1. education

Report
Public Education and Awareness
How to put it into Practice
Article 13 of the Convention on
Biological Diversity
Global Biodiversity Forum Workshop
Bratislava, May 1998
Contents
Workshop Report: Public Education and Awareness- Article 13How to put it into practice
Pages
Rationale
Organisation
Learning from the workshop on putting article 13 into
practice
Defining the issue
Specific approaches for specific groups
Understanding perceptions
The role of government to “promote and encourage
understanding”
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2
3
4
6
The role of NGOs in Article 13
15
Lessons learned from managing networks to mobilise
communities
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International Co-operation and Article 13
19
Lessons learned in managing an educational program
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Conclusions of the GBF workshop
Participants
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Public Education and Awareness - Article13 –
How to put it into Practice
Rationale
For the first time, Article 13 on public education and awareness was
discussed by the fourth Conference of the Parties, May 1998. Since many
of the threats to biodiversity are a result of human action, public
awareness and education need to play a large role if the Convention is to
be successfully implemented. The Global Biodiversity Forum workshop
aimed to bring up to date thinking on how Article 13 could be implemented
and accordingly make recommendations to the Parties.
Article 13 states that the Contracting Parties shall:
(a) Promote and encourage understanding of the importance of, and the
measures required for, the conservation of biological diversity, as well
as its propagation through media, and the inclusion of these topics in
educational programs; and
(b) Cooperate, as appropriate, with other States and international
organisations in developing educational and public awareness
programs, with respect to conservation and sustainable use of
biological diversity.
Organisation
The workshop was sponsored by the Ministry of Environment Norway, and
chaired by Sylvi Ofstad Sontag, Deputy Director and CEC member.
Around 50 participants attended from 23 countries representing NGOs,
governments and indigenous people. Cases were presented that explored
the role and principles for organising and managing education /
communication programs for biodiversity conservation and sustainable
use. What marked the workshop was a high degree of accord from the
lessons learned and these are brought out in the following text. At the end
of the workshop, participants developed key recommendations that arose
from the papers and discussion.
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Learning from the workshop on putting article 13 into
practice
Defining the issue: making biodiversity realistic and tangible
The challenges facing biodiversity communication and education are:•
•
to make something boring and remote to most people, real and
personally relevant. In other words, replace the feeling that “I can’t
influence it anyway” to something personalised;
make a large issue small enough to be solved, as biodiversity tends to
be all inclusive and is hard to narrow down. Therefore, translate it
from something complex to something easy to grasp. Change the
issue from something unclear to a clear issue which can be evoked by
a symbol or visual story;
What is the nature of your issue?
Impact on people
business etc
Complexity
Strategic
relevance
Stakeholders
Symbols & anecdote
Awareness &
interest
Sensitivity
(potential for conflict)
Interface / relation
to other issues
Figure 1: Clarifying the nature of the issue from Hans Olav Otterlei
•
•
•
•
to change the communication from wordy arguments about why
biodiversity is important, to communicating what results are wanted;
to use other more accepted issues as a way to lever interest in
biodiversity like climate change for example;
to access the hearts and minds of your target audience;
concentrate on those that have high influence, either negative or
positive, and spend little on those that have weak negative influence.
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Not all audiences are equally
im portant
influence
Negative
positive
Figure 2: Concentrate efforts on those that have the most positive and most
negative influence. Hans Olav Otterlei
The biodiversity issue is often expressed as a traditional management
goal and must be clearly stated and kept in focus, since the
communication or education program is an instrument to assist in attaining
that goal. Management approaches often are ecosystem based; but when
it comes to practical application it is sometimes easier to understand a
problem in terms of species, populations, or habitats. Remember that
what is about to be accomplished must be real and “do-able” to many
people.
Specific approaches for specific groups
There is a widespread tendency to try to address biodiversity conservation
issues through broad mass media campaigns to educate the public at
large. A significant body of educational research presented at the
workshop, disputes this approach. Rather than attempting to reach vast
generalised public audiences, it emphasises the importance of designing
educational initiatives for specific groups within specific contexts. This
targeted approach has much in common with the concept of market
segmentation in the corporate sector based on the argument that
knowledge is dependent on context and actively constructed and
reconstructed within the world of real practice. People’s thinking is
intimately interwoven with the context of the problem to be solved so the
program for a fisherman or an eco-tour leader is distinctly different.
