UNDESD Japan Report
Establishing Enriched Learning through Participation and Partnership among
Diverse Actors

1. Overview: Efforts from the Outset of the UN Decade of Educationfor Sustainable Development to 2009
Start of UNDESD•

In the process of negotiating a Plan of Implementation of the World Summit on
Sustainable Development (the Johannesburg Summit), Japan proposed, in responseto the proposals of Japanese NGOs, the “decade of education for sustainable
development,” and a recommendation to the UN General Assembly to consider
adopting this idea was included in the Plan.

•

Pursuant to this, Japan submitted a resolution as one of the 40 co-sponsors todesignate the 10 years from 2005 as the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable
Development (UNDESD) at the 57th UN General Assembly in 2002; the proposal
was adopted unanimously.

•

Pursuant to this resolution, the government established the Interministerial Meetingon the “United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development” within
the Cabinet to strive for close coordination among administrative bodies concernedwith implementing the measures related to the UNDESD and to promote theeffective and comprehensive implementation of the measures. The Interministerial
Meeting has examined this matter while giving full consideration to opinions fromvarious sources and has decided on an action plan for the UNDESD in Japan.

Features of ESD in Japan
Approaches•

Activities addressing participatory, problem-solving learning from the perspectiveof “building a better society” had been conducted not only in schools but also in
institutions of higher education, social educational facilities, communities,
enterprises, and other venues even before the start of the UNDESD.

•

Efforts are being made to advance this approach in diverse educational fields,
including environmental education, human rights and welfare education, peaceeducation, and development education, while incorporating environmental,
1economic, and social perspectives.
•

These have evolved into actions for partnerships and integration of ESD that takeroot in communities and develop into efforts to build sustainable communities bylinking the wisdom of traditional lifestyles with natural, industrial, and cultural
resources and also with the school curriculum.

•

In line with the development of ESD, these activities are increasingly pursued
through partnerships involving schools, community centers and other local
government bodies, NGOs/NPOs, institutions of higher education, enterprises, andothers.

Effects•

ESD in school education has led to the cultivation of “zest for living (vigorously in
difficult times).”•

ESD rooted in local communities is a powerful tool for building and revitalizing
communities. It enables residents to discover the qualities of their community,
nurtures affection for and pride in the community, and raises people’s awareness as
members of the community.

Implementation System•

The Interministerial Meeting, the government’s implementation system, iscomposed of 11 ministries and agencies, including the Cabinet Secretariat, whichplays a central role; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the Ministry of Education,
Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT); and the Ministry of theEnvironment (MOE). It is implementing measures to promote ESD, principally byincorporating “sustainability” into the aims and content of education and learningand by creating and supporting partnerships among diverse actors.

•

In the legislature, the Diet Members Caucus for ESD Promotion has been launchedand has held a number of discussions to explore ways of promoting ESD.

•

A network of NPOs and other bodies has been formed and is engaged in activities
aimed at promoting ESD.

•

In order to contribute to the world as the country that proposed ESD, Japan isworking to promote ESD globally through UNESCO, the United Nations
University, and other partner organizations.

2Global Developments and Japanese Efforts Concerning ESD
Year

Global developments

Efforts in Japan
By government

1987

By other organizations

Concept of “sustainable
development” taken up by
the World Commission on
Environment andDevelopment (Brundtland
Committee)

1992

Importance of education
included in “Agenda 21”
action plan on sustainable
development at the UN
Conference on Environmentand Development (Earth
Summit)2002

Recommendation on establishing DESD, which was proposed by Japan based on
proposals of Japanese NGOs, included in the Plan of Implementation at the UN World
Summit on Sustainable Development (the Johannesburg Summit) (September)
Resolution to designate the years from 2005 to 2014 as the UNDESD proposed andadopted at the 57th UN General Assembly (December)

2003

Proposal by the Japanese National

Start of ESD program

Commission for UNESCO (July)at the United Nations

Law for Enhancing Motivation on

University

Environmental Conservation andPromoting of Environmental
Education enacted (July)
Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD)

