ProSPER.Net E-Bulletin Issue 63 (April 2018)

Message from the ProSPER.Net Secretariat

Deadline Extended: Membership Applications for 2018

Applications are currently open for membership to ProSPER.Net for 2018. Interested higher education institutions in the Asia-Pacific region that offer postgraduate education and research in sustainable development (SD) and in fields related to education for sustainable development (ESD) now have until 31 August, 2018 to apply. Further details on applying for membership can be found here.

Open Calls

2018 International Student Conference on Environment and Sustainability

Photo credit: Tongji University

Registrations are now open for the 2018 International Student Conference on Environment and Sustainability, to be held at Tongji University, Shanghai, PR China, from 2-7 June, 2018. Co-hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme, Tongji University, Xinhua News Agency and Beijing Environment Foundation for Young Talents, the theme for this year’s conference is ‘Less plastic pollution, better city life.’ Interested full-time university students (including undergraduate, post-graduate, and PhD students) under the age of 35 years old can register online. The deadline is 25 April, 2018. Full details are available on the conference website here.

Call for Proposals: Future Forward Summit on Sustainable Higher Education

The COPERNICUS Alliance Conference 2018, ‘Future Forward Summit on Sustainable Higher Education’, co-organised by Ecocampus, is now calling for proposals. The summit aims to bring together those who are connected to higher education and who are a part of making a positive change for sustainability. Proposals should provide fresh perspectives and share innovative practices or renewal processes that support a sustainable future. Details on topics and how to submit a proposal can be found here. The deadline for submissions is 25 May, 2018.

Call for Expert Reviewers: IPBES Global Assessment

IPBES has announced the start of the external review for the second order drafts of the chapters and the first draft of the Summary for Policymakers of the IPBES global assessment of biodiversity and ecosystem services. The period for this second external review is 30 April - 29 June, 2018.

To participate as an expert reviewer for the global assessment:

1) Register as a user on the IPBES website

2) Apply to become an IPBES external reviewer for individual chapters of the global assessment (link works when logged in as an IPBES website user)

3) Once registered, you will receive an email providing confidential access to the draft chapters and will be requested to submit your comments in English using the provided template

For any queries regarding this external review, please contact Hien Ngo (hien.ngo@ipbes.net).

Call for Contributions: IPBES Capacity-building Rolling Plan

IPBES has launched a call to support the implementation of activities under three priority areas of its capacity-building rolling plan. Contributions are invited for:

1) Supporting the use and uptake of approved IPBES assessment reports;

2) Developing guidance on national and (sub)regional science-policy platforms and networks; and

3) Supporting the development and increasing use of learning materials on IPBES guides and assessments.

Additional information and access to the forms to register can be found in each area described above. Any further questions or contributions beyond the three priority areas under this call can be sent to the technical support unit on capacity-building at tsu.capacitybuilding@ipbes.net. The deadline for submitting contributions under this call is 3 June, 2018.

Call for Papers: Special Issue of Sustainability – ‘Competencies in Education for Sustainable Development’

An upcoming special issue of Sustainability will focus on ESD competencies from preschool to higher education and in non-formal and informal education. The special issue is calling for papers, with potential topics including, but not limited to, the integration of ESD competencies in policies, strategies and programmes, innovative pedagogical approaches to ESD competencies, curriculum developments, and processes and tools to assess ESD competencies. The deadline for manuscript submissions is 30 November, 2018. Further details can be found here.

Join the Movement: #RecipeForDisaster

Photo credit: World Food Programme

The World Food Programme (WFP) has launched a social media movement – #RecipeForDisaster – aiming to put a spotlight on the issue of food waste and simple solutions which can be taken to prevent it. Anyone can participate by taking ingredients which are close to their ‘use by’ date, creating a meal using those ingredients, sharing their video or pictures on social media, nominating three friends to create their own, and then making a donation to the WFP which will go towards them reaching their target of Zero Hunger by 2030. Read more

Publications

Video: UNESCO Global Action Programme on Education for Sustainable Development

Take a look at UNESCO’s new GAP on ESD video, ‘Think, Live and Act together. Be part of the change through ESD’. This video presents key objectives, messages and flagship projects of the GAP and is available in English, French and Spanish.

Workshop Proceedings: The Asia-Pacific Regional Workshop on the Global Action Programme on ESD and Cities

A report outlining the key results of the ‘Asia-Pacific Regional Workshop on the Global Action Programme on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and Cities’, held in New Delhi, India from 28-30 November, 2017, is now available. Over 65 participants attended the workshop, with representatives from 15 countries. The document, available here, also consolidates recommendations identified for integrating ESD in cities in the Asia-Pacific region. A video containing highlights from the workshop can also be viewed here.

Sustainable Development Goals: Delivering Change

The 2018 edition of UNA-UK’s (United Nations Association – UK) annual publication providing analysis and recommendations on achieving the SDGs is available for download here. The publication features a range of articles, such as ‘Local action, first hand’, which discusses the importance of grassroots ownership and local action to set priorities, mobilise support and implement the SDGs, by presenting examples from Kenya and the UK.

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