In October 2017, the Global Environmental Education Partnership (GEEP) launched a Call to Action to gather feedback on priorities for the field of environmental education (EE) over the next decade and beyond. To spark discussion, the GEEP identified ten potential actions environmental educators, collectively, could take to advance our shared goals. These actions were developed by a working group of environmental education leaders from around the world, and mindful of the incredible body of work that has come before, starting with the Tbilisi Declaration of 1977, the Millennium Development Goals, the Decade for Education for Sustainability, the international adoption of a set of ambitious Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and others.
In early December, AASHE signed the GEEP pledge supporting universal environmental literacy. With the pledge, the group aims to realize the vision of a world in which:
- Every nation has an environmentally informed, empowered, and active populace and workforce.
- The leadership of every government, business, NGO, and educational institution uses environmental education to achieve environmentally sustainable outcomes.
- Every educational institution incorporates environmental literacy into its mission, goals, and activities.
We recognize that environmental degradation—now accelerated by climate change—threatens the existence of most species on the planet and deprives people of the most basic and universal human rights of all: the right to live free of conflict and injustice, free of want; the right to grow and learn and to someday pass along to future generations a world better than the one they inherited.
We welcome people from all cultures, of all ages, from all walks of life and all professions, and from all corners of the globe to join us. The only entry requirements are to have an open mind, compassion, integrity, and concern for equity and the environmental health of the planet.
The partnership’s mission is to teach, inspire, encourage, and empower all of us—young to old—to think independently, but also critically; to find our voices and express their informed opinions based on science while remaining open to hearing other views; to work against inequalities that prevent everyone from participating fully; and to promote a vision of the future we can all thrive together in a healthy, sustainable environment.
Global Environmental Education Partnership (GEEP) works to create a vibrant and inclusive learning network designed to build capacity in countries around the world to strengthen environmental education leading to a more sustainable future. This partnership is led by the Environmental Protection Administration of Taiwan, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and NAAEE.
Visit thegeep.org to learn more.