Education for Sustainable Development: From
Global Agendas to Local Actions with Circular
EconomyUnited Nations University (UNU-IAS)
Autumn 2024
Location: 6F Lecture Room, United Nations University, Tokyo
Time: Thursday 09:30-11:10 (3 October until 31 October 2024, 14 and 21 November, 19
December and 30 January 2025)
Half day sessions 09:30-13:00 (7 November, 5 and 12 December 2024)
Lecturer: Anupam Khajuria
Contact Information : khajuria@unu.edu
Office Hours: by appointment

Course Description
This 2-credit course offers a comprehensive understanding of Education for Circular Economy(CE) and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). It focuses on the role of these concepts
in addressing global challenges and promoting sustainable societal change. The course covers
the fundamental principles of ESD, the importance of CE in achieving the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs), and innovative methodologies and community-driven development
approaches within the realm of CE and ESD. The course includes engaging lectures, interactive
activities, field visits, and thought-provoking documentaries.
Students will explore the relationship between global agendas and local actions in CE and ESD
and analyze sustainability issues in local communities. The course will also introduce innovative
CE approaches, ESD programs and policies, and examine the involvement of teachers, youth, andthe community through case studies.
Guiding questions for developing presentations will be provided during the course. By the end of
the course, students will have a thorough understanding of the importance of CE and ESD inachieving the 17 SDGs by 2030, as well as the skills to analyze and address local sustainability
issues through education.

Course Objectives and Learning Goals

Understand the principles and concepts of the CE and ESD in achieving SDGs from an
inclusive and lifelong learning perspective.
Develop the ability to critically evaluate the impact of global and local actions onachieving circular economy and sustainable development goals.
Enhance skills in designing and implementing educational strategies to promote circular
economy and sustainable development at local levels.

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


Learn about the theories and practices of circular economy and the importance of thelocal context in shaping education for sustainability, with a focus on strategies fortranslating global sustainability goals into actionable initiatives at the community level.
Foster critical thinking and problem-solving skills to address challenges associated withtransitioning to a circular economy and achieving sustainable development.

Requirements and Grading Policy
All students are expected to complete the required readings before each class. The course
requirements also include active class participation, short presentations, and shortassignments, which will be compiled at the end of the semester to create a final report detailingcurrent state-of-the-art on educational policies regarding the role of circular economy insustainable development, to share a good and innovative practice of CE in different countries,
to open and encourage a critical discussion on the topic.
Class attendance and active class participation (10%): 80% of the class attendance isrequired. 2% deducted per absence unless pre-approved.
Short written assignments (40%): Individual writing assignment (2,500 words max, excl.
references) by 7 November 2024
Final report (30%): Group assignment to write a report for a country/community ofyour choice. Include practical and feasible policy measures and recommendations toensure circular economy education systems.
Final presentation (20%): Oral presentation of the final report.

Class Participation
The course requires students to attend all classes, to arrive on time, to complete the readings andto participate actively in class discussions. This means speaking during each and every class. At
the discretion of the instructor, frequent late arrivals or absences may result in a lower grade.
Please note that the first session is of particular importance and cannot be missed. Students arealso strongly encouraged to regularly follow the news to keep up with international
developments, as these events will be reflected in the class discussions. Relevant news sites andreporting archives will be shared by the instructor during the class.
Short Written Assignments
In order to develop a thorough understanding of the unique contexts and constraints faced by thecountry they will be researching; students will be asked to write an individual paper on thefollowing topic for the country or community of their choice:
I.
II.
III.
IV.

General background of the country or community: Profile of the selected country orcommunity, describe current environmental issues.
Potential benefits of the circular economy to selected case study.
Steps taken to-date in implementing circular economy practices and case study of circular
economy education.
Current issues in education and potential needs in the context of circular economy andeducation for sustainable development.

Assignments should be no more than five written pages, not including a works cited page.
Quality visualizations such as charts and graphs are strongly encouraged. Students are2expected to edit the assignments based on instructor and classmates’ feedback, as these willserve as chapters in the final report.
Final Report:
The final report for the class should be a synthesis report containing a set of recommendations
for a country or community of the group’s choice, explicitly informed by currently available data.
The groups are encouraged to choose a country or community from one of the members’
individual assignments (short assignment) so that the group can build up the final assignmenton the findings of the short assignment.
The requirements of the final report include:• Introduction to circular economy education within the context of the specific country/
community.
Discuss how the principles of the circular economy can be integrated into the country's orcommunity’s educational system. This includes case studies or examples that highlight uniquechallenges and responses to promote responsible consumption among students.
• Assessment of current practices
Evaluate the current practices and policies related to waste management, resource use andsustainability in your selected country or community. Pay special attention to existingeducational initiatives and their effectiveness in promoting circular economy practices.
• Development of Action Plan
Create a comprehensive action plan for implementing circular economy practices in your chosencountry or community. This includes vision and goals, strategies and educational components,
policy recommendations, monitoring and evaluation.
• Integration of educational components
Explain how education and awareness-raising can be integrated into your action plan to fostera circular economy mindset among stakeholders.
The final report should be no more than 4,000 words, not including a works cited page. Quality
visualizations such as charts and graphs are strongly encouraged. The document must be in MS
format and single-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font. The papers must have a title, a proper
introduction and policy recommendation section and all material that is used to support thestudent’s argument must be clearly cited. For the in-text citations and the bibliography, wesuggest that students use APA style or Harvard style citations.
Final Group Presentation:
Students will have 15-20 minutes to present the group final report, using a PowerPoint or similarstyle of presentation platform. More details will be shared during the course.