Programs designed to create a generalised understanding of biodiversity
are therefore less effective than those targeted toward a specific
biodiversity concept.
Educational research also recognises that people learn when engaged on
real projects, and exchange information with others.
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Whose support do you need to gain
•The more specific description of your audience, the better
•What perceptions do you need to change?
Current
perception &
behaviour
Emotional
& rational
drivers
and barriers
Desired
Perception
&
behaviour
What is the “hot
button”
Figure 3: In applying marketing approaches to biodiversity issues it is essential to
understand the target group’s current perception and behaviour and the barriers or
drivers (emotional and rational) that stand in the way of a different perception and
action. The hot button is the trigger to stimulate change. Hans Olav Otterlei
Understanding perceptions - motivation
People’s actions determine if biodiversity is conserved or is sustainably
used. Those practices that degrade or destroy biodiversity ideally need to
change, whereas positive practices need to be encouraged. Changing
practices or behaviour is difficult as it can create hardship or
inconvenience. What a person does depends on their intentions and
attitudes which are shaped by many influences such as past experience,
values, culture, personality, emotions, knowledge, and expectations.
There is a general tendency to act as if the only important thing about
learning is the manipulation of information in the learner’s mind. This fuels
an erroneous assumption that action for biodiversity can be induced simply
by presenting people with information about animals or environments and
explaining the problems that confront them. Learning involves the senses,
desires, longings, feelings and motivation, not just the mind.
Attitudes, social relationships and social structures all play a role in how a
person reacts to a situation, and determine the action they would take.
Values and beliefs determine the attitudes people have. Values are
standards that influence how people perceive fact and are used to guide
action. Beliefs refer to what an individual perceives as knowledge and
may be factual or based on personal opinion.
People are not empty vessels waiting to be filled with new knowledge.
Decades of educational research indicate that recipients of scientific
knowledge are far from passive but interact with science, test it against
personal experience, overlay it with local knowledge, and evaluate its
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social and institutional origins. The idea of one way flow of information
from scientist to public is inadequate.
Perceptions colour what people hear, even amongst children. This
demands that education encourages people to explore and challenge their
own knowledge and beliefs about biodiversity in relation to accepted and
socially held views.
Reality therefore depends on how a person perceives it. Coming to terms
with these different realities is part of any stakeholder negotiation, round
table, or conflict resolution process. By working to better understand the
different perceptions, people adjust their own world view and can find
ways to develop a shared understanding or goal.
The impact of different perceptions on conservation seriously affects the
sustainable use of wildlife in southern Africa. Development is an
imperative for people in southern Africa where people need to gain
economic benefits from using wildlife. When benefits are clear there is
more incentive to conserve wildlife, especially when as in the case of
elephants they create serious damage to people’s gardens and livelihood.
Yet conservation ideology from more developed western nations has set
up a trading block for many of the species that can be harvested. This
seriously reduces the income that can be derived from marketing wildlife
products. To influence “northern“ perceptions an active communication
program has begun.
How do you plan your campaign?
•What do you want to achieve (as specific as possible?)
•What are the critical factors for success
•What is your issue- how do you define the problem?
•Which audiences will have to change in order for you to
achieve your objectives?
•What do they currently feel, think & do?
•Who influences them?
•What do we need them to think and act?
•What can persuade them to change- what is the “hot
button”?
Figure 4 : Summary of the steps to work through for a campaign aimed at
influencing perception and behaviour. Hans Olav Otterlei
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The role of government to “promote and encourage
understanding”
Governments, as signatories to the Convention, have an obligation to
promote and encourage understanding of the Convention and its
measures.
Public information to promote and encourage public understanding differs
radically from press information provided by governments. The way
countries inform their citizens depends often on the provisions of their
Government Information Act.
Information can be provided
• in a reactive form, on request, or
• in an active form to provide information on policy and policy plans,
• through communication as a policy instrument, and
• communication in the policy making process.
Informing on policy and plans
Informing the public about policy and policy plans has traditionally been
one of the government’s main duties. The basic aim is to inform relevant
groups within the general public as soon as this is required in order to
ensure that the decision making process is both effective and depending
on the country, democratic. Secondly, the aim of information once a policy
is adopted, is to let people know what is expected of them and what they
should do or not do.
In the UK a consultation paper to key sectors has been produced.