2004

First Dialogue on Environmental
Education (June)
2005

UNESCO drafts the

Ceremony to mark the start ofCertification of first

International

DESD in the Asia-Pacific region

RCE (June)

Implementation Scheme(June)

3for the Decade (September) ACD Second Dialogue on
UN General Assembly

Environmental Education

approves the(September)

Implementation Scheme

Interministerial Meeting on the(October)

UNDESD established (December)
Japan’s Action Plan for the

2006

UNDESD drafted (March)
ACD Third Dialogue on
Environmental Education (June)
2007

Fourth World

Diet Members Caucus for ESD

Environmental Education

Promotion launched (June)

Congress (WEEC) in

ACD Fourth Dialogue on

Durban, South Africa

Environmental Education (June)(July)

Japanese National Commission for

Fourth International

UNESCO presents proposals forConference on

the further promotion of DESD to

Environmental Education

UNESCO (August)(ICEE) in Ahmedabad,

Fundamental Law of Education

India (November)revised (December)

2008

ESD Roundtable Meetings

Official launch of(January, March, September)

ProSPER.Net (June)

Courses of Study revised (March)
A Vision of Environmental
Leadership Initiatives for Asian
Sustainability drafted (March)
Basic Promotional Plan for
Education drafted (July)ACD Fifth Dialogue on
Environmental Education(October)International Forum on ESD
Dialogue 2008 (December)2009

At the halfway mark of the

ESD Roundtable Meetings

4

UNDESD, the World(January, March)

Conference on ESD will be Consideration of revision toheld in Bonn, Germany byJapan’s Action Plan for the

UNESCO and the German

UNDESD scheduled

Commission for UNESCO(March)2. Action Framework in Japan
1) Governmental Implementation System
Establishment of Interministerial Meeting on the UNDESD
Following the adoption by the UN General Assembly of a resolution to designate theDecade of ESD, the government established the Interministerial Meeting on the “United
Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development” (hereinafter “theInterministerial Meeting”) within the Cabinet in December 2005 to strive for close
coordination among administrative bodies concerned with implementing the measuresrelated to the UNDESD and to promote the effective and comprehensive
implementation of these measures. (11 ministries and agencies: Cabinet Secretariat,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science andTechnology, Ministry of the Environment, Cabinet Office, Ministry of Internal Affairs
and Communications, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Ministry of
Economy, Trade and Industry, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism[observers: Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare])
The Interministerial Meeting has examined this matter while paying full attention toopinions from various sources and drafted Japan’s Action Plan for the UNDESD(hereinafter “the Action Plan”) in March 2006. The Action Plan states the following
Guidelines for Implementing ESD: Programs Leading to Community Building; Diverse
Places of Education and Implementing Actors; Integrated Approach under Various
Agendas; Learning from Participation and Experience; Nurturing Abilities for Social
Participation; and Coordination and Collaboration between Diverse Actors.
With the related ministries and agencies steadily carrying out various measures
stipulated in the Action Plan, the government, by keenly promoting ESD, aims to createa world where everyone may enjoy the benefits of high-quality education and learn thevalues, actions, and lifestyles required for a sustainable future and social changes, and5where every organization may participate in the creation of a sustainable society.
Based on the Action Plan, the government has facilitated discussions on measures for
implementing ESD by holding roundtable meetings since FY2007 as forums forexchanges of opinions among academic experts, educators, and related persons fromNPOs and enterprises.
Japanese National Commission for UNESCOThe Japanese National Commission for UNESCO is an institution established under
the Japanese law (the Law Concerning UNESCO Activities) to provide advice, planning,
liaison, and surveys regarding UNESCO activities in Japan. In partnership with
UNESCO, other countries’ national commissions for UNESCO, and relevant ministries
and agencies, the Japanese National Commission for UNESCO is actively engaged in
the promotion of ESD in Japan and overseas as one of its key tasks.
Diet Members Caucus for ESD Promotion
The Diet Members Caucus for ESD Promotion was launched in June 2007. About 50
Diet members have joined the league, which has held a number of discussions to
explore ways of promoting ESD.
2) Other Implementation Systems
Another feature of ESD implementation in Japan is the initiative taken by
NGOs/NPOs in promoting ESD.
•

