Issue 77: January 2018

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Message from the Global RCE Service Centre:

 

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

A Happy New Year to you all and warm wishes for a healthy, happy and prosperous 2018!

First RCE Thematic Conference

In what was a historic event for the network, the First RCE Thematic Conference was held in Okayama, Japan from 5-7 December 2017. The conference allowed for RCEs to share best practices and educational approaches via case studies related to the three themes of the conference: biodiversity, climate change, and sustainable consumption and production. Workshops, presentations, and capacity building sessions also highlighted the role and impact that RCEs can play to accelerate, upscale and mainstream ESD actions towards the SDGs. Thank you again to everyone for their active participation and involvement! Details and materials from the conference (programme, minutes, presentations, list of RCE Award recipients, field trips and photo gallery) can be found on the First RCE Thematic Conference website here.

In addition, please take a moment to complete the Conference survey – your input will help shape and improve future conferences. We look forward to reading your thoughts! The survey will be open until 28 February 2018.

2017 RCE Award Winners Announced

Congratulations to the winners of the 2017 RCE Awards, announced during the First RCE Thematic Conference held in Okayama, Japan in December 2017. Recipients were awarded across three categories: (1) Outstanding Flagship Project, (2) Acknowledged Flagship Project, and (3) Honourable Mention, with projects across a range of themes including Biodiversity, Climate Change, Health and Nutrition, Higher Education & TVET, Sustainable Consumption and Production, Sustainable Livelihoods, and Youth. Read more

RCE Applications 2018 Now Open

Organisations interested in applying to become an RCE are requested to submit an application (please refer to the Guidelines for RCE Applications) and an Application Summary by 30 April 2018 to the Global RCE Service Centre (rceservicecentre@unu.edu). Following submissions, The Ubuntu Committee of Peers for RCEs will review the applications to provide recommendations to UNU-IAS in the selection of new RCEs. Interested parties are advised to ensure their applications contain all required information. Sample applications can be found viewed here: RCE Greater Portland and RCE Bordeaux. Further details and the current schedule can be viewed here.

Open Call: Regional RCE Conference 2018 Host

Expressions of interest are being sought from RCE members from the African, Americas, Asia-Pacific, and European communities who are interested in hosting the RCE Regional Conference 2018 for their region. Applications can be made by sending an official letter to the RCE Service Centre by 31 March 2018. Further details including requested information for the application letter can be accessed here.

Open Call: Global RCE Conference 2018 Host

Expressions of interest are being sought from RCE members who are interested in hosting the 11th Global RCE Conference in 2018. Applications can be made by sending an official letter to the RCE Service Centre by 31 March 2018. Further details including requested information for the application letter can be accessed here.

Sincerely,

The Global RCE Service Centre

 

Upcoming Events

 

National Banana Festival 2018

17-21 February 2018, Kalliyoor, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India

Organised by the Centre for Innovation in Science & Social Action (CISSA) and RCE Thiruvananthapuram, the National Banana Festival 2018 aims to showcase the wide diversity of bananas in India and the need to intensify research in banana production and processing, create awareness on local biodiversity conservation, promote entrepreneurship for farmers, and promote organic farming. The five-day festival, focussing on the theme 'Conserving Diversity, Preserving Identity, Promoting Value Addition' will consist of seminars, exhibitions and training programmes amongst other activities. Further information and registration details can be found here.

Network in Education for Sustainability Asia Conference 2018

30 April - 2 May 2018, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

Under the theme, "Knowledge, Skills and Action in EfS for a rapidly changing world", the 6th Education for Sustainability Asia Conference will bring together leading academics to present on key issues in the discourse of the theoretical underpinnings, disciplinary thinking, curriculum development and instructional practices on Education for Sustainability. NTU is currently calling for papers – for more information click here. The deadline for paper submissions is 21 February 2018.

For more events visit our ESD calendar.