Information is disseminated through internet, newsletters and articles
produced in government publications as well as in those of other
organisations. High profile Ministerial launches are used to put issues on
the agenda, and a postage stamp series has been released on
endangered species along with an explanatory information sheet.
E d ucation & P ub lic aw aren ess in th e
U K - achiev em en ts
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
G uidan ce n otes o n local b io diversity action plans
internet site
q uarterly n ew sletter
co nsultatio n p aper for k ey secto rs
p ub lication s / initiatives at co un try / reg io nal lev el
h ig h pro file m in isterial laun ches
B u siness & b io diversity d ocu m ent
articles on b io diversity in N G O / g ov m ag azin es
b io diversity p ostag e stam ps
“ed ucatin g fo r life- ed ucatio n g uidelin es”
Figure 5: UK achievements in biodiversity education as of May 1998: Graham
Donald, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions
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Figure 6: The stamp set prepared for the UK on endangered biodiversity is
accompanied by an information sheet listing all the endangered species in the
United Kingdom.
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Education & PA in the UKchallenges
•Embed biodiversity throughout government at
practical level
•decide how biodiversity should be reflected in
formal education in schools- curriculum
•little general impact on business
•large shopping list of good ideas- no priority or
strategy
•targeted approaches to “influencers” in key
professions
•local environment / biodiversity month in 1999
•seminar/ workshop involving DETR, DfEE & CEE
Figure 7: UK challenges in biodiversity education and public awareness as of May
1998: Graham Donald, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions
Governments have obligations to prepare biodiversity strategies and
actions plans to implement the Convention articles. In the UK, guidance
notes on local biodiversity action plans have been issued to local
authorities. Yet, many countries are experiencing difficulties because
there is an inadequate understanding of biodiversity issues amongst
sectors and stakeholders, frustrating a participatory approach in planning
and implementation.
In developing its National Biodiversity Strategy, Argentina aims at a
consensus building approach to involve the public in designing a national
action framework. At first, the role of education and communication in this
preparatory phase was not appreciated but soon became apparent that it
was of primary importance. In the first phase of consultations the
difficulties encountered were a lack of information on Argentina’s
commitments to biodiversity conservation; how to involve some key
sectors in the process, and a lack of interest from the media.
The strategy for communication and education at this initiation phases is
promoting the National Biodiversity Strategy and building capacity of key
groups to effectively become involved and implement the action plan.
Target groups for this capacity building and training include administrators,
professionals, technicians, local community members, businessmen. The
training is oriented to improve skills & knowledge in regard to biodiversity
administration, control, management, & conservation.
The strategy is to:
• incorporate biodiversity issues into permanent training & capacity
building programs for public agents and introduce special mandatory
courses for officials, forming alliances with universities and institutions.
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Promote and develop training programs for project elaboration,
management and financial operations. It has been recommended to
reinforce and increase international exchange mechanisms.
In Norway, a level of competence was assumed in other Ministries in
requiring them to prepare sectoral strategies according to an agreed
format. The Ministry of Environment gave feedback over many years to
encourage and foster the ideas and strategies. However, encouragement
has to be sustained to see these strategies become action plans, funded
and implemented.
Making information available
Increasingly, governments are turning to web pages as ways of making
information available and as part of the Clearing House Mechanism under
the Convention. The Ministry of Environment Norway supports GRID
UNEP to provide state of the environment reporting in condensed and
simplified ways enabling the user to delve deeper for more detail if
wanted. Information is presented in graphs and maps where possible to
make the information more succinct. The Norway model for state of the
environment reporting is being used by other countries, which will make
comparisons possible. The web site also has applications to formal
education and guidance on how to use it is provided to schools.
As a policy instrument
Many policy measures under the Convention are designed to influence or
change behaviour of citizens and firms in such a way that they start doing
1
something new or stop doing something. Communication by itself may not
be a sufficiently strong instrument to bring about change in behaviour.
When used together with another policy instrument such as a subsidy, tax
credit or a facility it can have the desired effect. In addition to supporting
and strengthening other policy instruments, communication may also be
used to: generate public debate on a particular topic, raise awareness of
backgrounds and causes, increase involvement, ensure policy plans have
a greater chance of being accepted and influence attitudes and behaviour.
In Australia, the Coast Care Program funds community facilitators and
projects to engage communities in playing an active role in restoring or
conserving the coastal environment.
