Environmental Education and Public Awareness in Sudan[1]
Maushe Kidundo[2]
Abstract
Environmental education and awareness is one of the tools for combating environmental degradation. This recognition is also embroiled on the fact that EE&A is also key in obtaining and maintaining public support for environmental protection and nature conservation. Since the early 1970s definitions, methodologies and implementation tools and structures have been suggested and tested in various forums, regions, countries and communities. Achievements and impacts have been varied registering some success and failures.
This paper is intended to provide some guidelines on how best the EE&A can be fitted within the proposed National Plan for Environmnetal Management in Sudan. In order to achieve this objective, the paper gives a brief history on EE - globally within Sudan- current implementation stuructures, suggests a list of broad activities ends on a few workable recommendations. This paper is based on a baseline survey carried in December 2004.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Background
What is EE&A?
Historical Achievements on Environmental Edcuation
EE&A Historical perspectives of the Sudan
Environmnetal Education Legistaltion and Policy in Sudan
Institutional Structures for EE&A activities implememntation in the Sudan
Environmnetal Education and Awareness Issue within Sudan
Non – formal (Public) Environmnetal Education in Sudan.
Formal (schools) EE in Sudan
Environmental Education at Universities in Sudan
Conclusion and specific Recommendations
Some References
Annex 1:Some Programmes and Projects on EE
Annex II:Pilot Initiatives Contributing to Sudan’s Agenda 21
Introduction
There is widespread recognition that Environmnetal Education and Awareness (EE&A) is a tool to be used to halt environmental degradation and to lay groundwork for environmentally sustainable economic growth. This recognition is also embroiled on the fact that EE&A is also key in obtaining and maintaining public support for environmental protection and nature conservation. Lessons leant while implementing Environmental Education and communication (EE&C) also support this fact.
In the early 1970s the school o thought was provision of knowledge. However, as practitioners worked with various stakeholders, it was realisted that human behavious was key in obtaining attitute change. Martha C et al, (1994) reiterated this. Knowledge alone doesn’t harm or help the environment. Human attitudes don’t harm or help the environment. Human behaviors, on the other hand, have greatly harmed, yet hold a great deal of hope for helping, the environment. Consequently, working towards environmental sustainability addressing human behavior is inevitable. Behaviors, of course, must be supported by knowledge and attitude change.
Background
What is EE&A?
Environmental education is a process of developing a world population that is aware of and concerned about the total environment and its associated problems, and which has the knowledge, skills, attitudes, motivations and commitment to work individually and collectively toward solutions of current problems and the prevention of new ones (UNESCO, 1978).
The delegates identified five keys aspects of environmental education programs:
Table 1. Five aspects of EE
Awareness / to acquire an awareness and sensitivity to the total environment and its allied problemsKnowledge / to gain a variety of experiences in, and acquire a basic understanding of, the environment and its associated problems
Attitudes / to acquire a set of values and feelings of concern for the environment and motivation for actively participating in environmental improvement and protection
Skills / to acquire the skills for identifying and solving environmental problems
Participation / to encourage citizens to be actively involved at all levels in working toward resolution of environmental problems
Source: UNESCO, 1978).
Historical Achievements on Environmental Edcuation
Since the early 1970s, a lot of progress has been made towards making the world the world population aware of and concerns about environment. Table 2 gives a chronology of events.
Table 2. Historical progress on environmental education
Year / Conference / Main issues1972 / Conference on Human Environment
(Stockholm 1972) / Formation of UNEP and declarations and a workplan
1975 / The International EE Programme – UNEP + UNESCO
(IEEP) / The IEEP was established to fulfil the recommendations of the Stockholm Conference – curriculum development, capacity building, information exchange, integration of EE into tertiary institutions, awareness creation and encourage research.
1977 / Intergovernmental Conference on EE
(Tbilisi 1977) / Strengthened the IEEP objectives.
1987 / Moscow Conference on Environmental Education and Training
(Tbilisi +10) / Recommended that EE should be made an integral part of the entire educational process and aimed at every category of the population.
1987 / The Brundtland Commission
(Our Common Future) / Foundation of Agenda 21 and the 27 principles of Rio Declaration
1992 / The UN Conference on Environment and Development
The Earth Summit / The Agenda 21, Chapter 36 on environmental education and awareness.
