Ukraine has taken 87^th position out of 153 states in Environmental Performance Index in 2010, which assesses the condition of air, water, solid wastes arrangement, biodiversity and environmental policy. Also, our country is the second among 27 countries with biggest level of tuberculosis, holds one of the leading positions on the amount of cigarettes smoked per one person, and on speed of HIV/AIDs dissemination according to information of World Health Organization. On average, Ukrainian men live 12 years less than women (Institute of Demography and Social Research of Academy of Sciences of Ukraine). All these facts show that Ukraine needs more actions and awareness for reaching sustainable development.

 

Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for future generations. The definition comes from “Our Common Future” (1987) also called the Bruntland report after the former Prime Minister of Norway, Gro Harlem Bruntland. Nowadays,  more than 100 countries have National Councils for Sustainable Development and National Programmes for Sustainable Development.

 

In its 57^th meeting in December 2002, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, 2005- 2014,  'emphasizing that education is an indispensable element for achieving sustainable development'. It also designated UNESCO as the lead agency to promote and implement the Decade. In 2005, Ukraine became one of 55 countries which signed UN Strategy for Education for Sustainable Development and took a responsibility to educate its citizens on sustainable and balanced way of life. 

 

Considering this, the UNDP Project “Municipal Governance and Sustainable Development Programme” (UNDP/MGSDP) facilitates education for sustainable development in Ukrainian educational institutions in order to prepare future generation with proper behavior and attitude towards resources and environment. In this context, the project activities for the benefit of school networks in municipalities of Ukraine aim to prepare citizens which are the active community members, future voters, confident consumers, and rational users of energy and water, reducing the wastes of scarce resources, and strengthening their own health. 

 

In partnership with the NGO “Teachers for Democracy and Partnership”, the training was provided to 25 teachers from all 10 schools of Novograd-Volynskiy, Zhytomyr region, in order to prepare them for introducing the course “Lessons for Sustainable Development” into the school curricula. The purpose of this course is to support formation among school students of understanding the need for sustainable development of themselves, their families, communities, countries and the whole mankind through changing their own behavior and lifestyles. It was well presented and professionally taught to Novograd-Volynskiy teachers by Igor SUSHCHENKO, and Galyna GUPAN – trainers of the NGO “Teachers for Democracy and Partnership”.

 

This course is developed by the NGO “Teachers for Democracy and Partnership” based on materials of international programme “Global Action Plan” (supported by SIDA), and targets the school students of the 8^th grade. The course is approved and recommended by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, and is already taught in 50 schools in 5 regions of Ukraine. Upon completion of the course, the pupils are usually ready to become the members of society living in harmony with nature. More information about this course is available at www.esd.org.ua, and the explanatory note about it may be downloaded from the project web-site.

 

UNDP/MGSDP is ready to support other partner municipalities willing to open this learning opportunity to the local schools.

 

UNDP/MGSDP was initiated in 2004 for promoting democratic governance aimed at improving the livelihoods of people in urban areas across Ukraine under the framework of public-private partnership.  The Programme cooperates with community-based organisations, academia and civil society organisations in 23 municipalities and 5 settlements of municipal type across Ukraine and other partners in private and public sectors. Together they apply various sustainable development mechanisms.  Since 2004, UNDP/MGSDP supported 232 local community projects with a total cost of UAH 26.3 mln. For more information on the Project's activities, please visit: http://msdp.undp.org.ua