Japan Council on the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development(ESD-J), an NPO
Founded in June 2003, the Japan Council on the UN Decade of Education for
Sustainable Development (ESD-J) is a networking organization dedicated topromoting ESD in Japan and overseas through partnerships. ESD-J has formed a
network of 100 organizations including NGOs/NPOs, educational institutions,enterprises, and other groups active in such fields as environmental education,
development education, human rights education, and youth development and iscurrently engaged in such efforts as policy proposals, training, information
dissemination, and international networking.

•Asia/Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO (ACCU)
Since its establishment in 1971, ACCU has been implementing various regional6cooperative programs in the fields of culture, education, and personnel exchange inclose collaboration with the countries of Asia and the Pacific. In response to thestart of the UNDESD, ACCU has promoted the DESD by reviewing its past
projects from the perspective of ESD and conveying the principles of ESD togovernments, NGOs, universities, and other partner organizations in Japan andabroad through trainings and projects. It also spreads ESD to teachers and thegeneral public by producing ESD learning materials and holding ESD photomessage contests and photo exhibitions.
•

Information Exchange Meeting for UNDESD-Related Organizations
Meetings are held to facilitate exchanges of information among UN agencies,
international organizations, universities, NPOs, RCEs, and other organizations
engaged in international cooperation, at which the participants assist each other’s
activities by sharing information on their respective efforts and on international
conferences.

3) Implementation System of Partnerships with International Organizations•

United Nations University
With support from the Government of Japan, the United Nations University
launched the Program on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD Program)at the Institute of Advanced Studies in 2003. Strengthening the contributions to
ESD of regional Centers of Expertise (RCEs) on ESD and higher education
institutions is one of the program’s pillars. The purpose of RCEs is to build
platforms where ESD stakeholders can share information and experiences and seek
partnerships at the local level; as of March 2009, 62 RCEs have been establishedworldwide (see the box in section 4-(5), p.17). In Japan, six RCEs in Greater
Sendai, Okayama, Yokohama, Kitakyushu, Chubu, and Hyogo-Kobe are working
to promote ESD activities in their respective regions. As for higher education
institutions, the United Nations University decided to build a network ofuniversities committed to ESD in the Asia-Pacific region, and it officially launched
the Promotion of Sustainability in Postgraduate Education and Research Network(ProSPER.Net) in June 2008. The activities undertaken in this network include thedevelopment of ESD curriculums for administrative officials and business schools
through cooperation among Asian universities.

7

3. Action by the Japanese Government on ESD•

International Action—

Contribution to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO)
In 2003, the Japanese National Commission for UNESCO put forward its

recommendations on UNESCO activities and matters for inclusion in the international
action plan developed by UNESCO. Following this, the committee of experts wasestablished under the Steering Subcommittee of the Japanese National Commission for
UNESCO to consider fresh recommendations for UNESCO to further promote
UNDESD, and the recommendations resulting from the committee’s deliberations wereadopted and presented to the Director-General of UNESCO in August 2007. These
recommendations set out a clear picture for ESD educational programs and call for their
deepening and dissemination, the enhancement of UNESCO activities and structures todisseminate ESD internationally, and the promotion of international cooperation.
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
contributes Funds-in-Trust for Education for Sustainable Development to UNESCO topromote ESD and is engaged in new international exchange and cooperation projects
through which Japan and UNESCO work together to address challenges such as thedevelopment of sustainable societies and the nurturing of future leaders in this field tofurther promote ESD.
In addition, MEXT co-hosted the International Forum on ESD Dialogue 2008 with
UNESCO in December 2008. With a view to the latter half of UNDESD, participants at
the forum discussed the creation of strategic projects capable of generating outcomes
suited to countries at differing stages of development and avenues for forming morepartnerships incorporating private sector activities. With the midway point of UNDESD
approaching, the forum also summed up efforts so far by evaluating actions on ESD todate in the Asia-Pacific region and sharing examples of good practice.
—

Agreements at TICAD IV, G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit, G8 Environment
Ministers Meeting, and Asia Cooperation Dialogue
Japan has been advocating the promotion of ESD in various international forums.

