Climate change education Dominic

Redefining Education in a Climate Changing World


Dominic D’SouzaAssociate Director, Laya

FABC 1st Climate Change Regional Seminar - South Asia

Mumbai, IndiaMarch 3 - 4, 2015

‘Unsustainable development’ - cause of human-induced Climate Change

Environmental degradation and Green House Gas (GHG) emissions: 2 dimensions of ‘unsustainable development’

‘Skepticism’ and ‘Certainty’ Human response: frog in warming water Paradigm shift needed in understanding ‘sustainable

development’ Focus on ‘ecosystems’ help to understand and

respond to impacts of Climate Change

Some Assumptions

Natural resources are limitless? Industrial Revolution: wanton degradation and

destruction of the natural resources: overuse of fossil fuels, and also, acceleration of Green House Gas (GHG) emissions Corporate greed and ‘unjust’ profit real cause of GHG

emissions.

Unsustainable Development

depletion/pollution of natural resources: air, water and soil;

destruction of ecosystems and extinction of wildlife

Environmental Degradation

Environmental degradation

‘Historical emissions’ overstressed the globalatmospheric commons ‘climatic imbalances’ – climate change: Impacts experienced in different ecosystems differently by:incidence of cyclones/typhoons,erratic rainfall, floods and droughts, rise in temperature, sea level rise, etc.

Climate Imbalances and Disasters

The Green House Effect: Tipping Point

SUN

• 350 ppm of carbon: sustainable carrying capacity of earth

• Increasing at @2 ppm of carbon per year

Carbon consumption: • World’s average: 4 tons per person/year• Sustainable average: 2 tons per person

/year

Climate change: ‘heightens’/ ‘accelerates’ the intensity and frequency of natural disasters and accelerates environmental degradation

Climate Change: Urgent Issue

Virtue of Feigned Ignorance?

Skeptics

Hobson’s Choice?

Increasing ‘certainty’ of human induced Climate Change: International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)’s Assessment Reports:First Report: 1990Supplementary Report: 1992Second Report: 1995Third Report: 2001Fourth Report: 2007Fifth Report: 2014

Certainty?

Human Response: The Frogs in the Pot

… Pot of Boiling Water

Sustainable development is a contested and constantly evolving concept that is guided by the will to improve everyone’s quality of life, including that of future generations, by reconciling economic growth, social development and environmental protection.

Improving the quality of our life implies a change in our learning. As UNESCO’s Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura stresses: "Education – in all its forms and at all levels – is not only an end in itself but is also one of the most powerful instruments we have for bringing about the changes required to achieve sustainable development."

From UNESCO (2005) ‘ESD at a Glance’

Sustainable Development

Communities - dependent on eco-systems for their survival: coastal, forests, arid and semi-arid, mountainous, urban•affected differently in different ecosystems•do not contribute to the problem: low carbon users

15

Impact of Climate Change on Ecosystem Communities

Education in the Times of Climate Change - A Template

Key components of holistic education in a climate changing world: Science and wisdom: basis of the crisisPolitical economy: the dynamics of decision-makingEthics: justice and equity aspectsRelevant action: engagement opportunities at the micro-macro level

Science and Community Wisdom

Concepts (from ‘science’ and ‘community wisdom’) related to the history and causes of climate change;

Knowledge and skills to discern between certainties, uncertainties, risks and consequences of environmental degradation, disasters and climate change;

Knowledge of mitigation and adaptation practices that can contribute to building resilience and sustainability.

Industrialized countries historical and present emissions;

Developing countries future emissions Industrialized countries have accumulated enormous wealth: at what cost to the global commons?!

The poor the current stabilization of the environment by their low carbon lifestyles

Developing countries must have the means to take care of a majority of their marginalized population

Per capita consumption of the marginalized must increase to maintain quality of life

Political economy – local and global

International impasse:

Science – the causes and effects of climate change, - what we can do about it.

Ethics: what we should do! Ethics: making judgments about what is fair, equitable

and just Ethical dimensions of climate change: climate justice;

ecological justice (eco-justice). Not been addressed adequately in climate policy

debates or literature on climate change

Climate Ethics

Truly global phenomenon Compromises basic human rights Historical and current emissions have profoundly

intergenerational effects Our theoretical tools are underdeveloped

Climate Change: Challenges to Ethical Action

Climate Change:

Ethics and Values

Need v/s greed: challenge the consumerism culture Survival v/s luxury emissions: sustainable living Polluters must pay: responsible for overexploitation Equity in the ‘global ecological space’ Intergenerational responsibility

Urgent Relevant Action

Critical reflection Name and shame the culprits Pursue sustainable development Vulnerability assessments of communities in

ecosystems Enquire into the kind of learning for change Learning from well articulated community based

responses

Key actions:

Low carbon pathway means at one level a technological revolution

At another level it also means a lifestyle change

What is the way forward in a lifestyle change?

Some examples:

Self: Carbon footprint

Institution: Energy audit

Community: Building resilience

Relevant Actin for Low Carbon Pathway

The total amount of greenhouse gases produced to directly and indirectly support human activities, usually expressed in equivalent tons of carbon dioxide (CO2).

Carbon Footprint

Energy Audit

understand and analyze its energy utilization Identify areas where energy use can be reduced, Decide on how to budget energy use Plan & practice feasible energy conservation methods Curtail energy wastage Reduce energy costs Increases awareness of energy issues among personnel

The Role of Energy Audit

An institution can:

Building community resilience (e.g., in a forest ecosystem):Coping with natural disasters: hazard mapping, disaster preparedness and managementChange in cropping pattern: paddy to millets, pulses, etc.Sustainable harvesting of forest produceSustainable use of energy: woodstoves, solar, nano-hydels, hydrams, water filters, etc.

Building Community Resilience

HydramFuel Efficient Wood Stove

Nano-Hydel

Solar lantern

Bio sand filter

Decentralized Renewable Energy Access

Hydram

Coping with ‘erratic rainfall’

‘Vegetative’ fencing

Growing mixed crops on slope landsBanana intercropped with pineapple and turmeric

From commercial to traditional crops

Collection of traditional seeds

System of Rice Intensification (SRI)

Redefining Education

What is Climate Change?: the science, the impacts What has caused – is causing - Climate Change?: the

political and economic compulsions/choices What are the ethical implications of Climate Change?:

affects all, without exception, here and now and the future

What do we need to do about it?: self, institution, community, etc

In the above context: the need to redefine education as ‘life-long learning’ in a Climate Changing World: critical thinking, analysis for behavioral change.


Learning to know Learning to do Leaning to be (human) Learning to live (sustainably)

-Delors, et al. 1996. Learning: The Treasure Within. Paris, UNESCO

Principles of Learning

Four Pillars of Learning: