Sustainability is a contested concept. Whilst the "triple bottom line" is sometimes used to describe the economic, social and ecological dimensions of sustainability, there are differing conceptions of what this notion implies. There are nevertheless some recurring themes that are outlined in this paper. There has also been some…

For many children across the globe, whether in low or high income nations, growing up in the 21st century will mean living in overcrowded, unsafe and polluted environments which provide limited opportunity for natural play and environmental learning. Yet Agenda 21, the Habitat Agenda and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child…

When well-designed and integrated into a campus living or learning space, an atrium can function as the heart and spirit of a building, connecting interior rooms and public spaces with the outside environment. However, schools and universities should seek technological and HVAC solutions that maximize energy efficiency. This article discusses how…

This article describes initiatives at the University of Costa Rica, which, in combination with national programs, have strengthened the country's commitment to sustainable development over the past 15 years. It discusses the University's role in defining a national perspective on sustainability starting in 1987, as well as the evolution of the…

The Philippines is one of the signatories to the historic Agenda 21 and was the first country to establish a National Council for Sustainable Development. Ten years after Rio, global society is again confronted with the question of whether sustainable development as a concept, philosophy and practice has improved the lives of peoples in different…

This article examines parallel developments in the fields of quality assurance in higher education and in environmental policy. Starting from empirically grounded analytical frameworks for the two fields separately, Fischer's framework of policy argumentation is overlaid on both to gain deeper understanding of underlying similarities and…

Since MIT's bold announcement of the OpenCourseWare initiative in 2001, the content of over 700 of its courses have been published on the Web and made available for free to the world. Important infrastructure initiatives have also been launched recently with a view to enabling the sustainable implementation of these educational programmes, through…

High-performance schools are facilities that improve the learning environment while saving energy, resources and money. Creating a high-performance school requires an integrated design approach. Key systems--including lighting, HVAC, electrical and plumbing--must be considered from the beginning of the design process. According to William H.…

In this article, the author discusses how to evaluate "green schools" that not only the standards and characteristics can be reflected on a regional basis, but also the ability to create such schools can be enhanced. The author also discusses the characteristics and connotative meaning of a "green school" and enumerates a list…

In this paper we seek to reflect critically on the process of establishing a Caribbean Network for the reorientation of teacher education to address sustainability. We begin by addressing the origin and purpose/value of the network. As a sub-network of the UNITWIN/UNESCO International Network for the Reorientation of Teacher Education to Address…

This paper presents an edited transcript from a round-table discussion in Boston between a group of architects and campus-sustainability directors. They met together with The Chronicle to talk about the issues on climate change, poverty, energy use, environmental health, and the role that colleges, and particularly their facilities offices, can…

The concept of Regional Centres of Expertise (RCEs) on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) has been enthusiastically embraced by a diverse array of actors since it was first introduced by the United Nations University (UNU) in 2004. An RCE is conceived of as a "network" of existing organisations of formal, nonformal and informal education,…

This article argues that food issues are an appropriate, if not necessary, topic for education for sustainable development (ESD) both in terms of teaching and institutional practice. The first section summarises critical topics for a school or university course on food. The second section cites two examples of university efforts--at the University…

For 12 years, Centennial High School in Guelph has run an integrated program called the Community Environmental Leadership Program (CELP). In 1995 the program was offered at the grade 11 level. The program ran successfully in the second semester for seven years. In 2001, with the high school system being modified to fit into a four-year model, and…

Within a difficult social setting the starting point for change is the personal learning experiences of those struggling for the change. The learning experiences of people belonging to a community of underprivileged in Brazil are presented in this article in order to recognise how sustainable change is rooted in personal learning experiences. The…