Financial resources are an important part of triggering action. The
Ministry of Environment Norway has provided financial as well as technical
information on environmental education action plan that has developed a
new core curriculum from the age of 6 up to university. This was achieved
through co-operation with Ministries involved in education and
environment. Educational programs are linked to the Ministries’
monitoring of biodiversity, so that the students’ work feeds into municipal
and statewide information on biodiversity.
1
Communication tools include instruction, education, information, public relations,
and marketing and advertising.
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Communication in the policy-making process.
The underlying goal of communication as a factor in the policy making
process is to act as a catalyst in improving relations between the
government and the public.
The normal practice has been for policy and policy measures to be cooked
up in the ivory towers of civil servants. There may be even a perception
that there has been involvement of “stakeholders” in the process.
Frequently, these are an elite group that does not adequately reflect the
reality. In South Africa, even at the protected area level, elite groups
tended to dominate participatory processes and used these positions to try
to provide benefits to their own group.
Problems associated with community
development -South Africa
•The process of participation tends to only represent the
socio-economic & environmental elite;
•Community participation regarded as unnecessary,
unwieldy, time consuming & idealistic dream;
•Burdens - dilution of power, lack of time to interact, lack
of patience to educate others & lack of negotiating skills;
•Lack of money, co-operation, attendance & interest;
•Extensive bureaucratic control
•Lack of knowledge by the community
•Lack of will power & initiative in the community
Figure 8: Issues associated with participation and community development in
South Africa. Solly Mosidi
In some cases, policy making is followed up with consultation, with
participation of those groups of people who are to be affected by the policy
in question.
In Norway, the government is responsible for making information available
to the public, having open communication and participation in decision
making. The national biodiversity strategy was agreed to by 7 Ministries
with each sector being responsible for defining its own strategy. Public
consultation was a part of each sectoral action plan. At the request of the
Ministry of Environment municipalities are also drawing up plans for
contributing to conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity thereby,
involving communities in more local planning initiatives. To stimulate this
input, the Ministry funded 435 environment officers in municipalities;
however, now most municipalities continue funding them.
When governments devise policies and measures in order to bring about
changes that they deem desirable they often have trouble gaining public
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acceptance. In other words, the public does not want to do what the
government wants it to do. The workshop heard about the difficulties of
the Netherlands government in implementing its Nature Policy Plan,
necessitating a review of their process as described under.
In the Netherlands, the government is increasingly aware that it is not
possible for them to bear the responsibility for certain changes, but also
that they should not aspire to do so either. For this reason there is a
tendency for civil servants to abandon their ivory towers and seek to make
policy in conjunction with relevant groups. This is not simply because
such groups can play a role in implementing the policy in question but also
because their experience and knowledge of what is feasible in practice,
can make a valuable contribution to moulding the substance of the policy.
Bringing together politicians, policy makers and general public to provide
an answer to the question of how to involve the public in policy formulation
is a task for which a communication expert is eminently suited. Moreover,
communication is the oil in the wheels of this type of co-productive
process.
In the Netherlands, the Nature Policy aimed to create new nature – bogs,
and forests, and to link existing natural areas with corridors. In the de
Peelvenen region of the Netherlands, the government reviewed progress
on its policy implementation. To achieve its policy, the government wants
to buy land to create new natural areas. However, Dutch farmers do not
see the government’s nature policy plan in the same way as the
government. Therefore, trying to implement these policies and realising
these goals is a problem of the government and it is not seen as the
farmers’ problem. This creates a gap between the general interest and
the individual - private interest.
Dutch farmers’ perceptions of
nature
•Historical view: nature as an enemy
•Farmers’ nature
•Integration of nature in farm- management
•No acceptance for strict nature
•Nature as a license to operate
Figure 9: Communication depends on understanding the perceptions of the other
party. Farmers and the government both talk about “nature” but have different
perceptions of what it means. Here Farmers’ perceptions are listed. Jan van Rijen
Farmers’ lack trust in the authorities and see them as affecting their
economic well being. Farmers also have a different perception of nature
than conservation groups. Farmers were not happy about any wild areas
of nature being re-created, as they had worked hard to change wild land to
farming land over the past generations! Environmental NGOs were
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confrontational, objecting to developments on farms, and advocating for
wildness. The farmers saw NGOs as enemies.
An interactive process was begun to build up trust between the players.