One recent example of this is the agreement on the effectiveness of countries’ sharing of
examples of best practice such as partnership projects by related stakeholders and to8

assist capacity building in developing countries expressed in the Chair’s summary at theG8 Environment Ministers Meeting in Kobe in May 2008. At the Fourth Tokyo
International Conference on African Development (TICAD IV), also held in May in
Yokohama, the importance of the Education for Sustainable Development initiative andits promotion to address environmental issues effectively was acknowledged in the
Yokohama Declaration, and the Yokohama Action Plan developed to implement the
Yokohama Declaration addressed the promotion of ESD through integration of ESD
into policies and practices to realize a more sustainable society. In July, ESD wasfeatured for the first time in the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit Leaders Declaration,
which stated the G8’s commitment in promoting ESD by supporting UNESCO andother organizations and through knowledge networks among relevant institutions,
including universities.
Since 2004, “Dialogues on Environmental Education” have been held once a year atvenues in Japan as a “prime mover project” within the framework of the Asia
Cooperation Dialogue (ACD). Around 60 participants from ACD member countries
attend these events to exchange views on cooperation in the field of environmental
education, focusing on a variety of themes.
•

DomesticAction—

Enactment of Law for Enhancing Motivation on Environmental Conservation andPromoting of Environmental Education
In order to resolve current environmental problems, such as global warming, waste

disposal, and the shrinking of the immediate natural environment, and to create asustainable society, citizens, businesses, and private-sector organizations as well as thegovernment must actively engage in environmental conservation activities. In view of
the importance of such activities, the Law for Enhancing Motivation on Environmental
Conservation and Promoting Environmental Education (in short, the Environmental
Conservation and Education Law), was enacted in July 2003 as a legislation proposedby lawmakers in order to lay the foundations for the creation of a sustainable society.
This law, the principal objectives of which are to promote environmental education andmotivate each and every citizen to play a part in environmental conservation, sets forth
the respective duties and responsibilities of the government, local governments,
businesses, citizens, and private-sector organizations. Since the enactment of this law
and the establishment of basic government policy in accordance with it, inter-ministerial
9coordination has been promoted, local governments have formulated basic policies andplans for environmental education, and the development of human resources andteaching materials that further encourage such education.
—

Formulation of Basic Promotional Plan for Education and revision of Courses ofStudy
The aims, ideals, and principles of education in Japan are set forth in theFundamental Law of Education, which was enacted in 1947. In more than half a century
since then, however, the conditions facing education in Japan have changed
dramatically and a variety of challenges has arisen. In view of these changes, theFundamental Law of Education was revised in 2006. The revised law provides for theformulation of the Basic Promotional Plan for Education which sets forth basic
principles and so on for the comprehensive and systematic pursuit of measures topromote education in Japan, and such a plan was accordingly formulated in 2008. This
plan positions sustainable development as one of the important principles of educationin Japan and identifies ESD as a policy that should be pursued over the next five years.
In the same year, the Courses of Study, which form the basis of school education in
Japan, were also revised. This revision resulted in the principle of sustainable
development being explicitly incorporated into the curriculum in subjects such as
science and social studies.
The principle of ESD has thus become clearly incorporated into national education
policy in Japan, and efforts are now underway to put it into practice.
—

Development of the Strategy for an Environmental Nation in the 21st Century
The Strategy for an Environmental Nation in the 21st Century, approved by the

Cabinet in June 2007, identifies “educating people to feel the environment, think for theenvironment, and act for the environment” as one strategy for realizing the developmentof a sustainable society. To give substance to this strategy, a number of programs wereadopted, including the “21st Century Environmental Education Initiatives—To provide
Environmental Education for Anytime, Anywhere, Anyone” (Triple-A initiatives) andthe initiatives to train International Environmental Leaders in Asia.

