Timeline of Important International Events/Documents

October 1977, Intergovernmental Conference on Environmental Education’s “Tiblisi Declaration”, facets of green education identified: natural/built environments, human technologies, social components/institutions, interdisciplinary nature, and importance of life-long learning

December 1991, Conference on University Action for Sustainable Development’s “Halifax Declaration”, urged concrete, locally-based actions

June 1992, United Nations Conference on Environment and Development's “Chapter 36”, encouraged more “open and outward” looking educational institutions that integrated sustainable understanding across disciplines

1993 “Kyoto Declaration on Sustainable Development” (education is a facet of human and social development) “development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations” consequences are that schools should be more equitable (within and between), focus on ethics

1994 “The Earth Charter”, introduced humanity as one family with one past and one future and one responsibility for other living thing/systems on the planet

December 1997 “Thessaloniki Declaration” stressed importance of teacher training, importance of teachers as envoys or criers to the community, suggested that funds for this come from money “saved” through greening economy

April 2000, UNESCO's “Dakar Framework for Action”. Stressed basic education. Targets environmental, teacher education.

September 2002, “Ubuntu Declaration on Education and Science and Technology for Sustainable Development”, called for inclusion of educators in development planning, suggested the examination of curricula/programs, “creating learning modules which bring skills, knowledge, reflections, ethics and values together in a balanced way.” (UNESCO, 2002)

February 2003, Resolution 57/254: ‘United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development’

Memorable Quote:
““the crisis of the biosphere is symptomatic of a prior crisis of mind, perception and heart. It is not so much a problem in education but a problem of education” (Orr quoted in Viederman, 2001, p. 2).”
Viederman, S. (2001) Ecological Literacy: Can Colleges Save the World? (Boston: Second Nature—Education for Sustainability Resource Guides). Available at http://www.secondnature.org/guidesy_writings_viederman.html.

Haigh, M. (2005). Greening the University Curriculum: Appraising an International Movement. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, Vol. 29 Issue 1, p31-48.