scholarly journals A Competency Framework to Assess and Activate Education for Sustainable Development: Addressing the UN Sustainable Development Goals 4.7 Challenge

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 2832 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naresh Giangrande ◽  
Rehema M. White ◽  
May East ◽  
Ross Jackson ◽  
Tim Clarke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Monitoring And Evaluation ◽  
Education For Sustainable Development ◽  
Evaluation Framework ◽  
Competency Framework ◽  
Assessment Process ◽  
Education For Sustainability ◽  
Agenda 2030 ◽  
Development Goals

The UN Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (herein, Agenda 30) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) offer both a set of aspirations for the kind of future we would like to see for the world and a suite of targets and indicators to support goal implementation. Goal 4 promotes quality education and Target 4.7 specifically addresses Education for Sustainability. However, creating a monitoring and evaluation framework for Target 4.7 has been challenging. The aim of this research was to develop a meaningful assessment process. We used a dialogical intervention across complementary expertises and piloted concepts in a trainer workshop. We then developed a modified competency framework, drawing on previous competency models but innovating through the addition of intrapersonal competencies, a self-reflective validation scheme, a focus on non-formal learning, and specific alignment with SDG 4.7 requirements. Through exploration of how such learning could be activated, we proposed the use of multiple intelligences. Education plays a synergistic role in achieving the aspirations embedded within Agenda 2030 and the SDGs. We concluded that Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) will require individuals to acquire ‘key competencies’, aligning with notions of transformational learning, in addition to other generic and context specific competencies.

scholarly journals Reinterpreting the SDGs: Taking Animals into Direct Consideration

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 843
Author(s):  
Olle Torpman ◽  
Helena Röcklinsberg
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
United Nations ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Good Health ◽  
Clean Water ◽  
Water And Sanitation ◽  
Agenda 2030 ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Zero Hunger

The United Nations Agenda 2030 contains 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs). These goals are formulated in anthropocentric terms, meaning that they are to be achieved for the sake of humans. As such, the SDGs are neglecting the interests and welfare of non-human animals. Our aim in this paper was to ethically evaluate the assumptions that underlie the current anthropocentric stance of the SDGs. We argue that there are no good reasons to uphold these assumptions, and that the SDGs should therefore be reconsidered so that they take non-human animals into direct consideration. This has some interesting implications for how we should understand and fulfil the pursuit of sustainability in general. Most noticeably, several SDGs—such as those regarding zero hunger (SDG 2), good health and wellbeing (SDG 3), clean water and sanitation (SDG 6)—should be achieved for animals as well. Moreover, the measures we undertake in order to achieve the SDGs for humans must also take into direct account their effects on non-human animals.

scholarly journals Living Links Connecting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: Small-scale Farmers and Agricultural Biodiversity

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 95-110
Author(s):  
Susan H. Bragdon
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Biological Diversity ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Agricultural Biodiversity ◽  
Agenda 2030 ◽  
Explicit Mention ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Small Scale Farmers

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Agenda 2030 adopted by the global community in September 2015 are applicable to all countries with the commitment “that no one is left behind.” As an agenda for “people, planet, prosperity, peace and partnership”, Agenda 2030 provides a vision for people and planet-centered, human rights-based, and gender-sensitive sustainable development. It promises “more peaceful and inclusive societies” which are free from fear and violence. Small scale farmers and agricultural biodiversity are critical to the achievement of aspects of most of the SDGs. In addition to being essential for the resilience and stability of agricultural production systems and our ability to adapt to climate change and other stressors; agricultural biodiversity is fundamental to the livelihoods, health and nutrition of billions Despite its importance to the health of both people and the planet, this broad understanding of what agricultural biological diversity is and the critical role played by its custodians, gets no explicit mention in the SDGs. In fact, awareness of this is low outside specialized institutions and agreements and explicit mention of both is rare in the context of sustainable development This paper uses the example of small-scale farmers and agricultural biodiversity to illustrate how they are the living links amongst the SDGs as well as being critical components in their achievement and to the vision of Agenda 2030.  

Gender Inequality and Sustainable Development

2020 ◽  
pp. 132-145
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Gender Equality ◽  
Gender Inequality ◽  
Gender Gap ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Agenda 2030 ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Regional Performance

The chapter argues that inequality between men and women has led to the gap in income and poverty for women. Gender inequality and women's empowerment have, therefore, become one of the 17 pillars of the Sustainable Development Goals Agenda 2030. This chapter, therefore, examines the global performances on gender inequality index (GII) and the Sustainable Development Goals Agenda 2030, regional performance and the Sustainable Development Goals, the top best performers on gender gap parity versus the worst performers on gender gap parity, and sub-national performances and global rankings. Also, this chapter examines the challenges of achieving gender equality by 2030 along with policy options for achieving gender equality in the year 2030.

scholarly journals Education for Sustainable Development Goals (ESDG): What Is Wrong with ESDGs, and What Can We Do Better?