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Course Outline
Lecture
No.
1

Frame
work

2

Introduction

3

4

5

8

9

ESD, Circular Economy and SDG

6,7

10,11

14

CE Practices and Education

12,13

Title

Date

Instructors/Invited
Speakers if any
Anupam Khajuria(UNU IAS)

Lecture:• Global challenges: How much do weknow?
• Learning goals• Overview of assignments.
Lecture:• Importance of ESD: Why education?
• SDG 4: Education 2030 Agenda

Thursday, October
3rd, 2024 ~ 09:3011:10
Thursday, October
10th, 2024 ~ 09:3011:10

Anupam Khajuria(UNU IAS)

Lecture:• Introduction to ESD: Trends, main
issues and challenges• ESD 2030 Roadmap
Lecture:• Technologies for ESD: Pros and consThursday, October
17th, 2024 ~ 09:3011:10

Anupam Khajuria(UNU IAS)

Thursday, October
24th, 2024 ~ 09:3011:10

Jonghwi Park
(UNU IAS)

Lecture:• What is Circular Economy?
• Need of education: To adopt CE

Thursday, October
31st, 2024 ~ 09:3011:10

Anupam Khajuria(UNU IAS)

Educational visit:• Educational visit to “Tokyo Super
Eco-Town”

Thursday, November
7th, 2024 ~ 09:3013:00

Anupam Khajuria(UNU IAS)

Lecture:• Circular Economy: Electronic Waste

Thursday, November
14th, 2024 ~ 09:3011:10

Prof. Sunil Herat,
Griffith University,
Australia (Online)

Lecture:• Circular Economy: Biorefineries

Thursday, November
21st, 2024 ~ 09:3011:10

Lecture and Documentary:• Education for Sustainable Future –Inspiring Practices from Europe (link)• Sustainability Documentary (link)

Thursday, December
5th, 2024 ~ 09:3013:00

Prof. Ian A Watson,
University ofGlasgow, United
Kingdom (Online)
Anupam Khajuria(UNU-IAS)

Lecture and Documentary:• Circular design for food: six shortstories (link)• Redesigning the future of fashion(link)
Lecture:• Circular Economy in Fast fashionindustry

Thursday, December
12th, 2024 ~ 09:3013:00

Anupam Khajuria(UNU IAS)

Thursday, December
19th, 2024 ~ 09:3011:10

Anupam Khajuria(UNU IAS)

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Final presentation

Thursday, January
30th, 2025 ~ 09:3011:10

Course Readings (Required: instructor must coordinate with academic
librarian whether or not student is reachable to the materials.)
Each class will have a series of required readings that have to be completed prior to the class. The
average reading load per class period is 40~80 pages. Students are expected to actively
contribute to class discussions based on the material provided. The lecturer reserves the right toupdate the reading list throughout the course and will alert students to the changes in class. The
texts will also be a critical component of the arguments in the course, and the familiarity withmaterial should be demonstrated as it pertains to each assignment. The textbooks used in thecourse are available at the UNU library and relevant chapters can be copied at the designatedcopy machines. If any required readings from academic journals or e-books are added to thecourse, these can be accessed through the public work stations at the UNU library, using yourUNU student login and password. Additional readings from web based content will also be
included.


Caldwell, L. K., & Weiland, P. S. (1996). International environmental policy: from thetwentieth to the twenty-first century. Duke University Press.
Radkau, J. (2008). Nature and power: a global history of the environment. Cambridge
University Press.
Axelrod, R. S., & Van Deveer, S. D. (Eds.). (2014). The global environment: institutions, law,and policy. CQ Press.

Please note supplementary readings may be added in the lead up to and follow-up from COP 26.
Course Readings by each Lecture
LectureNo.
1

Recommended Readings
Introduction to the Course Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development:
https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda

2

Importance of ESD
 Unpacking Sustainable Development Goal 4: Education 2030:
https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000246300.locale=en
 Quality Education: Why it matters?:
https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Goal4.pdf

3Introduction to ESD
 Education for Sustainable Development- A Roadmap:
https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000374802.locale=en54Technologies for ESD
 What’s next for Ed-Tech? Critical hopes and concerns for the 2020s:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/17439884.2020.1694945?needAcc
ess=true

5

Circular Economy
 Towards the Circular Economy: Economic and business rationale for an accelerated
transition:
https://emf.thirdlight.com/file/24/xTyQj3oxiYNMO1xTFs9xT5LF3C/Towards%20th
e%20circular%20economy%20Vol%201%3A%20an%20economic%20and%20busi
ness%20rationale%20for%20an%20accelerated%20transition.pdf