10

4. Overview of Efforts in Japan1) Efforts in primary and secondary education
In 2002, “periods for integrated study” were incorporated into the primary andsecondary curricula to provide time for schools to pursue their own creative anddistinctive educational activities suited to their particular locales and students’ needs,
and to enable children to learn about issues that span multiple traditional subjects, suchas international understanding, information technology, the environment, and health andwelfare. Issues relating to the environment and international understanding are also
addressed in individual subjects such as science and social studies, and various
educational programs are being taught in schools in line with the principles of ESD.
During the periods for integrated study, children learn through experience about
nature and day-to-day life and how they relate to industry and society, using topics suchas the local countryside, rivers, traditional foods, and festivals as their subject matter.
These periods also provide them with opportunities to explore how society can be mademore amenable to diverse people through interaction with elderly people, foreigners,
and people with disabilities in the community. A feature of these activities is that they
are enriched by the cooperation of local people, NPOs, facilities, businesses,
universities, institutes for community education, and so on.
In order to further prevail the concept of ESD, MEXT sees UNESCO’s Associated
Schools Project Network as a hub for promoting ESD. The Network aims to realize theideals of UNESCO and to promote peace and international collaboration throughclassroom practice. Therefore, MEXT is working to increase the number of associatedschools. The main pillars of ESD in UNESCO’s Associated Schools Project Network
are education in international understanding and environmental education, and Japanhopes that, by increasing the number of associated schools and strengthening the
network among them, schools will be encouraged to share and reinforce their activities
in collaboration with businesses and NPOs, enabling ESD to take root in theircommunities.
At the same time, a number of ministries and agencies are working together todevelop and renovate school facilities to make them more environmentally friendly andto promote environmental education through this process, while the Ministry of theEnvironment (MOE) is taking action to encourage environmental education involving
community leaders and children, eco-club activities to promote environmental
11

conservation, and environmental education activities at extracurricular programmes.
<Example of ESD practice>
UNESCO’s Associated Schools Project Network{

Development of global vision through “joint learning” with overseas partners(Omose Elementary School)

This initiative uses the waterfront environment shared by the participants’ communities
in Japan and in the United States as a topic to encourage the development of children’s
sensitivity and scientific curiosity about the natural environment through such
experiences as observation, investigation, fieldwork, and raising animals. Information
technology is used to enable learning exchanges with elementary schools in the U.S.,
fostering children’s global outlook and laying the basis for positive environmental
action.
{Efforts linking different subjects, such as social studies, Japanese, and periods for
integrated learning (Shinonome Elementary School)

This initiative links children’s learning on themes such as “shopping” (involving thecooperation of local shops and NPOs), water, and garbage to related subjects, such as
Japanese language, social studies, science, and periods for integrated learning. The
purpose of this is to promote problem-based learning and expand horizons from thelocal to the global level.

2) Efforts in higher education
Institutions of higher education are expected to play various roles in promoting ESD,
including the development of specialists in relevant fields, conduct of research on thedevelopment of sustainable societies in Japan and around the world, and as central
players in activities in their own regions. Responding to these expectations and withMEXT support, universities are taking a variety of steps, including reorganizing theircurricula from an ESD perspective, including ESD in their teacher training courses,
conducting comprehensive, cross-disciplinary research on sustainability studies, andcontributing as central players in regional and international ESD activities.
Supported by MOE, action is also underway to establish a consortium to assist the12development of environmental experts through collaboration among industry,
government, academia, and civil society, and to form a network of environmental
graduate schools in Asia to address ESD.
Universities involved in ESD are also developing their own network (HESD) for
practice and interchange; about 35 universities are currently involved in this network.
ESD is also addressed in universities and communities through student organizations
such as Eco-League.
< Examples of ESD practice>Environmental Leadership Initiative for Asian Sustainability
In 2008, MOE announced the Vision for a University‐Led Environmental
Leadership Initiative for Asian Sustainability, which sets forth its vision for
nurturing personnel capable of leading the development of sustainable societies
in Asia, including Japan, through their professional, civic, and other activities.
Based on this Vision, activities to develop human resources in theenvironmental field through collaboration among industry, government,
academia, and civil society are presently being pursued under theEnvironmental Leadership Initiative for Asian Sustainability (ELIAS).

