Welcome to ASPBAE’s Blog on Education in a Climate Changing World!

By Robbie Guevara, ASPBAE President

Education in a climate changed world is URGENT.

I argued this position in the first issue of the ASPBAE Ed-lines[1] in January 2011. Almost a year since the release of Ed-lines, we in the Asia-South Pacific region continue to experience the direct impacts of a changing climate to our already challenging lives. We are aware that many of our ASPBAE members have continued to respond to the immediate needs, often in the area of disaster response, of our communities. We are also aware of more long-term responses in terms of programs in on disaster risk reduction workshops, ‘green skills’ for alternative livelihoods, and functional literacy collaborative activities, all within the context of a climate changed world.

Within the year we in ASPBAE, as part of CLIMATE Asia Pacific[2], have been engaged in research, discussions and presentations, to establish baseline information regarding educational initiatives within the region to inform us in developing appropriate advocacy strategies for climate change education.

We actively contributed to the thematic discussions at the World Assembly of the International Council of Adult Education (ICAE)[3] that resulted in the adaptation of Education in a Climate Changing World as one of the strategic thematic areas of the ICAE from 2012-2014.

One of the activities that will contribute to achieving ICAE’s aims within this thematic area is hosting a Virtual Exchange from November 24 to December 8 on “Education in a World in crisis: Limitations and Possibilities with a view to Rio+20” together with members of the Working Group on Education.[4]  The aim of the virtual exchange is to motivate international debate as we prepare for the lead up to the Thematic Social Forum on:  “Capitalist Crisis, Social and Environmental Justice”, in January 24 to 29, 2012 in Porto Alegre, Brazil. We invite you to directly register and participate in this global exchange. [5]

ASPBAE has recently completed a Regional Training in Adult Education Advocacy in Manila from November 22-28. One of the thematic discussions was on Education in a Climate Changing World, informed by the frameworks of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and Education for All (EFA) with a particular focus on the issue of quality education.

Today we find ourselves in a convergence of learning and advocacy opportunities in the eve of global events, such as the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Durban, South Africa and the Thematic Social Forum – Social and Environmental Justices (as the civil society preparation for Rio+20) in Porto Alegre in Brazil.

This blog is also the result of the convergence of the above activities. We shall be receiving updates from colleagues from CLIMATE Asia Pacific who are currently attending COP17 in Durban, South Africa, colleagues participating in the ICAE Virtual Exchange will be blogging to contextualise the discussions within our own experience in the Asia-South Pacific region, and participants from the ASPBAE’s Regional Advocacy Training will share their own views and experiences. We aim to advancing both the discussions and the URGENT actions needed to address the challenge – what kind of education do we need in a Climate Changed World?

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[1] http://www.aspbae.org/sites/default/files/pdf/edlines2010.pdf
[2]  Climate change Learning Initiative Mobilizing Action Transforming Environments in Asia Pacific is a network of educators and advocates from non-government organizations, people’s organizations and the academe committed to the field of education for addressing Climate Change and achieving sustainable development, especially among the poor people of the region. (http://climateasiapacific.org/)
[3] http://www.icae2.org/
[4] International Council for Adult Education (ICAE), Latin American Campaign for the Right to Education (CLADE), Journey of Environmental Education for Sustainable Societies and Global Responsibility, World Education Forum (WEF), Latin American University of Social Sciences (FLACSO), Latin American Council of Adult Education (CEAAL).
[5] http://www.icae2.org/?q=en/node/1470