ProSPER.Net E-Bulletin Issue 65 (June 2018)

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Message from the ProSPER.Net Secretariat

Call For 2019 ProSPER.Net Event Hosts

The ProSPER.Net Secretariat would like to invite members to submit self-nominations to host the upcoming ProSPER.Net programmes and events for 2019:

• Young Researchers’ School

• Leadership Programme

• ProSPER.Net General Assembly (may be organised jointly with a Board Meeting)

• ProSPER.Net Sustainability Forum

• Other events (please specify)

Further details and the process to apply can be found here. Applications close 28 September, 2018.

2018 ProSPER.Net Leadership Programme

We are excited to announce the 2018 ProSPER.Net Leadership Programme will be held from 12-16 November in Melbourne, Australia, hosted by RMIT University under the theme ‘Leadership for Urban Sustainable Development.’ Stay tuned for further details coming soon.

Call for ProSPER.Net Joint Project Proposals 2018

ProSPER.Net is currently accepting proposals for joint research projects for this year’s theme ‘Planet as a core dimension of sustainability’, addressing specifically research questions related to SDGs 13 (Climate Action), 14 (Life below Water) & 15 (Life on Land), with SDG 4.7 (Education for Sustainable Development) as a cross-cutting factor. Open only to ProSPER.Net members, the aim is for participating institutions to assist in the implementation of the SDGs through research, with an outcome that leads to education and outreach through curriculum development and various learning initiatives.

Members are invited to submit joint project proposals with at least three ProSPER.Net members participating, using the Project Proposal Application form, to be submitted to the ProSPER.Net Secretariat (ProSPERNet@unu.edu) by 24 September, 2018. Read more

Latest News

Youth Conference ‘Youth Saves the Planet’

The ESD Youth Conference ‘Youth Saves the Planet’ took place from 14-16 May, 2018 at UNESCO Headquarters, Paris. Bringing together 70 ESD Youth Leaders from over 60 countries, as well as Okayama Youth as mentors, participants attended training workshops organised under the Partner Network 4 flagship project. Discussions focused on the scaling up of capacity-building activities as a follow-up of the flagship project, networking among the youth leaders and GAP partners, communication strategies to raise awareness of ESD, and the future direction of ESD.

Publications

New Volume: Issues and Trends in Education for Sustainable Development

UNESCO’s latest volume from their Education on the Move series is now available. This publication explores key issues and trends related to ESD policy and practice, looking at how ESD has evolved, with a focus on key competencies and thematic areas, as well as how ESD is implemented in the five Priority Action Areas of the GAP.

Download the publication here.

Policy Brief: Education for Sustainable Development and the SDGs – Advancing ESD Policy

Developed by GAP partner network 1, this policy brief includes key messages and recommendations for advancing ESD policies in light of the SDGs. Read it here.

City Prosperity Initiative

How prosperous is your city? UN-Habitat’s City Prosperity Initiative (CPI) provides an innovative approach to urban measurements, with the aim to identify opportunities and potential areas of intervention for cities to become more prosperous. Dimensions measured include Productivity, Infrastructure Development, Quality of Life, Equity and Social Inclusion, Environmental Sustainability, and Urban Governance and Legislation. Learn more

Urban Environmental Education Review

Released in 2017 by Cornell University Press, Urban Environmental Education Review explores how environmental education can contribute to urban sustainability.

Topics range from the urban context to theoretical underpinnings, participants, and educational approaches in urban environmental education. Ten selected chapters were made freely available to The Nature of Cities, an international platform for transdisciplinary dialogue and urban solutions. Read more

Earth Overshoot Day 2018 – #movethedate

Earth Overshoot Day marks the date when humanity’s demand for ecological resources and services in a given year exceeds what Earth can regenerate in that year. Hosted and calculated by the Global Footprint Network, an international think tank, this year that date falls on 1 August, 2018. Join the movement of people around the world taking steps to #movethedate – find out how you can contribute and explore the solutions available here.

Can Smart Cities Be Equitable?

With the focus on making cities ‘smarter’ with the help of data and technology, is there a risk of deepening inequality? Is it possible to deploy technologies that serve everyone? Read more in this article, featured on the Brookings website.

Sharing Cities: Activating the Urban Commons

This book features a collection of 137 case studies and policies in 11 categories that demonstrate that cities can be run by the people by putting them at the centre. It offers a practical reference guide for community-based solutions to a range of challenges cities face such as affordable housing, sustainable mobility, and more. Read more

EarthEd: Rethinking Education on a Changing Planet

With contributions from 63 authors, including chapters on traditional environmental education topics, such as ecoliteracy, nature-based learning, and systems thinking, this book looks at how teaching must evolve in order to produce sustainability leaders as well as equip students with the necessary skills to survive in a world facing inevitable environmental changes. Read more

World Development Report 2018 – LEARNING to Realize Education’s Promise

The World Development Report 2018 (WDR 2018), ‘LEARNING to Realize Education’s Promise’ is the first WDR devoted entirely to education. It explores four main themes: 1) education’s promise; 2) the need to shine a light on learning; 3) how to make schools work for learners; and 4) how to make systems work for learning. Download the report

This is a publication of UNU-IAS ProSPER.Net Secretariat. The bulletin is a great way to share your activities, events and news as a ProSPER.Net member with the rest of the network. Feel free to send us any information you may deem relevant for the rest of the community to prospernet@unu.edu. We look forward to your inputs! Visit ProSPER.Net regularly for up-to-date news and event information

ProSPER.Net Secretariat 

United Nations University 
Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability 
5-53-70 Jingumae, 
Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-8925 
Japan