IGES AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROJECT IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC - PDF document

IGES AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROJECT IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC REGION * By Prof. Osamu Abe ** and Dr. Bishnu B. Bhandari *** ABSTRACTS This paper is written primarily with the purpose of acquainting its readers with the Environmental Education (EE) Project of IGES. It begins with the statement that world is beset with a number of global problems such as climate change, ozone depletion, population growth, transboundary pollution, acid rain and deposition, urbanization and industrialization, deforestation, diminishing wetland and coastal resources, environmental deterioration and loss of biodiversity. In addition to these global problems, the Asia-Pacific Region is plagued with devegetation, insanitation, waste disposal problems, desertification, dense haze problems, light pollution, loss of soil and soil fertility and so forth. With a view to coping with these problems, the Government of Japan established IGES in Japan on 31 st May 1998. Formulating a paradigm for a new global civilization is its purpose, with quadruple functions of undertaking strategic research, field application, capacity building and exchange and dissemination of information. Environmental education is one of the six thematic areas IGES is undertaking in the first phase of 1998-2000. This paper attempts to answer six questions beginning with “what, why, how, where, who and when” about the Project. The primary purpose of the paper is to enhance the overall eco-consciousness of society through the formulation of a comprehensive regional strategy in partnership with national collaborators and institutes in the Asia- Pacific Region, and then to assist the countries to implement this strategy for improving the quality of environmental education. It encompasses four areas, which are formal education, media, NGOs, and business and industry. ECO Asia, GEA, APEC, US-Japan Common Agenda and international organizations will be used to promote its application and forge partnerships. The target includes government authorities, media men, scientists, NGOs, leaders, policy makers, the judicial system and civil society in general. The paper concludes with an appeal to all concerned individuals and organizations to render their cooperation and assistance. * A paper presented at the Fourth Asia-Pacific NGOs Environmental Conference (APNEC 4), 26-27 November 1998, Singapore. ** Project Leader, Environmental Education Project, IGES (Institute for Global Environmental Strategies), 1580-39 Kamiyamaguchi, Hayama, Kanagawa, 249-0198 Japan. Tel: +81-468-55-3842, Fax: +81-468-55- 3809. E-mail: o-abe@iges.or.jp *** Senior Research Fellow, Environmental Education Project, IGES (Institute for Global Environmental Strategies), 1580-39 Kamiyamaguchi, Hayama, Kanagawa, 249-0198 Japan. Tel: +81-468-55-3842, Fax: +81-468-55-3809. E-mail: bhandari@iges.or.jp 1

1. BASIS FOR ACTION The overall status of the world’s environmental resources is deteriorating and degrading at an alarming rate. The process of deterioration has been further exasperated by the increase of reckless and self-serving intervention by humans which has been triggered by the advanced science and technology, and rapidly changing demographic and socio- economic structures. Consequently, the world is beset with a range of formidable global environmental problems such as global climate change, depletion of ozone, rapid growth of population, transboundary pollution (ocean, water and air), a high rate of urbanization and industrialization (solid, toxic and industrial waste and noise pollution), acid rain and deposition, deforestation, desertification, loss of biodiversity, diminishing wetland and coastal resources and environmental deterioration. Likewise, the countries of Asia and the Pacific Region are also plagued with a number of environmental woes including those at the global level. These woes comprise 1) domestic and transboundry air pollution caused by dust, transportation and smoke, 2) water shortage and contamination, 4) deforestation and devegetation, 5) a high rate of urbanization and industrialization 6) insanitation, 7) desertification, 8) rapid population growth, 9) solid waste disposal problems, 10) noise pollution, 11) light pollution, 11) transboundary dense haze episodes, and 12) loss of soil and soil fertility (Moriya, 1997). If the rampant growth of these problems is not timely mitigated, it will have a far- reaching consequence on living things on the earth, whereby all living and non-living beings including humans would be devastated by an imminent ecological holocaust. These problems are so closely inter-linked with each other that coping with them would require draconian measures. That means it warrants a huge amount of resources and energy, which is rather difficult in the context of Asia and the Pacific Region, which is heterogeneous in geographical, historical, cultural, industrial and socio-economic conditions. However, a scrupulous review of these problems clearly signifies that depletion and deterioration of environmental resources is the common problem for the countries in the region and it has posed a formidable challenge to the survival of human beings. The contemporary environmental problem is quite different from the conventional one, as the former is the direct outcome of human inventions, scientific discovery, advanced technology, and emerging social and economic structures. We, therefore, need to work out a new strategy to combat these problems. Mr. Hiroshi Okazaki, Governor of Kanagawa Prefecture believes that the contemporary environmental problems can be solved by bringing together knowledge, expertise and skills from around the world ( Anon, 1998a). Also, current environmental issues and problems are closely related to sustainable development and a new global civilization ( Anon, 1998a ). In order to cope with the global environmental crises as well as to bring about a sustainable world society, Morishima (1998) argues that we need to change our perspective, attitudes and behavior. To put it in his own words, 2

For humanity living on this globe, the fundamental challenge today is to redefine the values and systems of the material-oriented society, which so far has caused various environmental problems. As we view the coming era as “globally environment-concerned age”, a new way of living should be adopted and a paradigm for a new civilization should be created in order to build up a new social and economic structure as well as to establish a new life style . Mr. Tomiichi Murayama, the former Prime Minister of Japan believes that it is essential to create a new global civilization in order to realize sustainable development toward the 21 st century . He further stresses that a clear vision of a sustainable society needs to be developed so that mankind is able to formulate the right approaches and strategies to adapt to rapidly changing socio-economic structures, lifestyles, norms and value systems around the world ( Anon, 1998a) . Hon. Jiro Kondo, the President of Central Council for Environment Japan expressed that the development of environmentally friendly technologies and a fundamental change in the human life are key instruments for creating a new global civilization, thereby coping with the global environmental issues ( Anon, 1998a) . H.E. Ms. Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme affirmed that new social and economic structures and changes in human behavior are critical and fundamental to addressing global environmental issues ( Anon, 1998a) . Taking these scenarios into consideration, the Government of Japan, in consultation with experts, scholars, international organizations, academia, research institutes and several government organizations, established the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies on 31 st March 1998 ( Anon, 1998b ). The evolution, objectives and functions of the Institute are the topic of discussion in the second section of the paper. The raison d’etre for the establishment of the Institute has been well-articulated by Prof. Akio Morishima, Chair of the Board of IGES in his message delivered upon the establishment of IGES in June this year ( Anon, 1998c ), which reads as follows: There are millions of people on the Earth, who are forced to live on the level of life far from maintaining the human dignity due to extreme poverty. Japan, as one of the developed countries, is now challenging to change the lifestyle that requires massive consumption of energy and resources, and at the same time, to contribute to the international cooperation for developing countries, that are trying to grow out of poverty and find out a way to sustainable development. IGES was newly established by the Japanese government to become the torchbearers to form a link in the chain of international cooperation with other developing countries . Welcoming the initiative of the Government of Japan in establishing IGES, the Environment Congress for Asia and the Pacific (ECO ASIA) held at the city of Kobe 3