This presentation is part of the 2015 RCE Conference of the Americas, 9-12 August 2015, Grand Rapids, USA

1. Progress of the Global RCE network
August 2014-2015
United Nations University
Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability
(UNU-IAS)

2. 1.) Development of the RCE Network
2.) Overview of RCE-related activities implemented since
August 2014
3.) Strategic directions of UNU-IAS in relation to GAP and SDGs

3. 2005
7 99 120
2009
74
Mid-Decade Year
Framework for the
UNDESD International
Implementation
Scheme
Number in Red: Number of RCEs Acknowledged by UNU
2013 2015 and Beyond2007 2011
47
DESD Launch
2003 Establishment of ESD Programme at UNU-IAS
2004 Development of the RCE Concept
UNESCO World
Conference on ESD
(Bonn, Germany)
8th International
RCE Conference
(Nairobi, Kenya)
Annual Global
RCE Conference
since 2006
9th International
RCE Conference
(Okayama, Japan)
End of the DESD
UNESCO World
Conference on ESD
(Aichi-Nagoya)
Launch of
Global Action
Programme on
ESD (GAP)
2008 Emergence of thematic &
strategic networks
- Assessment of RCEs/ Engagement with
International SD/ESD processes
- Strong emphasis on capacity development
2007 Emergence of continental
networks
138
1. Development of the RCE Network
RCE
Network

4. Newly acknowledged RCEs
4
Global Network:
 138 RCEs worldwide
Asia-Pacific: 50
Europe: 39
Africa and Middle East: 29
Americas: 20
New RCEs:
9 RCEs were acknowledged since August 2014 until now.
Asia-Pacific: Central Semenanjung (Malaysia), Iskandar
(Malaysia), Tirupati (India)
Europe: Sothern Black Forest (Germany), Paris Seine (France)
Africa and Middle East: Central Kenya (Kenya), Mount Kenya
East (Kenya), Port Harcourt (Nigeria)
Americas: Greater Burlington (United States)
RCE
Network

5. 5
The Global RCE Network
138 RCEs as of June 2015
RCE
Network

6. 2. Overview of RCE-related activities
August 2014 • The 7th Asia-Pacific RCE Meeting
• The 3rd Americas RCE Meeting
• Penang, Malaysia
• Western Jalisco, Mexico
September 2014 • The 4th African RCE Meeting
• EEASA Conference 2014
• Windhoek, Namibia
November 2014 • The 9th Global RCE Conference
• International Conference on Higher Education for SD
• UNESCO World Conference on ESD
• Okayama, Japan
• Nagoya, Japan
• Nagoya, Japan
February 2015 • RCE Youth Session and YUVA Meet 2015 • Delhi, India
March 2015 • The 8th Asia-Pacific RCE Meeting
• Japanese RCE Meeting
• Cebu & Bohol, Philippines
• Miyagi, Japan
May 2015 • Opening of Sejahtera Center for RCEs
• 1st Meeting of GAP Partner Network
• Tongyeong, South Korea
• Paris, France
July 2015 • World Environmental Education Congress (WEEC) • Gothenburg, Sweden
August 2015 • The 4th Americas RCE Meeting • Grand Rapids, United States
September 2015 • German RCE Meeting • Munich, Germany
October 2015 • The 5th African RCE Meeting
• TK Workshop
• Entebbe, Uganda
• Bangalore, India
November 2015 • The 10th Ubuntu Committee of Peers for the RCEs • Tokyo, Japan
Activities

7. 7
RCE Online Communication Portal
Activities

8. RCE E-Bulletin
8
 Issued monthly
 Upcoming ESD-related
Events
 Latest News
 Invitations for
collaboration
 New Publications and
Resources
 Created a template for
RCEs to submit an
article to the bulletin
Activities

9. 9
Activities
Submitting an article to the Bulletin
1. RCE Portal- Click News
2. Click “Submit RCE Bulletin”
3. Fill out the submission form
4. Send it to the Global RCE Service Centre by
15th of every month.

10. Outline:
1. ESD Week 2014 and its Outcomes
2. Post DESD: The Global Action
Programme (GAP) on ESD
3. Post-2015 Agenda and ESD
4. Way Forward

11. 9th Global RCE Conference
Date & Venue: 4-7 November 2014 @ Okayama Convention Center
Organizers: UNU-IAS, RCE Okayama (Okayama ESD Promotion
Commission), City of Okayama
Recognized as one of the official stakeholders meetings
Participated by 272 people from 68 RCEs (47 countries and region)
Objectives:
To reflect on the achievements and challenges of the RCE
movement over the past decade
To Identify tangible commitments to further advancing ESD
beyond 2014 through effective implementation of GAP
11

12. Okayama Declaration on RCEs and ESD
beyond 2014
 Advance ESD beyond the UN DESD.
 Implement the five GAP Priority Action Areas
 Address sustainability issues and contribute to the
implementation of SDGs
 Enhance capacities and quality of the RCE network
and their activities
 Accelerate, mainstream and scale up ESD actions
Link: http://www.rce-
network.org/portal/sites/default/files/okayama%20declaration_7Nov201
4.pdf
12

13. 9th Global RCE Conference
13© Okayama City© Okayama City

14. UNESCO World Conference on ESD
 Organized by UNESCO and the Government of Japan
 Hosted by Aichi-Nagoya, Japan (10-12 November 2014)
 Participated by over 1,091 from 153 countries and regions
Objectives:
 Celebrate a Decade of Action
 Reorient Education to Build a Better Future for All
 Accelerate Action for Sustainable Development
 Set the Agenda for ESD beyond 2014
Programmes:
• 4 Plenary Sessions and a High-level Roundtable
• 30+ Workshops
• Side-events
• Poster exhibitions/ Exhibitions
14

