UNESCO Office in VeniceUNESCO Office in Venice

Regional Bureau for Science in Europe (ROSTE)

UNESCO OFFICE IN VENICERegional Bureau for Science in Europe (ROSTE)

To achieve UNESCO’s and Member States’ goals in the fields of science and culture as set out and defined in the C/4 and C/5

• To encourage cooperation and provide specialized expertise within the European region and the Mediterranean Basin

• To implement and sponsor multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary activities in the fields of science and culture

• To disseminate and communicate information concerning UNESCO’s objectives

• To provide liaison between UNESCO and the International Private Committees, Associations and Organizations for the Safeguarding of Venice

MANDATEMANDATE

UNESCO OFFICE IN VENICERegional Bureau for Science in Europe (ROSTE)

Regional Bureau for Science

Not a Cluster a Cluster

OfficeOffice 

Not a National a National Office with Office with

representation representation functionsfunctions

Significant extrabudgetary

support from the Italian Government

UNESCO OFFICE IN VENICERegional Bureau for Science in Europe (ROSTE)

Memorandum of Agreement on ROSTEMemorandum of Agreement on ROSTE signed 16 November 2002 between UNESCO and Italian Government

• Greater attention will be given to activities in the field of culture, particularly with respect to the safeguarding and restoration of cultural heritage damaged by the recent conflicts in South East Europe

• In the field of science, ROSTE will devote a substantial part of its efforts on the environment and water resources, and develop activities in the field of endemic diseases

• UNESCO to reinforce the human resources in Venice Office; Italy to support this in the short term, subject to budgetary limitations 

• Greater cooperation and synergy with international institutions in the Mediterranean region

UNESCO OFFICE IN VENICERegional Bureau for Science in Europe (ROSTE)

ROSTE Initiative: rebuilding scientific ROSTE Initiative: rebuilding scientific cooperation in South East Europecooperation in South East Europe

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF EXPERTS Venice, March 2001

ROUND TABLE OF MINISTERS OF SCIENCEParis, October 2001

HIGH-LEVEL CONFERENCE ON STRENGTHENING CO-OPERATION IN SOUTH EAST EUROPEParis, April 2002

UNESCO OFFICE IN VENICERegional Bureau for Science in Europe (ROSTE)

Science and technology: capacity-building Science and technology: capacity-building and managementand management

MATHEMATICS

PHYSICS

CHEMISTRY

BIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY

ENERGY

ENGINEERING

RESEARCH TRAINING

WORKSHOPS

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES

MASTER CLASSES

SHORT-TERM FELLOWSHIPS

UNESCO CHAIRS

UNESCO OFFICE IN VENICERegional Bureau for Science in Europe (ROSTE)

Sciences, Environment and Sustainable Sciences, Environment and Sustainable DevelopmentDevelopment

Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme • Support to EuroMAB 2002, 2005, 2007

• MAB-SEE initiative and Dinaric Arc Initiative

• Project ‘Environmental Education for Sustainable Development’ for Adriatic-Ionian Basin 2004-2006 (funding: 600,000 Euros from Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

International Hydrological Programme (IHP)• Regional cooperation between countries of the Danube

• Ecohydrology (deltas and estuaries)

• Internationally shared water systems (TRANSRISKBA with INWEB; groundwater = KARST)

Coastal Regions and Small Islands (CSI)• Adriatic Sea Environmental Master Plan (ASEMP) – Croatia Module, within Regional Environmental Reconstruction Programme promoted by Stability Pact (funding: 660,000 Euros)

UNESCO OFFICE IN VENICERegional Bureau for Science in Europe (ROSTE)

The most of UNESCO’s activities in SEE have The most of UNESCO’s activities in SEE have a strong educational component, but…a strong educational component, but…

There is a risk of overexploiting “magic words” • Sustainable Development and Interdisciplinarity after Rio 1992

• The water priority

• Education for Sustainable Development

New challenges call for new priorities settings• Declarations of principle only, rhetorical positions: we always did it and we are just invited to continue doing it >>> no changes, less effects than expected…

• Specific unit/division/focal point nominated with implementation and coordination role >>> isolation, lack of effective coordination “power”, everybody continues his/her usual business… (see gender issue, SD in UNESCO SC Sector after Rio 1992)

•ARE WE ALWAYS GIVING THE GOOD EXAMPLE??? (lack of cross-sectoral strategies)

UNESCO OFFICE IN VENICERegional Bureau for Science in Europe (ROSTE)

Key partnershipsKey partnerships

FIELDFIELD

ExperimentationExperimentation

ANALYSISANALYSIS

ExternalExternal

confrontationconfrontation

IDENTIFIEDIDENTIFIED

needs, goals andneeds, goals and

strategystrategy

ACTIONSACTIONS

CoordinationCoordination

How we deal with this in SEE…How we deal with this in SEE…

UNESCO OFFICE IN VENICERegional Bureau for Science in Europe (ROSTE)

Villes du réseau en 1997Projets pilote 1997 - 2002

SHCC network

BRs and WH sites

UNESCO OFFICE IN VENICERegional Bureau for Science in Europe (ROSTE)

?? THE ROLE OF LOCAL TERRITORIES IN ACHIEVING

ENVIRONMENTAL INTEGRATION (in the context of EU approximation);

• ATTENTION TO THE TRANSCALE GOVERNANCE: IT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE (E.G. THE RECENT CASES OF THE DANUBE DELTA AND THE TARA WH/BR);

• INTEGRATED APPROACH: A CROSS-SECTORAL APPROACH TO BE FAVOURED (NATURAL AND CULTURAL ASSETS).