3) Efforts by communities and local governments
At the regional level, organizations such as boards of education; public halls,
museums, and other community education facilities; local governments; NPOs; andlocal UNESCO associations are taking the lead in ESD-related activities in such fields
as environmental education, education for international understanding, development

13

education, peace education, and human rights education. Among recent developments inenvironmental education, for example, are activities that contribute to building asustainable society, such as efforts to carry on the traditional knowledge from times
when people cohabited with nature through experiences of agriculture and everyday lifeand learning programs that explore ways to forge a better society by connecting thechallenges facing the international community to daily living and regional issues. MOE
is undertaking model programs that take environmental education as the starting point
for developing human resources capable of leading sustainable community development,
and organizes local ESD promotion forums to encourage the nationwide spread of its
outcomes. Activities are also being pursued by Regional Centres of Expertise (RCE)around Japan, which act as hubs for projects in their regions. The number of RCEs inJapan has increased to 6—Greater Sendai, Yokohama, Chubu, Hyogo-Kobe, Okayama,
and Kitakyushu—and they are tackling the various challenges faced by communities as
they seek to become more sustainable while maintaining their diversity.
Numerous sustainable community development projects featuring energy and food torevitalize regions through exchanges between urban and rural areas are being pursued
across Japan on the initiative of local governments and private-sector organizations.
ESD is incorporated into the activity process as a venue for learning.

14

< Examples of ESD practice>
MOE Program to Promote UNDESD
In order to create models for ESD at the regional level, MOE provided support for three
years, since FY2006, to 14 communities selected by open process that are putting ESD
into practice to create sustainable communities.
Each community established an ESD Council involving diverse players (NPOs, local
administrations, enterprises, schools, citizens, etc.) to consider and implement the“content” of education aimed at building a sustainable community. The pointers fordeveloping ESD that these 14 communities gleaned from their practical experiences, onsuch matters as modalities of ESD and the links between them, have been published in
the form of a handbook titled 38 Points on ESD Learned from Communities and How
They Interrelate, which will be used
to promote ESD in the future.
At the regional block level, ESD
Promotion Forums are held topromote the formation of
networks among practitioners todisseminate examples of goodcommunity practice.

4) Efforts by enterprises
In Japan, as elsewhere, businesses are facing an increasing demand for social
responsibility, leading many firms to establish dedicated departments to enhance theirenvironmental and social credentials in their main lines of business and to pursue otheractivities that contribute to society. As part of this trend, one way in which businesses
are putting ESD into practice is through rigorous employee training to raise awarenessand encourage changes in conduct among those responsible for corporate social
responsibility (CSR), so that social responsibility becomes an integral part of theireveryday operations. As part of their CSR activities, businesses are also providing

15

support for human resource development in society (including assistance to school andcommunity education projects), thus enabling society to benefit from their uniquestrengths and resources. Projects of this kind include cross-sector partnerships on ESD
in which enterprises collaborate with educational institutions and NGOs to produce
more effective educational outcomes.
<Example of ESD practice>
Action by Nippon Keidanren (Japan Business Federation){

Nippon Keidanren’s Committee on Corporate Philanthropy brings together CSR
managers from almost 60 companies for monthly meetings to hear from a variety
of guest speakers in order to deepen understanding of social issues and share
information on innovative practices so that the participants can incorporate these
into their own companies’ CSR activities.
In July 2008, the organization published a report entitled “Contributing toSociety in the Age of Corporate Social Responsibility” to highlight the CSR
activities being undertaken by businesses in various fields.
The publication notes that one significance of employees’ involvement in CSR
activities is the development of a flexible and creative culture in the workplace andof a wider awareness among employees of human rights and environmental issues.
In other words, CSR contributes to employee development and awareness,fostering people who can act to solve social issues.