1992 / The International Workshop on Environmental Education ( Held simultaneously during the Earth Summit) / EE to be treated as a methodology that pervades the whole curriculum and taught from pre-primary to tertiary institutions; establishment of EE through multi-sectoral linkages; messages should be positive and emphasis the need for action; encourage exchange of information and encourage home-grown solutions.
1994 / Cairo Conference on Population and Development
1995 / Copenhagen Social Summit
1997 / Rio + 5 / Reviewed country performances on Agenda 21
2002 / WSSD, Johannesburg
Rio + 10
2004 / UNESD / Education should be holistic and look into other issues like poverty, etc
It is important to indicate here that Sudan has been participating in almost all these processes and agenda as examplified by a large number of regional and international conventions or multi – lateral environmental agreements.
1935 / Convention relative to the preservation of Fauna and Flora in their NaturalState1973 / African Convention on the Conservation of Natural Resources
1973 / Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Culture and Natural Heritage
1985 / Regional Convention for the Conservation of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden Environment
1993 / Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer
1994 / United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
1994) / United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
1995 / International Convention to Combat Desertification in Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and / or Desertification Particularly in Africa
The HCENR received funds to implement strategies and action plans for Biodiversity, Climate Change, National Action Plan to Combat Desertification and CapacityBuilding to implement POPs Convention.
EE&A Historical perspectives of the Sudan
The first crucial realisation of EE come into being after the years of crisis (1983 – 1985) which brought to the surface concerns for environmental protection and rehabilitation of degraded areas. Such concerns led to the belief that the success of any rehabilitation measure or conservation programme must be based on efforts to raise the environmental awareness of citizens and decision – makers. In this respect, it was realised that environmental education and training will play a critical role in the attempts of environmental protection and in the implementation of remedial measures to rehabilitate degraded or desertified areas.
Recognizing the lack of a well planned programme for EE, the Institute of Environmental Studies, University of Khartoum, held the first workshop in 1983 on “Planning for Environmental Education in the Sudan”. The two-weeks workshop on the philosophy and methodologies of EE, curriculum development and strategies to introduce EE recommended the need for training of teachers before implementing any programme of EE.
In 1984, the Institute of Environmental Studiesinitiated the implementation of the recommendations through a teachers training. workshop which concluded with a set of recommendations:
(a)The development of institutional arrangements necessary for the successful implementation of EE in the Sudan;
(b)Training of teachers at the elementary and secondary levels in the Sudan;
(c)The development of instructional materials for EE and;
(d)The development of educational facilities to support EE in the Sudan. (Workshop Report, 1985).
After a series of initial workshops, a collabirative project was initiated in 1987 - “Hope in the Desert” with an objective of infusing EE withing the existing school curriculum, (Annex III). Other EE projects implemented in the Sudan are as soon in Table 3 below.
Table 3:Institutions involved with EE&A activities in the Sudan
Institution / Mandate / ActivitiesI. E. S
the Institute of Environmental Studies / IES status /
- Research, training, influence policies through information dissemination.
- Training teacher in EE (in - service)
- Post - graduate training
H. C. E. N. R
Higher Council for Env. & Natural Resources / HCENR Act of 1991 /
- Coordination
- Monitoring and supervision
- Workshops and conferences
- Policies
C. D. R
Curriculum Development Centre / Mandate of the Ministry of Education, Ministerial Directives and of the Centre /
- I n – service training
- Curriculum development
- Preparation of textbooks
- Educational research
Faculties of Education in Universities / Lows of different universities /
- Pre – service training for secondary school teachers
- In – service training for Basic education teachers
- Education research
S. E. C. S
Sudanese Environmental Conservation Society / SECS constitution /
- Workshops / conferences
- Short training courses
- Pressure group on environmental matters
- Implement project s with EE component
N. F. C
National Forestry Corporation / NFC Act 1989 /
- Conservation and protection of forests
- Extension / awareness raising
- Diffusion of energy conservation technologies
- Establish nurseries in schools
Nutrition Centre and School Gardening / Mandate of the Ministry of Education / Ministerial Directives /