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 261
Author(s):  
Helen Kopnina
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Intrinsic Value ◽  
Education For Sustainable Development ◽  
Social Aspects ◽  
Bottom Line ◽  
Ecological Justice ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Social Environmental

This article will discuss social, environmental, and ecological justice in education for sustainable development (ESD) and Education for Sustainable Development Goals (ESDG). The concept of sustainable development and, by extension, the ESD, places heavy emphasis on the economic and social aspects of sustainability. However, the ESD falls short of recognizing ecological justice, or recognition that nonhumans also have a right to exist and flourish. An intervention in the form of an undergraduate course titled Politics, Business, and Environment (PBE) will be discussed. As part of this course, students were asked to reflect on the three pillars of sustainable development: society, economy, and environment, linking these to the fourth concept, ecological justice or biospheric egalitarianism. Biospheric egalitarianism is characterized by the recognition of intrinsic value in the environment and is defined as concern about justice for the environment. Some of the resulting exam answers are analyzed, demonstrating students’ ability to recognize the moral and pragmatic limitations of the anthropocentric approach to justice. This analysis presents ways forward in thinking about the role of “ecological justice” as the ultimate bottom line upon which both society and economy are based.

scholarly journals Education for Sustainable Development through International Collaboration. A Case Study on Concepts and Conceptual Change of School‐Students from India and Austria on Gender Equality and Sustainable Growth

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Dür ◽  
Lars Keller
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Gender Equality ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Education For Sustainable Development ◽  
Sustainable Growth ◽  
Development Goals

Dealing with the great challenges of the 21st century requires far reaching changes in the lifestyle and perceptions of humans to ensure an appropriate quality of life for all, now and in the future. To provide people with the necessary competencies, the UN initiated the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) program. The two-year research-education, cooperative project ‘AustrIndia-4QOL’ aims to contribute to the goals of ESD. It is based on a collaboration between students from schools in Austria and India on the topics of quality of life, sustainability and global justice. The purpose of this particular case study is to explore the effects of a weeklong face-to-face collaboration in the final part of the AustrIndia-4QOL project. Therefore, it is examined whether or not Austrian and Indian students’ concepts regarding the Sustainable Development Goals ‘Gender Equality’ and ‘Decent Work and Economic Growth’ change as a consequence of encountering differing perspectives. Short texts written by the students at the beginning and at the end of this collaboration, according to guiding questions, form the basis for a qualitative content analysis. The findings illustrate that the students’ awareness increased and their evaluation of topics related to the discussed sustainable development goals changed.

scholarly journals The Political Economy of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Does Performance on the SDGs Affect Re-Election?

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (16) ◽  
pp. 6445
Author(s):  
Christian Kroll ◽  
Vera Zipperer
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Gender Equality ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Voting Behavior ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Economic Voting ◽  
Policy Framework ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Agenda 2030 ◽  
Development Goals

While the economic voting hypothesis is a well-researched approach to explain behavior at the ballot box, a broader perspective of economic, social and environmental issues regarding a government’s chances to get re-elected is still missing in the literature. In this context, this paper makes use for the first time of the Agenda 2030 with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as the comprehensive policy framework that all 193 UN member states have pledged to achieve. The objective of our study is therefore to examine the relationship between SDGs’ progress and the likelihood of re-election. Our analysis of 124 countries regarding performance on the SDGs over time and voting behavior shows: the chance to get re-elected as a government significantly increases for progress made towards SDG 5 (Gender Equality). Notable differences are also found for high-income vs. low-income countries. The fact that governments are rewarded at the ballot box for successful action towards gender equality is encouraging, while the mechanisms behind other SDG areas deserve more research.

scholarly journals Synergies and Trade-offs among Sustainable Development Goals: The Case of Spain

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (24) ◽  
pp. 10506
Author(s):  
Carlos de Miguel Ramos ◽  
Rafael Laurenti
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Quality Education ◽  
Positive Interactions ◽  
Clean Water ◽  
Water And Sanitation ◽  
Agenda 2030 ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Development Goals

The United Nations plans have marked global sustainable development for more than two decades. Most of the developed and developing countries have adopted these plans to achieve the Agenda 2030, currently formed by the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The analysis of the interactions between the SDGs is a growing area in research and of interest for governments. However, studies on how positive correlations can improve deteriorated goals are scarce for countries to date. This study aims at filling this gap by finding and quantifying the synergies and trade-offs among the SDGs of Spain. During the years 2000–2019, almost 80% of the SDG targets had significant interactions, either positive (synergy) or negative (trade-off). SDG 4 (quality education), SDG 5 (gender Equality) and SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy) contained the largest number of positive interactions, more than 60% in all of them. SDG 3 (good health and wellbeing) was strongly linked with indicators from SDG 4 (quality education) and also SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation). Furthermore, indicators from SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy) shared a high correlation with the ones from SGD 12 (responsible consumption and production) and SDG 15 (life on land). SDG 1 (no poverty), 2 (zero hunger), 6 (clean water and sanitation), 8 (decent work and economic growth) and 11 (sustainable cities and communities) had the slowest evolution during the years 2000–2019, showing contractions in some instances. We developed a regression model to assess the influence that selected targets have had on a less evolved target (target 8.6—proportion of youth not in education, employment or training). We managed to clarify high influence from target 1.3 (unemployment compensations), target 8.4 (domestic material consumption) and target 10.5 (non-performing loans) on the dependent variable. Identifying numerical dependencies between the SDGs may help nations to develop a roadmap where targets work as cogwheel towards achieving the Agenda 2030.

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