• Strategic assessments - examine all education programs provided by the organisations listed above. Managers of education programs report on key aspects of their programs. These reports are then used to examine how well these programs are, as a whole, contributing to effective community education for sustainability.
• Program assessments - examine the quality of selected education programs in greater depth.

To view the framework, CLICK HERE (pdf , external website).

The Commissioner has created a work plan that details how the assessments will be conducted from 2007 to 2009.
To view the work plan, CLICK HERE (pdf , external website).

National Action Plan for Educaiton for Sustainable Development - Project Started
The Australian Government has begun the process of developing a National Action Plan for Education for Sustainable Development (NAP ESD). The objective of the plan is to contribute to the achievement of a more sustainable Australia through community education and learning. The Department of Environment and Heritage has appointed UrbisJHD to assist them with the development of the NAP, which is due to be completed in June 2007. For more information on the process and how to get involved, see NAP ESD in National Section below.

Victorian News

The Sustainable Challenge Launched in Regional Victoria
The Sustainables Challenge project, to help students learn about ten simple actions they, their schools and their families can take to help battle climate change and save the planet will be launched in regional Victoria on 23 March in Mooroopna. The Sustainables Challenge project is funded by the Victorian Department of Environment and Sustainability Victoria, to support the Victorian Governments Sustainables Household Challenge which any family can join at www.dse.vic.gov.au/sustainables

Victorian Essential Learning Standards
The Victorian Essential Learning Standards describe what is essential for all students to achieve Prep to Year 10 in Victorian schools. Developed by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA), it provides a framework for planning the whole school curriculum by setting out standards for students to achieve in core areas. Students need to develop a set of knowledge, skills and behaviours which will prepare them for success in a world which is complex, changing and full of information and influences.

To succeed in this world the VCAA has commented that students will need to develop an understanding of the interaction between social, economic and environmental systems and how to manage them to create a future which is sustainable.

So what does this mean for environmental or sustainable education?

The standards do not explicitly indicate environmental or sustainability education as a strand of learning, or as a set of skills knowledge and behaviours (domains), however it has been identified as a key value in which learning should develop and reinforce and is included right across the curriculum at all levels.

VAEE is working with partners to develop a supplement to VELS which clearly demonstrates how sustainability can be used to deliver against the new curriculum and the Principles of Teaching and Learning (POLT).

For more information on the Essential Learning Standards, please CLICK HERE

The Essential Learning Standards are part of the Flagship Strategy 1 of the Blueprint for Government schools. CLICK HERE for further information.

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Our Environment Our Future
In 2006 the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) launched the Sustainability Framework for Victoria, Our Environment Our Future . The Framework provides direction for government, business and the community on building environmental considerations into the way we work and live and:

• outlines the key environmental challenges Victoria faces;
• explains what ' environmental sustainability ' is and why it is important;
• identifies the strategic directions we must pursue to become environmentally sustainable;
• sets out objectives to be achieved and interim targets for measuring progress towards the objectives; and
• identifies some important steps for putting the Framework into action. (Source DSE Website)

As part of this process a draft document, " Learning to Live Sustainably: Victoria's approach to learning-based change for environmental sustainability", has undergone a consultation process and is being finalised for release in early 2007. To learn about what the Departments of both sustainability and Environment and Primary Industries are doing to contribute to Environmental Education please CLICK HERE

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Sustainability Victoria
Sustainability Victoria has been set up to act as a catalyst for change by:

• providing a vehicle to support the delivery of the Government's Framework for Environmental Sustainability;
• focusing on changing behaviour by providing advice and assistance to inform decision-making by individuals, businesses, governments and communities to act in a more environmentally sustainable way; and;
• facilitating innovation through supporting the development and application of technologies and processes that will produce change that may not otherwise garner support.

Sustainability Victoria will operate within the context of government policies and frameworks in shaping its objectives and strategies and delivering outcomes. The activities of Sustainability Victoria will support the goals of the Environmental Sustainability Framework  to:

• Reduce our everyday environmental impacts; and
• Use our resources more efficiently.

In this context, the objectives of Sustainability Victoria are to:

• Drive a water, energy, and materials saving culture in business, communities and government.
• Support the demonstration and application of innovative technologies, systems, services and products;
• Reduce climate impact of energy supply, and increase the supply and use of renewable and distributed energy;
• Increase efficiency and productivity of materials, energy and water use;
• Enable the recovery, re-use and recycling of materials.

For further information on Sustainability Victoria, visit the website: www.sustainability.vic.gov.au

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National News
National Action Plan for Edcuation for Sustainable Development
The Department of Environment and Heritage (DEH) has appointed UrbisJHD to assist them with the development of the National Action Plan for Education for Sustainable Development. The NAP ESD will supersede the existing plan (July 2000) which lead to the establishment of the National Environmental Education Council, the National Environmental Education Network and the Australian Research Institute in Education for Sustainability (ARIES). The project is split into 3 phases: scoping, consultation and drafting, with final approval given by the Australian Government Minister for the Environment and Heritage.

