ethical considerations, including consideration for all forms of life on the planet, with a view to creating improved standards of environmental behaviour.
13) Sustainable
Environmental Education for Sustainable Development promotes sustainable human development as the context for education, work-related learning and life skills.
Learning Outcomes for Citizenship in a Sustainable FutureThe National Environmental Education Action Plan for Sustainable Development is guided by a vision of a Jamaican future in which social, environmental and economic components of sustainability are harmonized. Within this context, Environmental Education for Sustainable Development has a crucial role in enabling citizens to participate in a sustainable future by providing the knowledge, skills, values and action-orientation for sustainable living.
The following learning outcomes – in the areas of knowledge, skills, values/attitudes, and action – will establish broad parameters for Environmental Education for Sustainable Development. The outcomes listed are generic, and relate to both the formal education system and programmes for non-formal learning. The implementation of particular programme elements will require specialized elaboration of these outcomes.
Knowledge
Knowledge relates to the acquisition of information or understanding. The following are identified as important knowledge elements for Jamaican citizens:
1) The planet earth as a finite system made up of inter-connected ecosytems and system elements;
2) The earth's resources – air, soil, water, minerals, their distribution and role in supporting humans and other living organisms;
3) Human impact on the quality of the environment, locally, nationally and globally;.
4) Human systems – built, social, political, and economic – and their inter-relationship with natural systems;
5) Traditional practices, knowledge and belief systems and their impact on the natural world;
6) Jamaica's economic dependence on its natural resource base;
7) The dependence of human health and well-being on a sound economy and healthy environment;
8) The effect of resource distribution on societies and the rate and character of economic development from a historical as well as a current perspective;
9) The role of science, information and technology in the development of societies and the impact of technology on the environment;
10) Local, national and global environment and sustainable development issues;
11) Strategies and actions for responsible citizenship within local, national and global communities;
12) Processes of planning, policy-making, regulations and action for sustainability by the international community, government, business, non-government and the public;
13) Concepts related to equity, social justice and individual and collective rights and responsibilities, in context of the environment and sustainable development;
14) Concepts related to sustainability;
15) Knowledge of the importance and role that various sectors of society can play in a sustainable future, including the public and private sectors, communities, non-government organizations (NGO)s, women, youth, aged, disabled etc.
Skills
Skills are broadly defined as attributes developed and used in undertaking tasks or solving problems.
There are two basic types of skills: Intellectual Skills which deal with enquiry, identification and decision-making; and social skills which deal with the quality of human interactions. The following are broad skills areas identified as being important to Environmental Education for Sustainable Development.
1) Literacy and numeracy as a basis for other skill acquisition and learning;
2) Capability to use technology-based tools and resources in addressing questions;
3) Ability to use communication, enquiry, problem-solving and action, and critical thinking skills;
4) Competence to utilize inter-disciplinary approaches to problem-solving;
5) Capacity to gather and organize information and evaluate evidence and to see patterns;
6) Ability to apply definitions of fundamental concepts – environment, community, technology etc – to local, national and global experiences;
7) Ability to assess the nature of bias and evaluate different points of view;
8) Capacity to test new information against personal experience and belief;
9) Ability to reflect on and put into practice learning based on experience;
10) Ability to anticipate possible future action based on information and experience;
11) Capability to develop cooperative strategies for appropriate action and competence at consensus building and cooperative resolution of conflict;
12) Ability to participate actively and constructively in local, regional, national and global communities;
13) Ability to consider life options including career planning based on a sustainable future;
14) Competence to use tools developed within the context of environmental and sustainable development programmes.
Values/Attitudes
Values/Attitudes are defined as those sensitivities that affect and direct judgement. Those important in Environmental Education for Sustainable Development include:
1) Appreciation of the resilience, fragility and beauty of nature and the interdependence of life forms;
2) A sense of responsibility and stewardship, and appreciation that one person can make a difference;
3) Appreciation of the dependence of human life on the resources of a finite planet;
4) Appreciation of the role of human ingenuity, culture, tradition and individual creativity in ensuring survival and the search for appropriate and sustainable progress;
5) A sense of self-worth, empowerment and rootedness in one's culture and community. National pride. Respect for other cultures. Recognition of the interdependence of the human community;
6) A global perspective and a concern for disparities and injustices, commitment to human rights, social equity, and peaceful resolution of conflict;
7) Personal commitment to a sustainable lifestyle and to participation in change at the personal, community and national levels;
8) Respect for diversity and difference;
9) Value for education, resulting in a personal willingness to invest time and resources in this area.
Action/Participation
The development of a willingness to act in furtherance of the knowledge, skills and values developed, is the vital fourth step in learning. Specific action outcomes include:
1) Reinforcing and enhancing a culture of civic action;
2) Participating in democratic change and responsible stewardship of the local environment;
3) Developing the ability to act in ways that reflect appropriate knowledge, skills and values/attitudes for sustainable citizenship;
4) Taking individual and collective action as a contribution to sustainable development.
5) Adopting whole, sustainable lifestyles and livelihoods as a way of being in the world.