The provincial government staff had to come out from behind their desks
into the community, to become one of the community and to organise and
facilitate the process to build relationships and networks. In the De Peel
region a stalemate between the stakeholders existed. The way out of this
situation was to turn inaction itself into a common enemy and work to
overcome that. In building relations out of confrontation, small steps are
taken, with the group designing a small project together as a way of
building trust.
U s in g fa rm e rs ’ p e rc e p tio n s
• I n v e s t in th e p r o c e s s :
– T a k e in te r e s t g r o u p s s e r io u s ly
– u se a co m m o n en em y
– s tim u la te in itia tiv e s ; b e p r o a c tiv e a n d c r e a tiv e s o th r e a ts
can becom e chances
– p a r tic ip a te in th is p r o c e s s ; b e v u ln e r a b le y o u rs e lf
• O r g a n is e th e p r o c e s s
– r e g io n a l c o m m itte e
– in te g r a te d p la n s
Figure 10: Summary of the steps taken by the Dutch government to work with
Farmers
In this new way of working, the government has to clarify its role in the
process as the intent of its communication depends on how much the
government is trying to influence the group. Communication can be used
to generate support and commitment if the government is acting as a
stage manager of the process. Or it can create new information via a
process of interaction in negotiation. When the government plays simply
the role of mediator it facilitates the process towards solving problems
which become the responsibility of the organisations involved. Here the
government plays the role of independent advisor and facilitates the
smooth flow of information.
One problem is that the interactive process takes time; a factor that is not
popular with authorities from South Africa to the Netherlands.
Once the communication process undertaken by government changes,
government processes also have to change. For example, in the
Netherlands, it is considered important to cut down on bureaucracy when
becoming more sensitive to working with communities. In addition there
needs to be an increase in financial incentives to support the agreed
changes and the time of people to participate in the process.
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Therefore, communication is one of the key critical factors determining the
success of government policy and government itself. Without strategic
communication management, both, government and management are
deaf, blind and paralysed.
Communication management can be effective only if it is a full and integral
part of the policy process. That means that it is used as a tool for
interactive policy making, and in all phases of the policy process. It is
used in combination with other instruments and is adapted in process and
vehicles to objectives, target groups and the substance of policy.
If communication is to perform a key role for the government, the
communicator must also occupy a key position in the government’s
organisation. This, however, is an obstacle at present, even in advanced
institutional and environmental nations like Norway.
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The role of NGOs in Article 13
NGOs provide important agenda setting roles for society and government.
In Nepal, the Nepal Forum of Environmental Journalists NEFEJ,
established since 1986, has played an effective role in keeping issues
before the government and the public. Seventy-five journalists in the
country are members of the Forum, along with 25 experts as associate
members.
The Forum has built the capacity of journalists to investigate and report on
environmental matters by giving fellowships to research and study issues,
providing field visits and training programs, and giving an environmental
journalism award. Journalist and decision-makers have interactive
sessions. Radio and TV programs are produced as well as a wall
newspaper for distribution in remote mountainous villages. The journalists
mount advocacy on issues like pesticides, tourism, and urban
development.
Figure 11: Section of the large wall newspapers that are prepared by the Nepal
Journalists Forum for distribution to villages. The text is written simply and those
that cannot read seem to have the news read for them by those that can.
Governments are increasingly inclined to join forces with NGOs and other
intermediary organisations for communication purposes as NGOs may
1) foster public debate on an issue;
2) raise support amongst the target groups associated with them;
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3)
4)
5)
6)
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feed in information to the government about the public’s views;
pass on messages, education or training;
fill in gaps in terms of geographical reach;
to be a more trusted agent of the message for some target groups.
In the UK, British Trust for Volunteers has practical skills in mobilising
community involvement in conservation and is used by the government to
gain support for biodiversity conservation management practices in local
government managed nature conservation areas. The NGO is able to
provide training and most importantly back up services to maintain
community interest and confidence.
Mobilising community involvement to care for the marine and coastal
environment is encouraged by an Australian government NGO sponsored
program - the Marine and Coastal Community Network. Funds provide
financing for community facilitators in each state and the provision of
information and educational workshops aimed at presenting different
views on issues. Members of the network are involved in defining a
national ocean policy, carry out surveys on community attitudes to coastal
development proposals, provide input to marine national parks and
monitor marine species.