UNESCO OFFICE IN VENICERegional Bureau for Science in Europe (ROSTE)

• test, elaborate and disseminate new models of territorial planning and management (achieving Environmental Integration);

• promote trans-boundary cooperation in natural resources management and sustainable development;

• promote education for sustainable development (acculturation through territorial planning and management experiences – linkages with policy-making level – regional networking).

Our strategy: use symbolic sites (WH, BR, Our strategy: use symbolic sites (WH, BR, others) where to:others) where to:

UNESCO OFFICE IN VENICERegional Bureau for Science in Europe (ROSTE)

• Among the many possible issues to be included in EE, we are concentrating on ENVIRONMENTAL INTEGRATION and the role of territorial planning and management in achieving it (interdisciplinary by essence, territories are not “segmented”);

• We focus on two complementary levels: post-graduate regional scheme (Master), and field training for managers and stakeholders (using the same sites where experimentation is under course);

• We try to avoid duplication / overlapping existing complementary educational efforts (IUCN for managers, CARDS for officers, etc.);

• We encourage synergies with partners (see Dinaric Arc Initiative with UNDP, IUCN, CoE, UNEP, WWF, FAO).

Specific “educational” activities/projects Specific “educational” activities/projects (EESD for example) just serve these goals!(EESD for example) just serve these goals!

UNESCO OFFICE IN VENICERegional Bureau for Science in Europe (ROSTE)

• The question can be raised in a similar way: added specific ESD courses or complete re-orientation of CV?

• How to achieve this in practical and effective way?

• ENVIRONMENTAL AUDITING of SCHOOLS by STUDENTS THEMSELVES could be proposed as one of the MOST EFFECTIVE and INNOVATIVE MODALITY to achieve ESD… A proposal for SEMEP and UNESCO Associated Schools in SEE???

What about our childrenWhat about our children

UNCED 1992 – Agenda 21 (art. 30)“business and industry… should recognize environmental management as among the highest corporate priorities and as a key determinant to sustainable development…”

“EMAS” in 1993 (Europe)Eco-Management and Audit Schemes are: “Systematic, documented, periodic and objective evaluation of the performance of the organization, management system and processes designed to protect the environment” (1800 voluntary EMAS in 1998).

ISO 14001 approved by CEN (1996)

ISO 14001 intends to “provide organizations with the elements of an effective environmental management system which can be integrated with other management requirements, to assist organizations to achieve environmental and economic goals…”

EMAS Process

Environmental Policy

Environmental Review

Environmental Management System

Environmental Statement

Examination

Validation

carried out bythe company

carried out by an external verifier

Environmental Audits in SchoolObjectives

Two combined objectives:• Environmental interdisciplinary learning.• School’s certification according to regulations and

standardization for environmental management.

IN FAVOR OF PEDAGOGICAL GOALS, PROCEDURES ARE SIMPLIFIED…

Environmental Audits in SchoolThe Audit Cycle

Environmental Audit Cycle

EnvironmentalReview

Environmental Program

Environmental Report

Environmental Audits in SchoolThe Partners

Ministry for Education

professional advice

educational advice

Consultancy

professional assistance

questionsand results

educational assistance

Pilot Schools

questions and results

Environmental Audits in SchoolMethodological Tools

• Subject lessons;• Project lessons;• Project days;• Elective subjects;• Voluntary working groups;• Subject papers;• “Youth Researches” projects (National)• Interdisciplinary cooperation;• Integration of class levels.

Environmental Audits in SchoolObjects and effects

Buildings – Air, soilQuality of life

SCHOOL

Furnitures

Energy

Water

Wastes

Air

Waste Water

Traffic

UNESCO OFFICE IN VENICERegional Bureau for Science in Europe (ROSTE)

• IDENTIFY SPECIFIC NEEDS (prioritization at regional, sub-regional, national levels, in which sector, for which target???)

• LET’S THINK STRATEGICALLY (resources effectively dedicated to priorities – a crazy patchwork or a puzzle?)

• LET’S WORK COOPERATIVELY (no “niche” to defend)

• LET’S BE CONCRETE IN OUR PROPOSALS (project oriented, results based planning, monitoring)

Coming back to DESD in the Mediterranean:Coming back to DESD in the Mediterranean:

UNESCO OFFICE IN VENICERegional Bureau for Science in Europe (ROSTE)

www.portal.unesco.org/venice

To know more about these initiatives…To know more about these initiatives…