6,7

Educational visit

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Circular Economy: Electronic waste E-Waste Management in Asia Pacific Region: Review of Issues, Challenges andSolutions: https://neptjournal.com/upload-images/(5)D-1148.pdf
 The United Nations and E-waste: https://unemg.org/images/emgdocs/ewaste/Ewaste%20Synthesis%20Report%20-%20unedited%20version.pdf

9Circular Economy: Biorefineries
 Biorefineries in circular bioeconomy: A comprehensive review:https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960852419318152
 Waste biorefinery towards a sustainable circular bioeconomy: a solution to global
issues:https://biotechnologyforbiofuels.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13068-02101939-5
 Sustainable biorefinery approaches towards circular economy for conversion of
biowaste to value added materials and future perspectives:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016236122016891

10,11

Documentary on Sustainable Future https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xD3bvIbAYtI
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjrPiIem30g

12,13Documentary on Circular Economy https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/videos/circular-design-for-food-sixshort-stories https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/topics/fashion/overview

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Circular Economy in Fast fashion industry
 A sustainable and resilient circular fashion and textiles industry:
https://www.stockholmresilience.org/download/18.66e0efc517643c2b8103605/16
17805679501/Sustainable%20Textiles%20Synthesis%20Report.pdf
 A vision of a circular economy for fashion:
https://pacecircular.org/sites/default/files/2021-03/Vision-of-a-circular-economyfor-fashion.pdf

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Final presentation
N/A

Important Information (Required)
Class Conduct & Etiquette
Students are expected to arrive on time and not to engage in disruptive behavior during class.
This includes, among other things, private side conversations, the use of cell-phones and otherelectronic devices, or the reading of newspapers. Cell-phones should be switched off and stored in
the bag. We wish to create an atmosphere of open and tolerant discussion in the classroom andrequest students to recognize every individual’s right to have an opinion. The lecturer and otherstudents should be treated with dignity and respect, in particular in discussions on contentious
political issues where a diversity of opinion is likely to arise. However, we also recognize that
there are limits to tolerance and the lecturer reserves the right to request disciplinary action
against any student who violates this policy or repeatedly shows disruptive behavior in class.
Computer Use in Class
The use of computers (including tablets) in the classroom is restricted to taking notes, reading of
the course material or searching for course related information in the internet. Any disruption of
the class by cell phones, instant messaging programs or other communication devices will not betolerated. The lecturer reserves the right to revoke this permission if a student is found using acomputer for any non-course related activities.
Plagiarism & Academic Misconduct
Please be aware that the consequences of plagiarism are severe and students found guilty ofacademic misconduct will be punished in accordance with UNU’s academic honesty policies. The
lecturer reserves the right to run all assignments through an anti-plagiarism software provided
by the UNU. If evidence of academic misconduct on the assigned presentations, the mid-term
exam or the final essay should be found, the assignment will receive a failing grade. In case of
repeated violations of academic conduct, the student may receive a failing grade for the entire
course and will be reported to the appropriate authorities for disciplinary action.

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Invited Speakers/Lecturers Bio (Required)
Prof. Sunil Herat
Griffith University, Australia
Sunil Herat is an Associate Professor in Waste Management and Circular Economy at Griffith
University, Brisbane, Australia. He is the Program Director of the Master of Environmental
Engineering and Pollution Control. He is a member of the Expert Subsidiary Group of Regional
3R and Circular Economy Forum of Asia and the Pacific, managed by the United Nations Centre
for Regional Development. A/Prof Herat has over 25 years of experience in waste
management, particularly on issues and challenges related to E-waste in developing andemerging economies. He is an expert on training programs in municipal solid waste
management, hazardous waste management, cleaner production and eco-efficiency, andcircular economy. He has extensive experience training waste management professionals in
the Asia Pacific region. He has conducted training and capacity-building programs in Vietnam,
Indonesia, Singapore, India, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Thailand, and the Pacific Islands (Fiji). He is
also actively involved in revising environmental regulations related to Extended Producer
Responsibility (EPR) in Vietnam. He has contributed to the United Nations publication GEO 6
and United Nations University’s Global E-waste Monitor 2020 and 2024.

Prof. Ian A Watson
University of Glasgow, United Kingdom
Ian is a Reader in Applied Energy at the University of Glasgow, UK., in the James Watt Schoolof Engineering at the University of Glasgow. With a background in laser physics andengineering, his current research encompasses a broad area from improving thermochemical
processing, microalgae, including growth and novel photobioreactors, dewatering andextraction for high value products, nutrition, biofuel and novel forms of decontamination. On
thermochemical work, his focus is on delivering improved system performance andaddressing multilevel systems integration from e.g. automated Miscanthus farming through topyrolysis and gasification with enhanced novel sensors and control to integrated biorefinery
strategies to increase scale and reduce deployment time. Machine learning and real time
control permeates modelling and experimental approaches.

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