Introduction and Updates from the Global RCE Service Centre Dr. Philip Vaughter, Research Fellow and Lecturer in Sustainability Science, United Nations University 10th Americas RCE Regional Meeting 5-7 October, 2021

1. Introduction and Updates
from the
Global RCE Service Centre
United Nations University
Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS)
October 5th, 2021

2. Overview
1. Background of UN Platforms related to ESD
2. Development of RCE Network
3. Overview of RCE-related activities
4. Ways forward
2

3. Background of UN platforms related to ESD
3

4. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
2015-2030
4

5. 5
GAP Priority Action Areas
1
2
3
4
5

6. 6
GAP Priority Action Areas
1
2
3
4
5
UNU-IAS ESD Programme contributed to Priority Action Area 5 with its
Flagship project – Regional Centres of Expertise (RCEs) on ESD

7. Review of GAP
Summary points:
 Local authorities enthusiastic, but engagement not systemic
 ESD Programmes in local communities implemented during GAP
 Youth engagement with ESD remains low globally
 Much burden for implanting ESD still falling on teachers in formal
schooling systems
 ESD policies showing up in many government systems, but information
not shared between ministries in same country
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8. ESD for 2030
• Overall Goal:
• ESD 2030 aims to build a more just and sustainable world
through:
• Strengthening ESD
• Contributing to the achievement of the 17 SDGs
• Building education systems that support learners of all ages
• Learners as active contributors to more peaceful and sustainable
societies and developing a sense of responsibility for our planet.
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9. ESD for 2030
• Objectives:
• Raise awareness of sustainable development challenges
and ESD’s role in enabling all SDGs
• Launch new global framework for ESD, including:
• Call for action and commitments from participants
• Foster stakeholder commitments, including nationwide
multi-stakeholder initiatives (NAMSIs)
• Expand and reinforce partnerships for ESD 9

10. ESD for 2030
• Desired Outcomes:
• Increased awareness of ESD globally.
• Participants, including representatives of Member States,
understand the importance of ESD
• Participants increase their efforts towards enacting ESD
in their professional capacities.
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11. ESD for 2030
• Structure:
• GAP network structure of multi-stakeholders remains
valid for scaling up ESD action and finding ESD best
practices,
• 5 partner networks will be merged into one
• Greater emphasis on (national) government partners
• Greater emphasis on development partners
• Greater emphasis on donors and the private sector
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12. Regional Centers of Expertise (RCEs) on Education
for Sustainable Development (ESD)
• An RCE is a network of
existing formal, non-
formal, and informal
organisations
• Facilitate education for
sustainable development
together in local and
regional communities 12

13. 13
Activity Modality Actions
Global RCE Meetings Bi-annual global gathering of RCEs Plenaries, academic presentations,
capacity building workshops,
including UN Partners
Regional RCE Meetings Annual gathering of RCEs from 4
continental regions
Panel discussions, academic
presentations, workshops with UN
Partners
National RCE Meetings Gathering of RCEs from within a
nation (Japan, Korea, Germany,
UK)
Work plan discussions, exchange
programme discussions, joint ESD
project discussions
Thematic RCE Meetings RCEs gather at academic
conference or UN COP around
given theme
Side-events, workshops for public,
dissemination of RCE materials on
topic
Youth RCE Meetings Online meetings Joint ESD project discussion,
webinars, dissemination strategy

14. 14
Overview of RCE activities (2021-2022)
December 2020 • Ubuntu Committee Meeting • Online
January 2021 • Announcement of newly
acknowledged RCEs
• Online
February 2021 • RCE Global Webinar
• SDG Youth Challenge 2020
Publication
• Online (hosted by
RCE Scotland)
March 2021 • Launch of RCE SDG Youth
Challenge 2021
• Online
April 2021 • RCE Climate Action Publication • Online
May 2021 • Launch of ESD for 2030 • Online (hosted by
Government of
Germany)

15. 15
Overview of RCE activities (2021-2022)
June 2021 • RCE Global Webinar
• Launch of new RCE Roadmap
• Online (hosted by
RCE Scotland)
August 2021 • RCE Youth Webinar
• RCE Youth Art Challenge
• Online
• Online
September 2021 • African RCE Meeting • Online (hosted by
RCE KwaZulu-
Natal & RCE
Makana)
October 2021 • Asia-Pacific RCE Meeting
• Americas RCE Meeting
• RCE Awards Nominations Due!
• Online (hosted by
RCE Kyrgyzstan)
• Online (hosted by
RCE Salisbury)

16. 16
Overview of RCE activities (2021-2022)
November 2021 • RCE Global Webinar • Online (hosted by
RCE Scotland)
December 2021 • Ubuntu Committee Meeting • Online
January 2022 • Announcement of newly
acknowledged RCEs
• Online
February 2022 • European RCE Meeting • Blended (hosted by
RCE Frysland)

17. Roadmap for the RCE Community 2021-2030
Vision
Towards creating a just, tolerant, and sustainable world, RCEs aspire to use
ESD as a mechanism for implementing/enabling sustainable development,
translating global sustainable development goals and issues into local actions
in the region in which they operate
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18. Roadmap for the RCE Community 2021-2030
Mission
In the context of the Education for Sustainable Development: Towards Achieving the
SDGs (ESD for SDGs) framework, RCEs are committed to further
generating, accelerating, and mainstreaming ESD and contributing to the
realization of the SDGs in their respective regional and local contexts through
facilitating multi-stakeholder partnerships
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19. Roadmap for the RCE Community 2021-2030
Strategic Priority Areas
1) Strategy 1: Serving as local and regional hubs for ESD and showing
leadership for innovation
2) Strategy 2: Strengthening the association of RCE activities with SDGs and
ESD framework
3) Strategy 3: Expanding knowledge sharing and outreach
4) Strategy 4: Monitoring progress of RCE achievements
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