 

Open Calls

 

Review for Second Order Draft (SOD) of the IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C (SR15)

The IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C Second Order Draft Expert Review is now open, until 25 February 2018. Expert Reviewers are called on to take part in this review. Register here

Participate in the First Asia-Pacific Youth SDG Challenge

Asia-Pacific Youth Focal Points are invited to participate in the first Asia-Pacific Youth SDG Challenge, to be held in February 2018, to address UN SDGs 13 and/or 14 through on-the-ground projects. In celebration, a 1-day Virtual Youth Conference will be held in mid-September 2018 where youth will present their projects to a global audience. To read more and to apply, click here.

 

Latest News

 

RCE Thiruvananthapuram Launches Campus Leaders for Sustainable Development Programme

RCE Thiruvananthapuram has launched a 'Campus Leaders for Sustainable Development Programme'. The aim of the programme is to identify and mould young leaders from university and college campuses to lead the youth in various realms of sustainability and act as torch bearers for Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Read more

RCE Srinagar Celebrates International Mountain Day 2017

CEE Himalaya (the secretariat of RCE Srinagar) celebrated International Mountain Day (IMD) 2017 on 27 December 2017, holding an event in Uttar Pradesh, India. The importance of the mountains and their linkages were discussed, especially in terms of flood control and management. Activities conducted focused on Disaster Risk Reduction, Environmental Protection and Livelihood Improvement of the people affected by the Ghaghara River floods. Read more

Education Day at COP23 Highlights Importance of Education to Combat Climate Change

Education Day at COP23, held on 16 November 2017 in Bonn, Germany, brought together participants to discuss the critical role of education towards combatting climate change and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Read more

RCE Srinagar's Sejahtera Fellowship 2017 Recipient Working to Strengthen DRR Preparedness

RCE Srinagar's Dr. Apurva, recipient of the Sejahtera Fellowship 2017, recently completed the Sejahtera Fellowship programme during the period 13 October 2017 - 10 January 2018 in Tongyeong city, Republic of Korea. Dr. Apurva's proposal for the Fellowship was to strengthen Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Preparedness in the Asia-Pacific region through the RCE Network. Read more

 

ESD Books, Publications and Other

 

Ensure Healthy Lives and Promote Well-being for All: Experiences of community health, hygiene, sanitation and nutrition

The Education for Sustainable Development Programme at UNU-IAS has worked with Regional Centres of Expertise (RCEs) worldwide on a series of case studies to showcase their sustainability initiatives in the areas of health, including determinants and drivers of health such as hygiene, sanitation and nutrition. The study draws attention to several facets of intersectoral engagement for advancing the SDG implementation agenda of ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all. The case studies highlight how collective health promotion action at a local level is critical for addressing the health challenges the world faces today, through a participatory approach and multi-stakeholder networking. Read more or download the publication here.

Beacons, not Towers: How Higher Education Can Help Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals

A new UNU-IAS Policy Brief outlines recommendations for better bridging the potential of the higher education sector with the goals set forth in the global sustainable development agenda. Written by UNU-IAS researcher Philip Vaughter, it advocates improving communication and increasing awareness around sustainable development, building the capacity of educators within higher education, and promoting more integrated learning outcomes on sustainable development for graduates. Download the policy brief here.

Good Practice in Action for Climate Empowerment: A compilation and analysis of case studies

This report presents an analysis of 17 case studies from across the world, using education as a powerful catalyst for effective action on climate change mitigation and adaptation. Download the publication here.

 

This is a publication of UNU-IAS RCE Global Service Centre.

If you wish to contribute to the monthly bulletin or have news, upcoming events, or publications, you would like to share, please use this form. You can mail it to the Global RCE Service Centre: rceservicecentre@unu.edu. Submissions must be made by the 15th of every month. In addition, we encourage you to continue using the RCE Portal to exchange ideas, share expertise and resources and deliberate emerging sustainability issues towards ESD implementation at a global level.

Please send your comments, suggestions and materials to rceservicecentre@unu.edu.

 

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