15. Major Outcomes of the World Conference
15
 Adoption of the Aichi-Nagoya Declaration on ESD
 Launch of the DESD Final Report “Shaping the Future We
Want”
 Establishment of a UNESCO-Japan Prize on ESD
 Launch of the Global Action Programme (GAP) on ESD
 363 Commitments have been submitted from 80
countries (as of Nov 2014)
 The UNESCO Roadmap for Implementing the GAP was
published

16. 16

17. ESD Beyond the 2014
Global Action Programme (GAP) on ESD
Overall goal:
To generate and scale-up action in all levels and areas of education
and learning in order to accelerate progress towards sustainable
development
Strategies:
1. Building New Momentum
Through Launch Commitments
2. Harnessing Partnerships
Through Partner Networks
3. Fostering a New Global Community of Practice
Through a Global Forum and an Online Clearinghouse
4. Showcasing Good Practice
Through a UNESCO ESD Prize
17

18. GAP Priority Action Areas
Advancing policy
Transforming learning and training environments
Building capacities of educators and trainers
Empowering and mobilizing youth
Accelerating sustainable solutions at the local level

19. RCEs and GAP
Commitments:
 UNU-IAS on behalf of the Global RCE Network has submitted to
contribute to Priority Action Area 5: Accelerating sustainable solutions
at the local level
Designated as key partner network in Priority Area 5
UNU has also committed to other areas of GAP
Individual RCEs and individual organizations within RCES have great
potential to engage with other areas of GAP
Many RCEs and constituent organizations have already committed to other
priority action areas
 ESD has great potential to contribute to other SDGs through GAP by
building interdisciplinary and multi-stakeholder partnerships.

20. UNU-IAS ESD Programme beyond DESD
Goal and Objectives of Programme:
The goal of the ESD Programme is to bridge the gap between learning
and sustainable development through research and actions that
advance knowledge across geographic, knowledge, and sectoral
boundaries
The ESD Programme aims to actualize this goal by meeting the
following objectives:
Accelerating local and regional solutions to sustainability issues
Re-orienting higher education for societal transformation into SD
Developing SD and ESD competencies and capabilities as well as a science-policy
interface

21. UNU-IAS ESD Programme beyond DESD
Strategic Direction:
Enhance leadership and capacity development of the decision
makers
Further advance ESD and address sustainability issues through the
multi-stakeholder network (RCEs) and the higher education network
(ProSPER.Net)
Multi-stakeholder networks are ideally positioned to translate global
sustainable development policy and vision into local realities
Because RCEs develop innovative modalities for action, education,
and research, they can:
Create thematic networks in diverse research areas
Engage policymakers as key partners at local, national, and regional level
Undertake joint projects, capacity development, monitoring, and evaluation
Identify and share outstanding ESD practices (via RCE Communications Portal)

22. UNU-IAS ESD Programme beyond DESD
Strategic Direction:
 Thematic areas such as:
 Global Action Programme (GAP) on ESD
 Sustainable consumption and production
 Biodiversity, ecosystem services, and traditional knowledge
 Climate change and disaster risk reduction
 Higher Education driven Initiatives

23. UNU-IAS ESD Programme beyond DESD
Strategic Direction:
Take lead in international SD and ESD debates and processes through
policy-relevant research and capacity development
Multi-stakeholder networks link local and regional initiatives to
international SD and ESD platforms and processes, including:
The Global Action Programme (GAP) on ESD
Sustainable Consumption and Production through the 10 Year Framework
Programme on Sustainable Consumption and Production (10YFP on SCP)
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services through the International Platform on
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and the Convention on Biological
Diversity (CBD)
Climate Change through Article 6 of the United Nations Framework Convention
on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
Disaster Risk Reduction through the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk
Reduction 2015-2030

24. UNU-IAS ESD Programme beyond DESD
Version 11
ESD Programme Strategic Framework
ESD Programme Priority Focus Areas:
· Global Action Programme (GAP) on ESD
· Sustainable Consumption and Production (e.g. 10YFP on SCP)
· Biodiversity & Ecosystem Services (e.g. IPBES, CBD)
· Climate Change (e.g. Article 6 of the UNFCCC, ALP) and Disaster Risk Reduction
(e.g. Sendai Framework for DRR)
· Higher Education-driven Initiatives (e.g. HESI, Future Earth, Rio+20 Treaty on HE)
Multi-stakeholder
Networks
Higher Education
Alliances
International
Sustainability Platforms
Strategic Partnerships
Strategies:
· Further develop and strengthen the networks of RCEs
and ProSPER.Net
· Enhance leadership & capacity development of the
decision makers
· Take lead in international SD and ESD debates and
processes utilizing policy-relevant research and
capacity development
Goal and Objectives:
Contribute to SDGs in bridging the gap between learning
and development through:
· Accelerating regional and local solutions
· Transforming higher education institutions
· Developing SD and ESD competences and
capabilities as well as science-policy interface
Post-2015 Development Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
UNU-IAS Thematic Areas:
· Sustainable Societies
· Natural Capital & Biodiversity
· Global Change & Resilience

25. Thank you very much!
For more information, please visit:
UNU-IAS Website (http://ias.unu.edu/en/) and
RCE Online Portal (http://www.rce-network.org/portal/)