International Eco-Schools

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International Eco-Schools
www.eco-schools.org

FEE Foundation for Environmental
Education And International Eco-SchoolsA
programme for Environmental Education for
Sustainable Development in Schools and their
Communities
Nada Pavser
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International Eco-Schools
www.eco-schools.org

FEE an international umbrella organisation

• Founded 1981
• Umbrella non-governmental, not-for-profit
  organisation
• Mission is to provide incentives and tools to
  wide ranging stakeholders for practical steps to
  improving environment mainly through
  environmental education for sustainable
  development
• Members are national NGOs specialising in
  environmental education and management
• Presently Members represent 35 countries from EU,
  Central and Eastern Europe, Africa, Carribbean,
  with interest from other regions
• Information on FEE and Members
  www.fee-international.org

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International Eco-Schools
www.eco-schools.org

Eco-Schools - an overview

• Whole-school environmental education, management
  and certification programme
• Local Agenda 21 at the level of the school and
  its community
• Participative pupils involved in all stages of
  process, decision-making and activities, other
  stakeholders collaborate
• Integration of pupils within schools, community,
  nation and worldwide establishment of a
  network Good vector for introducing
  citizenship education, sustainable
  consumption education, global education
  environmental education for sustainable
  development
• Green Flag as an Eco-Label for good environmental
  practise awarded to schools with high
  standards and fulfillment of criteria

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International Eco-Schools
www.eco-schools.org

In the beginning

• Piloted in 1994 European Coordination supported
  by the European Commission (DG-Environment)
• Adopted by Organisations in European Union Member
  states as good flexible environmental education
  management programme
• Interest by Central Eastern European countries
  also because of potential for democracy and
  citizenship education, participation and
  integration with EU
• International interest (Africa, Asia, Latin
  America) in taking part in an effective wide
  network

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International Eco-Schools
www.eco-schools.org

Eco-Schools Growth Number of schools
registered and awarded with Green Flag
Academic year-end shown
Participating
Awarded
2003
2004
Based on present National Programme
Coordinators expected results
Green Schools Seminar
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Eco-Schools Growth
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International Eco-Schools
www.eco-schools.org

Eco-Schools Growth FEE Member organisations
(NGOs), and programme implementation, in
Europe, Africa, South America
Eco-Schools in different countries and
languages...
 
Eco Scholen ?popama Ekoy????a Eko-Škole ??????????
S???e?a Grønt Flag Grøn Skole Öko-koolid Vihreä
Lippu Eco-Ecole Umweltschule in
Europa ?????????? S???e?a Green
Schools Eco-Scuole Ekoskolas Grønt
Flag Eco-Escolas Eco-Scoala Eko-Šola Eco-Escuelas
Grön Flagg Çocuklarda Çevre Uyumu Eco-Schools
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Eco-Schools Involvement
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International Eco-Schools
www.eco-schools.org

International Perspectives. On going

• FEE/Eco-Schools UNEP working together UNEP
  to provide technical support and facilitation in
  establishing networks and programmes in other
  world regions, starting with SADC and Eastern
  Africa, Carribbean, South-East Asia
• Eco-Schools as global model for environmental
  education for sustainable development
• Eco-Schools directly benefit from very good
  available resources on global environmental
  issues, Local Agenda 21, specific environmental
  themes
• Carry out projects on international environmental
  contexts and concerns from the
  childrens/youths perspectives

Green Schools Seminar
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International Eco-Schools
www.eco-schools.org

FEE and UNEP cooperation On-going... On 3 March,
2003, in the New Art Gallery of the Guildhall in
London, England, a special ceremony took place to
celebrate the signing of the Memorandum of
Understanding, which

• formalises long-standing relationship between
  UNEP and FEE and provides a framework for long
  term co-operation on areas of common interest
  relating to education, training and public
  awareness for sustainable development globally.

The Memorandum was signed by Dr Klaus Toepfer,
UN Under-Secretary General and Executive Director
of UNEP, and Prof. Graham Ashworth, President of
FEE, in the presence of Mr Michael Meacher,
Minister for Environment.
Eco-chools Seminar
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• Workshop on Eco-Schools Partnerships in
  AfricaPlan of Action for the African Region
• Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, 11-14 June 2002
• High level delegates from Government
  (Ministries of Environment and Education) and
  non-governmental organisations
• Botswana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius,
  Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania,
  Uganda, Zimbabwe
• SWOT analysis of present scenarios on
  environmental management and education in each
  country, and appropriateness of Eco-Schools
  programme and approach
• For more www.eco-schools.org/countries/africa.ht
  m

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Eco-Schools

• Eco-Schools process - how does it work?

Environmental Review
Action Plan
Monitoring Evaluation
Eco Code
Informing Involving
Eco Schools Committee
Curriculum Work
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• Environmental Impacts

• Diversion of Waste to Landfill in Slovenia
• Objective Calculate and compare waste per capita
  values for schools at various stages of the
  Eco-Schools programme.
• Survey Over 11.000 pupils, teachers and
  caretakers participated in the project. Run over
  a five week period, all schools at various stages
  of the programme weighed their waste destined for
  landfill.

Results Overall reduction in waste to landfill
by completion of the programme 45
Source eco-schools in Ljubljana
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• Social Survey
• Environmental Management, Awareness/Knowledge,
• Opinion Leadership

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• Social Survey in Slovenia
• Awareness and Knowledge Levels are the same.
• Behaviour and Opinion Leadership towards the
  environment are significantly higher.
• Awareness levels have no obvious effect on
  behaviour.
• Sense of urgency regarding environmental issues
  higher among GS students.
• Positive environmental behaviour is higher in
  Eco-schools students homes.
• Teachers are the main source of information about
  the environment . TV/Radio in NGS.
• Major concern among all students is litter.
• Followed among SE students by the lack of an
  environmentally friendly culture in Slovenia.

For more information www.ecosola.si
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International Eco-Schools
www.eco-schools.org

Eco-Schools information and networking tools

• International website www.eco-schools.org
• Eco-news monthly newsletters
  www.eco-schools.org/new/newsletter
  s.htm
• Annual printed newsletters
• International seminars, meetings, other
  events(organised by FEE or in conjunction with
  partner institutions)
• Projects
• Eco-Code International Poster Competition
• Eco-Schools international Linking and Itinerary
• Environmental Performance Indicator Project
• Projects associated to new Partnerships

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• International Eco-Code Competition
• Schools develop Eco-Code posters which can
  communicate message which is widely appropriate
• National Eco-Code poster competitions select
  winning posters for elementary and secondary
  school levels
• National winners had in international superfinal
  Jury at 2004 Eco-Schools International
  conference (Madrid, October)

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International Eco-Schools
www.eco-schools.org

Benefits of International Dimension

• Formal and/or informal links between Eco-Schools
  nationally and/or internationally
• Understanding of the environmental context of
  other countries and regions
• Cultural exchange
• Opportunity for improving languages
• Learn from experiences, successes and failures of
  other Eco-Schools worldwide
• Global education through environment
• Global movement towards improved environments and
  sustainable development same methodology,
  differentiated implementation

Green Schools Seminar
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International Eco-Schools
www.eco-schools.org

Contacts
Eco-Schools International Coordination
ABAE/FEE PortugalPortugalTel 351 21 394 2745
Fax [phone] Email
coordination_at_eco-schools.org Web
www.eco-schools.org
Eco- Schools as a way of life