{

The Nippon Keidanren Committee on Nature Conservation is committed todeveloping partnerships through regular exchanges with and support forenvironmental NGOs.
In September 2007, the committee held a public symposium on ESD focusing
on environmental education of employees as a priority for nature conservation, at
which participants promoted understanding of ESD and shared information on how
businesses pioneer ESD activities.

{

The committee’s ISO26000 Working Group has proposed that Japan’s industrial
sector should advocate ESD as an important element in the implementation
guidance and that ESD should be cited as an international initiative for reference.

165) International action to promote ESD
The Government of Japan has contributed to the development of ESD around theworld through its promotion, in collaboration with UNESCO, of the development andexpansion of frameworks for the spread of grassroots ESD, including UNESCO’s
Associated Schools Project Network and RCEs, by contributing funds to UNESCO andthe United Nations University.
MEXT contributes funds-in-trust to UNESCO to promote ESD and is engaged ininternational exchanges and cooperation projects through which both Japan and
UNESCO address challenges, such as the development of sustainable societies and thehuman resources of the future, to further promote ESD.
Activities are also beginning at the grassroots level in the private sector. In Asia, suchaction includes the collection and sharing of information on examples of practice for the
Asia Good ESD Practice Research Project (AGEPP), exchanges between communities
engaging in ESD, and the provision of support for ESD strategy, planning, preparation,and implementation in collaboration with UNESCO and governments and NGOs in the
Asia-Pacific region by the Asia/Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO (ACCU).
<Example of ESD practice>
Activities of Regional Centres of Expertise on Education for Sustainable
Development (RCEs){

The concept of Regional Centres of Expertise on Education for Sustainable
Development (RCEs) was unveiled by the United Nations University in 2004.

{

RCEs consist of a network of existing formal and informal educational institutions
for promoting the spread of ESD in communities and regions.

{

These networks consist of diverse stakeholders in various sectors and provide
forums for discussion, cooperation, and information sharing to promote ESD. At
the same time, they serve as knowledge bases for the accumulation of informationand experience to support ESD activities.

{

Since the establishment of the first seven RCEs in July 2005, the RCE network has
continued to expand, and 62 regions around the world were registered as RCEs asof March 2009.

17

5. The Fruits of Japan’s ESD Experiences: Message to the World{

Achievements of the First Half of the Decade and Challenges Ahead

Achievements
During the first 4 years of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development,
the Government of Japan laid the groundwork for partnership between the public andprivate sectors. In addition to creating an organization of government ministries andagencies to promote ESD goals, it drafted a domestic action plan, organized round-tablediscussions to serve as a venue for dialogue among the organizations concerned, andimplemented various measures.
A major achievement of this period was the affirmation of ESD’s status as an important
government policy in such plans as the Basic Promotional Plan for Education and theTwenty-first Century Environment Nation Strategy. Moreover, the creation of a sustainable
society was included as a topic to be addressed in all subjects in MEXT’s revised Coursesof Study, and lessons reflecting the principles of ESD became part of compulsory
education.
A practical model for implementing ESD concepts at the regional level and ininstitutions of higher education has been developed, and the Associated School Project
Network, Regional Centres of Expertise (RCEs), and other networks for implementing
ESD programs are growing. Regional networks to promote ESD established as a result ofprivate-sector initiatives have also been spreading.
Challenges Ahead
Though progress has been achieved in disseminating ESD, continued efforts must be
made to reach as many people as possible. In undertaking this task, a straightforward
explanation of what ESD entails should be provided, while taking into account its
connection with ongoing educational activities being undertaken locally.
Closer partnerships among government ministries and agencies and other is vital for
promoting ESD, and efforts must be made to strengthen the system for cooperation and to
implement policies toward this end. Other remaining tasks include raising the status of
ESD in government policies and taking a more comprehensive approach that incorporates
ESD principles in teaching individual topics on the environment and international
understanding.

