A new publication highlights innovative biodiversity education projects aimed at engaging local communities in the protection and restoration of ecosystems, species, and habitats. Bridging formal and informal education, the projects involved a variety of stakeholders at the local and regional levels, and focused on SDG 14 (life below water) and SDG 15 (life on land). They were developed by Regional Centres of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development (RCEs) as part of the Global Action Programme (GAP) on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) from 2015-2019.
The publication, Engaging Communities for Biodiversity Conservation: Education for Sustainable Development Projects from the Global RCE Network, features 12 case studies from around the world, addressing land use change, fragmentation of habitats, habitat rehabilitation, conservation of vascular plant species, and restoration of mangrove ecosystems, among others. It provides recommendations for developing and scaling up activities to protect regional ecosystems and biodiversity based on the experiences of the RCEs, and highlights the transformative role of education to realise sustainable development.
The projects are also highlighted in a video which provides an overview of their themes, institutions, target audiences, and environments, detailing actions taken to address threats to regional biodiversity and the impacts on local communities. The video is available on the UNU-IAS YouTube channel.
About the Global RCE Network
The global network of RCEs is dedicated to translating the global agenda of sustainable development into local action. It comprises over 170 RCEs, each of which operates a local multi-stakeholder partnership for ESD.
To find out more about the RCE Network, please visit the RCE Portal.