- Extra – curricula activities
- Tree planting campaigns
- Public health campaigns
E. S.
Environmentalists Society / ES Constitution /
- Awareness raising
- Projects with EE component
S. R. C. S
Sudanese Red Crescent Society / SRCS Constitution /
- Training in first aid and primary health care
- School rehabilitation
- EE project in Ed Dueim
N. P. C
National Population Council / NPC Act /
- Awareness raising on population issues
- Campaigns for family planning
Environmnetal Education Legistaltion and Policy in Sudan
Major economic and development plans drawn in early years of independence include the Ten – Year Plan (1961 – 1971) followed by the Five – Year Plan (1970 – 1675) and the Six – Year Plan (1977 – 1983). Different objectives were emphasized in these plans. The Ten – Year Plan emphasized the transformation approach, where modern agriculture got most of the resources with objectives of increasing national income, neglecting the traditional sector. This period witnessed the expansion of the mechanized rain – fed farming at the expense of the traditional sector and the environment. The environment was severely affected in terms of soil erosion as the result of the clearance of trees for farming operations.
Sudan was also one of the first African countries to promulgate legislation concerning protection of the environment. Studies carried by Mubarak T. M. (1989 – 2000) showed that there are about 150 Acts and Orders and related regulations addressing environmental issues. However, these laws are sectoral, fragmented and lack comprehensive look to the total environment. Since 1984, efforts were made to improve these laws by formulating an umbrella law with strong policy orientation that provides a basis for coordinative work (Amado S. Tolentio, 1994). These efforts materialized in 2000 by passing “Sudan’s Environmental Act”, which was a tool to harmonizing the different environmental sectoral laws, set environmental standards, and injection of environmental dimension in development plans,protection of biodiversity, prohibits pollution, raises environmental awareness and popular participation in setting policies and decision – making.
The other piece of legislation is the Sudan’s 1998 Constitution which support Sudan’s Environmental Act through Article 13 (refers to the role of the State in the protection of the environment in its purity and natural balance in pursuance of safety and sustainable development for the benefit of generations) and .Article 9 (refers to natural resources as national heritage and public property regulations)
In realizing the need for the country’s long – term sustainable development strategy rather than a series of short – term plans with little continuity or stability, a National Comprehensive Strategy NCS (1992 – 2002) was developed where objectives and priorities for sustainable development were spelt. The NCS also provided policy directions to all economic and social sectors and country’s environmental strategy, which states clearly that environmental issues must be embodied in all development projects. The strategy recommended the adoption of the following policies and directives:
(1)Planning of development projects must consider its continuous productivity, renewal, making use of appropriate technology suitable to local environment and Sudanese life styles;
(2)Environmental impact assessment is a requirement for any development project with likely impacts on the environment;
(3)Establish a national organ with branches in the States to guide, coordinate and supervise environmental activities;
(4)Improve and update legislation;
(5)Use of incentives, charges and taxes on activities.
These policies and plans are supported by sectoral strategies. These include:
- National Economic Salvation Programme (1992 – 1993);
- National Biodiversity Strategy (1999);
- National Action Plan to Combat Desertification (NAP);
- Water policy (1999);
- Forest Outlook;
- Document on Sudan’s Commitment to Social Development;
- Population Policy;
- Main Elements of Poverty Eradication Strategy.
It is worth noting that all these policies and strategies contain elements on the need for environmental awareness raising and training.
The main weakness of the NCS is the lack of coherence as it was the result of work of different sectoral teams without strong efforts being made to establish horizontal and vertical integration. Among the directives of the NCS is the concern for poverty alleviation, popular participation and call for the incorporation of community – based organizations and indigenous knowledge in the development process.
Policies and legislations with the education sectors gives indications on how EE should be delivered. In Sudan, the conference on policies of education (1990) represented a land mark in Sudan’s educational policies and environment as is translated into Goal no. 6:
“Developing environmental awareness and acquainting posterity with the components of nature in water, land, and space to appreciate them as God’s bestowal and conserve and use them for man’s benefit”
Whereas good legislation and policies in support of EE implementation there is still lack of coordination. For proper environmental management beside laws and regulations, there is need for the creation of appropriate coordinative structures. This could be supported by develoment of EE&A policy.
