Message from the ProSPER.Net Secretariat

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

Greetings from the ProSPER.Net Secretariat. As we reach the end of the year, we would like to thank you all for your continuous efforts and contributions in the area of ESD and the enthusiasm and dedication displayed! We would also like to thank ProSPER.Net members who will be contributing to the ProSPER.Net Expert Advisory Panels, established at this year’s General Assembly. These will be across three priority thematic areas (Climate Change, Circular Economy and Equity and Inclusion) as well as the mobility programme, feeding into a new ProSPER.Net strategy for the next five years.

Thank you also to members who submitted applications for ProSPER.Net Joint Research Projects. We look forward to reviewing these and updating applicants in due course.

If you have any news, open calls, upcoming events, or publications you wish to share in a future bulletin, please complete this form and email your submission to the ProSPER.Net Secretariat at ProSPERNet@unu.edu (submissions close on the 15th of each month).

From all at the ProSPER.Net Secretariat, we would like to wish you a Happy Holidays!

Please note that the ProSPER.Net Secretariat will be closed during the UNU's official vacation period (23 December, 2021 - 31 December, 2021). We will process your requests and emails when we return in the New Year.

Sincerely,
ProSPER.Net Secretariat

Upcoming Events

Open Calls

Call for Workshops: Virtual SBEfin2022 Conference

The One Planet Network’s Sustainable Buildings and Construction Programme (SBC) is involved in the SBEfin2022 Conference, ‘Emerging Concepts for Sustainable Built Environment’, to be held virtually from 23-25 November, 2022. SBC Coordinators Harri Hakaste (Ministry of the Environment, Finland), Prof. Usha Iyer-Raniga (RMIT University) and Jonathan Duwyn (UNEP) will deliver a keynote packaging key findings and legacy of the One Planet Sustainable Buildings and Construction Programme from a seven-and-a-half-year long journey. Proposals for workshops are still being accepted until 28 February, 2022. Visit the event website for further information.

Latest News

2021 International Green Gown Awards

ProSPER.Net member university RMIT University was shortlisted for and won the Green Gown Awards Australasia in the following categories:

• Leading a Circular Economy - in recognition of the collaborative work that the Circular Economy Hub, TREMS, Activator and the Sustainability Team in Property Services are doing in leading the shift to a circular economy.

• Climate Action - demonstrating RMIT is a global leader in climate action, taking practical steps and innovative projects to transition to a low carbon future, including being fossil-free in their investments from March this year.

Learn more about the Green Gown Awards here.

ESD Okayama Award 2021 Winners Announced

The ESD Okayama Award rewards outstanding ESD practices in local communities around the world to support organisations carrying out ESD activities and to promote ESD to local communities globally through showcasing their initiatives. The Award has been presented annually since 2015.

This year, 118 applications from 48 countries/regions were accepted. After the first round, 10 applications were selected as finalists, and two projects were awarded as winners in the final stage.

Okayama City (Japan) and the ESD Okayama Award Steering Committee are pleased to announce the winners of ESD Okayama Award 2021:

• 'Streets to Schools' for its project 'Ladders to Literacy' (Republic of the Philippines)

• 'Triple-P – Partners for People and Planet' for its project 'Wise Wayz Water Care' (Republic of South Africa)

Read more here, and watch the award ceremony and presentations on YouTube here (in English).

ESD Publications & Other

UN One Planet Network’s (OPN) Sustainable Buildings and Construction (SBC) programme

As part of the One Planet network (facilitated by the United Nations Environment Programme), the Sustainable Buildings and Construction Programme has recently published Circular Built Environment reports from Africa, Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean. These reports provide a deep dive on policies, 42 case studies and relevant UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development SDGs and indicators in these regions based on a global survey and local consultations. Read more

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 by completing this form and emailing it to prospernet@unu.edu. We look forward to your inputs! Visit ProSPER.Net regularly for up-to-date news and event information.