18

{Goals for the Second Half of the Decade

Evaluation and Revision
In considering the measures to take in the second half of the decade, it is important toevaluate the extent of the spread of ESD initiatives, changes in the attitudes and actions of
relevant organizations, and the degree to which Japan and the rest of the world havebecome more sustainable societies. How to evaluate the effectiveness of ESD initiatives
will be discussed with the participation of experts from a wide range of fields. Activities in
the first five years of the decade, up to 2009, concerned issues in the priority fields of theenvironment and development and were founded on three key components—theenvironment, economy, and society. In 2010, Japan’s Action Plan is scheduled to berevised in the light of the results achieved..
Dissemination
The government will renew its calls to take a comprehensive approach grounded on
ESD principles to educational and other programs on individual topics related tosustainable development, including the environment and international understanding, thatwere launched in response to ESD and that are currently being implemented locally. It will
also strive to improve the visibility of ESD by setting up a register system of ESD
programs, to develop a support system, and to choose projects to serve as models in theaim of giving concrete form to ESD and encouraging its dissemination.
Further efforts will be made to enhance awareness of ESD through awareness raising toand training programs for those including administrative personnel, boards of education,and educators.
Fostering Closer Alliances
The government will promote ESD in primary and secondary schools and introduce it
into teacher training courses and training programs for teachers when they renew teaching
licenses. It will also take steps to promote joint community-school ESD initiatives,
including school and community support headquarters and stakeholder conferences.
To promote ESD in higher education, collaboration among universities and various
sectors will be fostered through the expansion of the environmental graduate school
network, the formation of a consortium among industry, government, academia, and civilsociety, and other measures.
At the community level, the government will support partnerships among and initiatives
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by individuals and organizations in the community, such as forums to promote ESD. It will
also bolster ESD programs as well as the ESD promotion mechanism at public halls, civic
centers, children’s centers, libraries, museums, and other social education facilities. Steps
will be taken to train and deploy coordinators to promote ESD in the community.
The promotion of ESD at the global level will encompass efforts to further expand
UNESCO’s Associated School Project Network, RCEs, and ProSPER.Net (Promotion of
Sustainability in Postgraduate Education and Research Network) and to establish an ESD
register and certification system for international collaborations.
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Toward the Global Promotion of ESD
It is important that the government create a system to facilitate the participation of andpartnership among various individuals and organizations at the national and local levels
and train and dispatch ESD coordinators to various regions so that ESD can be promoted
by coalitions of diverse individuals and organizations.
The promotion of ESD principles that are rooted in the community and that can bringabout change will be dependent on the creation of such a system that encourages the use of
local resources, including natural, cultural, historical, and industrial resources. It will also
require the creation of participatory, experiential, and problem-solving models, and asystem that brings together people from various walks of life.
One important means of disseminating ESD is by pooling the knowledge of thecountries and organizations concerned, which can be achieved by listing and categorizing
outstanding ESD programs, compiling a summary of good practices, and making thisinformation easily accessible.
In view of the above and of discussions that have unfolded at UNESCO, the summary of
the proceedings of the International Forum on ESD Dialogue held in Tokyo in 2008
included the following three recommendations agreed by participating countries:•

To develop “model projects” that can be undertaken jointly by multiple stakeholders.

•

To establish a framework for cooperation among all stakeholders, including privatecompanies.

•

To increase the number and quality of UNESCO Associated Schools.
Reaching these goals will require cooperation with UNESCO and efforts by member

countries to uncover “model projects” and undertake programs to disseminate ESD. Japanis currently considering the creation of a registration and certification system for ESD
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initiatives as one method for achieving this.
To produce concrete results, we must set out priority goals and an action plan forachieving them, as well as undertaking periodic reviews to confirm that the measures in
the plan are being implemented. It is also necessary to formulate meaningful indicators formeasuring progress.
With the start of the second half of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable
Development, individual countries must step up their efforts to incorporate the principles,values, and practices of sustainable development into all facets of schooling and learning.
Japan will continue to collaborate and cooperate with UNESCO and member countries tocontribute to the global promotion of ESD.

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