Institutional Structures for EE&A activities implememntation in the Sudan
The Sudan consutitution established the federal system in the country where the Sudan is divided into 26 States. Hence, responsibilities for environmental management are divided between the Federal and the State governments. The Federal government has the exclusive jurisdiction on matters relating to natural resources, minerals, sub – terranean wealth and trans – boundary waters, etc. Detailed regulations on lands, state forests; agriculture, animal and wildlife are the responsibility of State subject to federal planning and coordination. In case of conflicts, federal jurisdiction over environment and natural resources prevail over state jurisdiction. There are issues which are considered joint or with concurrent powers. These include environment, environmental health, tourism, town planning, housing and quarries. Beside these provisions, the constitution also provides for the establishment of councils to assume division and planning of lands and forests between the federal authority and the states.
Ideally the HCENR is resposnbile for the coordination and implementation of EE. This is however not happening at the moment. In addition to the HCENR, there are Water Council, Public Health, and National Council for Physical Planning and new councils to be established for the division of land forests. Under the present circumstances, strong horizontal linkages are to be created among these councils to avoid conflicts and waste of efforts despite the existance of Environmental Act which provides the general framework to coordinate efforts and provides the guidelines.
A deleiberate effort is needed to create a strong EE Coordination office withing the HCENR and similar offices in each state.
Environmnetal Education and Awareness Issue within Sudan
Environmnetal issues and threats with Sudan are well documented (NBI, 2001). Table 4 below gives a summary of the threats, prioty actions to be taken and type of immediate action. EE is high on the agenda.
Table 4:Crushial Issues on EE&A in and Suggested measure in addressing them
Environmental Issue / Priority Action / Spatial Scale / Type of Action / UrgencyLand Degradation
Deforestation / Promote agroforestry and integrated land use planning / National, regional / Technical improvement
Management information
Capacity building / High
Soil erosion and siltation / Develop watershed management plans; monitor environmental conditions
Implement anti – erosion measures / National / Technical improvement
Management information
Capacity building / High
River bank erosion / Undertake flow regulation
Develop land use plan
Undertake sediment transport studies and research / National, regional / Technical development and research
Environmental planning
Capacity building / High
Mining impact / Develop management plan for operational and planned mining operations
Implement legislation / Local / Technical development
Awareness program
Capacity building
Enforcement of environmental regulations / Moderate
Water Resources Management
Wastewater discharge and waterborne diseases / Increase number of sewage treatment plants and operation of existing ones
Implement adequate pollution control regulations and monitoring
Provide health care and immunization
Establish disaster control measures / National / Technical development
Capacity building
Improved health care / High
Water weeds infestation / Use biological control measures
Develop end – uses of plant residue e. g. for energy production / National, regional / Technical improvement
Capacity building
Feasibility studies
Management plan / High
Siltation / Implement watershed management plans, erosion control measures
Create sustainable development strategies / National / Technical improvement
Capacity building / High
Control of pesticide use / Regulate pesticide use; promote use of organic fertilizers
Implement awareness programs / National, regional / Technical improvement
Environmental policy
Capacity building
Awareness program / High
Urban and industrial development / Upgrade solid waste management
Develop and implement strategies and zoning laws
Develop EIA guidelines / feasibility studies / National / Technical improvement
Environmental policy and regulations
Capacity building / High
Disaster Preparedness
Floods and droughts / Develop disaster management plan
Strengthen early warning system; develop relevant data base / National / Technical improvement
Information improvement
Capacity building / High
Refugee issues / Encourage political stability
Develop contingency plans
Undertake precautionary measures to prevent resource degradation; rehabilitate affected areas
Provide support to areas to prevent adverse effects / National / Sustainable development
Capacity building
Emergency plans and support / High
Uncertain impacts of climate change / Decrease emission of greenhouse gases; decrease impact from adverse human activities
Prevent forest fires / National / Technology improvement
Environmental policy
Capacity building / High
Biodiversity , Habitat and Wetlands
Biodiversity / Develop biodiversity conservation strategy and action plans
Develop management plans / National / Environmental planning
Improved information
Capacity building / High
Wetland degradation / Decrease black water run – off
Develop management plan
Collect and analyze data, exchange information / National / Technical development
Capacity building
Improved information / High
Policy and Capacity Strengthening
Community development / * Develop and implement poverty alleviation program / National / Feasibility studies
Capacity building
Technical development / High
Source: NBI (2001)