ESD for 2030 toolbox: implementation

 
In order to create momentum to implement ESD for 2030 and its five priority action areas, Member States are encouraged to engage in country initiatives to mainstream ESD in education and sustainable development.

• Guideline for country initiatives on ESD for 2030 (Coming soon)

• Voluntary National Reviews Database of the High-level political forum on sustainable development
  As part of its follow-up and review mechanisms, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development encourages member states to "conduct regular and inclusive reviews of progress at the national and sub-national levels, which are country-led and country-driven" (paragraph 79). These national reviews are expected to serve as a basis for the regular reviews by the high-level political forum (HLPF), meeting under the auspices of ECOSOC. The voluntary national reviews (VNRs) aim to facilitate the sharing of experiences, including successes, challenges and lessons learned, with a view to accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

• [Country example] ESD action plan in Germany
  In 2017, Germany adopted a National Action Plan for GAP implementation with 130 objectives and 349 measures to scale up ESD in all areas and at all levels of the country's education system, based on a two-year participatory multi-stakeholder process.

• [Country example] ESD policy in Kenya
  To complement the National ESD Strategy (2008) and Sessional paper No.11 of 2014 on National ESD Policy, a national ESD policy document was developed in 2017, supported by Japanese Funds-In-Trust. This document was particularly significant as it was based on 23 county-level multi-stakeholder consultations with focal points from 47 counties as well as national stakeholders’ consultations under the coordination of the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and the Ministry of Education. Kenya’s example has been scaled up to other neighbouring countries in Eastern Africa.

 
In order to convey the urgency to act on the five priority action areas and ensure the success of ESD for 2030, Member States and other stakeholders are encouraged to conduct communication, outreach and advocacy activities, engaging a broader audience and a wider group of education and sustainable development partners.

• Education for Sustainable Development Goals - Learning Objectives
  This publication guides readers on how to use education, especially ESD, to achieve the SDGs. It identifies learning objectives, suggests topics and learning activities for each SDG, and describes implementation at different levels from course design to national strategies. The document aims to support policy-makers, curriculum developers and educators in designing strategies, curricula and courses to promote learning for the SDGs.
   
• Sustainable Development Goals – Resources for educators
  Complementary to the UNESCO guidance document - Education for Sustainable Development Goals - Learning Objectives, this resource bank has been designed for educators, education planners and practitioners. It offers hundreds of pedagogical ideas for classroom activities and multimedia resources detailing how best to integrate ESD into teaching and learning, from early childhood care through secondary education.
   
• UNESCO Trash Hack Campaign
  Trash Hacks are small actions to reduce waste which can lead to big ideas for the planet. Join UNESCO to Trash Hack your life, neighbourhood and the world with Education for Sustainable Development.
   
• The One Planet Network
  The One Planet network has formed to implement the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production, which supports the global shift to SCP and the achievement of SDG 12.
   
• Regional Centres of Expertise on ESD (RCEs)
  Regional Centres of Expertise on ESD (RCEs) aspire to translate global objectives into the context of the local communities in which they operate. At all levels of society, RCEs play a crucial role in implementing these goals using their local knowledge and global network. The Global RCE Service Centre is headquartered at UNU-IAS, where it provides assistance to individual RCEs and facilitates their communication and networking.

 
In order to implement effectively the five priority action areas of ESD for 2030, mobilization of necessary resources is crucial.

• UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Programme
  Launched in 1992, the UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Programme, which involves over 700 institutions in 116 countries, promotes international inter-university cooperation and networking to enhance institutional capacities through knowledge sharing and collaborative work. The programme supports the establishment of UNESCO Chairs and UNITWIN Cooperation programmes in key priority areas related to UNESCO’s fields of competence – i.e. in education, the natural and social sciences, culture and communication.
   
• UNESCO UNEVOC Network
  The UNEVOC Network is UNESCO’s global network for institutions specialized in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). Coordinated by UNESCO-UNEVOC, the Network provides an environment for exchange, cooperation and mutual assistance for its members, the UNEVOC Centres. The UNEVOC Network is composed of four types of Centres: ministries, national bodies, training providers and research institutions.
   
• UNESCO Associated Schools Network
  The UNESCO Associated Schools Network (ASPnet) links educational institutions across the world around a common goal: to build the defences of peace in the minds of children and young people. The over 11,500 ASPnet member schools in 182 countries work in support of international understanding, peace, intercultural dialogue, sustainable development and quality education in practice.
   
• The World Network of Biosphere Reserves
  Biosphere reserves are ‘learning places for sustainable development’. They are sites for testing interdisciplinary approaches to understanding and managing changes and interactions between social and ecological systems, including conflict prevention and management of biodiversity. They are places that provide local solutions to global challenges. The World Network of Biosphere Reserves of the MAB Programme consists of a dynamic and interactive network of sites of excellence.
   
• UNESCO Global Geoparks and Global Geoparks Network
  The Global Geoparks Network (GGN) is a non-profit International Association officially established in 2014 subject to French legislation. The Global Geoparks Network is the official partner of UNESCO for the operation of the UNESCO Global Geoparks.
   
• World Heritage sites
  Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live with today, and what we pass on to future generations. Our cultural and natural heritage are both irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration. UNESCO seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity. This is embodied in an international treaty called the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by UNESCO in 1972.
   
• Intangible Cultural Heritage
  Cultural heritage does not end at monuments and collections of objects. It also includes traditions or living expressions inherited from our ancestors and passed on to our descendants, such as oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals, festive events, knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe or the knowledge and skills to produce traditional crafts.While fragile, intangible cultural heritage is an important factor in maintaining cultural diversity in the face of growing globalization. An understanding of the intangible cultural heritage of different communities helps with intercultural dialogue, and encourages mutual respect for other ways of life.
   
• UNESCO Creative Cities Network
  The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development. The 246 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective: placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the international level.