The DEH and UrbisJHD are encouraging wide involvement in the process and will be distributing a discussion paper for comments and organising consultation workshops between March and May 2007. For further information on how to get invovled, CLICK HERE to see an overview of the project.

National Statement on Environmental Education
In 2005, the Department of Environment and Heritage launched the "Educating for a Sustainable Future - A National Environmental Education Statement" for Australian Schools (NEES). The statement provides a nationally agreed description of the nature and purpose of environmental education for sustainability through all years of schooling, including a vision and a framework for its implementation. The release of this Statement represents a significant contribution to the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development. For further information on the NEES contact visit the Department of Environment and Heritage or CLICK HERE

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International News
The Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD)
On 4 October 2006 the Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Senator the Hon. Ian Campbell announced the release of "Caring for Our Future - the Australian Government Strategy for the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development". The Strategy outlines the broad approach to be adopted by the Australian Government to provide national leadership in Education for Sustainable Development from 2005-2014.

• Education for Sustainability Media release 4 October 2006
• Caring for Our Future - the Australian Government Strategy for the DESD

The Strategy was developed in consultation with the Australian National Commission for UNESCO , the National Environmental Education Council (NEEC) and the National Environmental Education Network (NEEN). To promote whole-of-government engagement the Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Senator the Hon Ian Campbell, wrote to all Australian Government Ministers seeking their input to the strategy and advice on how their Portfolios might contribute to its objectives. The content was also informed by the outcomes of the National Symposium on the DESD held in Melbourne in July 2005. Source DEH Website.

For further information about the decade visit the UNESCO DESD web pages, CLICK HERE

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New UN publication - 'Engaging people in sustainability'
This international publication by the IUCN Commission on Education and Communication was launched at the 3rd IUCN World Conservation Congress in Bangkok (17-25 Nov. 2004).  It was presented at an IUCN - UNESCO platform as a contribution to the UN Decade in Education for Sustainable Development.

'Engaging People in Sustainability' provides some compelling and exciting case studies of how others in the field have put the concepts of Education for Sustainability into action.  It is framed around five key themes essential to developing a successful  programs in this area.  With examples from all around the globe there is bound to be some great ideas that can inspire you in your future work.

The publication is available to download as a pdf version from the News & Events page of the ARIES website ( www.aries.mq.edu.au ) or you can order a hardcopy from the IUCN Publication Services Unit. Send an email to info (at) books.iucn.org quoting the following information, or visit www.iucn.org/bookstore

Tilbury, D. and Wortman, D. (2004) Engaging People in Sustainability. Commission on Education and Communication, IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. ORDER No. B2171 ISBN No. 2-8317-0823-0, 2004 .

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International review of whole school approaches to sustainability programs
The Australian Research Institute in Education for Sustainability (ARIES) has also recently completed an international review of whole school approaches to sustainability programs. The review looks at several whole school sustainable initiatives across the world, including Green School Award in Sweden, Green School Project in China, EnviroSchools in New Zealand as well as other initiatives such as Learning through Landscape and Learnscapes. The research involved reviewing the programmes, documenting their experiences and achievement and identifying the lessons learnt from each in an attempt to find out what does a sustainable school look like and is there a formula for how to run affective and wide reaching whole school sustainability programs. The 50 page document is downloadable from the News and Events page of the Aries website ( www.aries.mq.edu.au ) or as a hardcopy from the ARIES Coordinator at aries coordinator(at)gse.mq.edu.au

Henderson, K and Tilbury, D. (2004) Whole-school Approaches to Sustainability: An international review of sustainable school programs . Report prepared by the Australian Research Institute in Education for Sustainability (ARIES) for the Department of the Environment and Heritage, Australian Government.

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The Earth Charter
The Earth Charter is an international people's agreement for a compassionate, just and sustainable world that was written by thousands of folks in 78 countries over the course of 12 years and was launched at the Hague Peace Palace in June 2000. For copies of the Earth Charter please CLICK HERE.
Since then, educators around the world from a diversity of educational settings are using the Earth Charter as a resource for many elements of sustainability education. Secondary school teachers are using the charter as a way to incorporate themes such as ethics, environment, social justice, sustainable development, globalisation, and international relations into their education practice. Whilst, primary school teachers are finding the Charter an inspiring tool in engaging young learners to think positively and creatively when visioning their own future.
The Earth Charter is also being used to raise peoples awareness of the global challenges we face, assisting them to evaluate their own position and identify positive actions. The Earth Charter has a set of principles for a sustainable way of life under four major headings:

• Respect and care for the community of life;
• Ecological Integrity;
• Social and Economic Justice;
• Democracy, non violence and peace;