An NGO, the Quebec Labrador Foundation works in collaboration with the
Canadian Wildlife Service to address the problem of declining sea bird
populations. To do so, the program has had to develop a sustained
improvement in local knowledge, attitudes and behaviour towards sea
birds as well as greater local participation in the management process. In
the longest running and evaluated project, this example presents essential
steps to planning education programs based on its 20 years experience.
Above all, it proved the efficacy of education and the result has been an
increase in sea bird populations.
Often, the initiative to work with government comes from an NGO, as in
many governments there are insufficient people to effectively organise a
communication program. However, this approach can have its pitfalls.
In Sri Lanka, with backing of the Ministry of the Environment, an NGO
March for Conservation, based on university staff, trained hundreds of
officers of state agencies in a comprehensive series of workshops on
biodiversity conservation.
Despite the apparent government support and engagement of its
personnel in extensive training (even Directors, and Secretaries of
Ministers were trained), the trainees were not subsequently involved in
biodiversity policy or preparation of the action plan. This suggests that it is
preferable, at the start, to institutionalise the training efforts for certification
and evaluation professionally. It also indicates that NGO actions on nonformal education cannot be carried out in a vacuum if they are to have an
impact on the course of action.
In the Peruvian rainforest, concurrence between the Ministry of Education
and Teachers Colleges has been fundamental to an NGO education
project. Massive immigration to urban areas has resulted in people living
in shantytowns, suffering from high rates of unemployment and impacting
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on the rainforest. To educate city populations, a model school based
project in 4 cities has been developed to revise the substance and process
of education in relation to the rainforests and sustainable development.
Government engagement is essential to hopes of future up-scaling the
demonstration project to other areas of the country and to other grades.
Figure 12: An example of the model educational project material produced in Peru.
Fiorella Ceruti
Indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples, concerned about the destruction of the environment,
are also becoming more active in sharing their knowledge for the
education system. This has demanded a change for the (Canada) Dene
people’s oral traditions to one of preparing resources in print so teachers
have access to the material. Use, however, is by no means universally
accepted in the Canadian schools of the Arctic region. One factor in the
resistance to using traditional knowledge and its spiritualism is reconciling
this “pagan” perception with that of Christian teaching.
The Convention on Biological Diversity has helped indigenous people to
gain some measure of support for their traditional knowledge. Yet, there
are difficulties in Canada to develop sensitivity in the bureaucracy and in
its ways of working. One such area of difference is reconciling the top
down government approach with the traditional one of consensus building.
Even in its goodwill to develop an Arctic Strategy the government risks not
building on the capacity in the community.
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Lessons learned from managing networks to mobilise
communities
Networking facilitates links between groups and individuals and
encourages more informed and energetic groups. In Australia Diane Tarte
told how
1. Communities have a great deal of interest & concern for marine issues
and genuinely want to do something. People also acknowledge the
need for networking and information.
2. There is little knowledge of marine conservation and concerns are
localised.
3. Despite limited knowledge, there are issues, icons, and habitats that
attract the public’s attention.
4. People are confused about who is responsible for marine issues.
5. People are only just starting to communicate across State boundaries.
Many issues are national, such as ballast water and the impacts of
fishing and shipping. However there are few national efforts to address
problems.
Some of the lessons on networking presented in the workshop include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Identify the issue(s) carefully so that the network can address them.
Avoid extremely controversial issues otherwise the network becomes
polarised.
The strength and dynamism of a network comes from grass roots
participation.
Emphasis must be placed on cross linkages between participants,
rather than establishing a top-heavy hierarchy of responsibility.
Take time to establish trust so that co-ordinators, groups and
individuals can begin working together.
Be relevant- people need to see tangible result from the effort.
Have continuity, a co-ordinator or facilitator can provide continuity and
therefore resources for this are essential.
Build laterally, rather than vertically. Networking facilitates links
between groups and individuals and encourages more informed and
energetic groups.
Key tools to mobilise a community network for action are:
• Regional Co-ordinators
• Quarterly national and regional newsletters
• Workshops and Government policy & planning fora
• Regional visits and workshops by Co-ordinators
• Free call national number
• Radio programs
• Web page
• National awareness programs
• Link to international special days
• Gauging community opinion
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International co-operation and Article 13
Article 13 calls on states to co-operate to develop educational and public
awareness programs. One example of co-operation was Norway’s
sponsorship of the Global Biodiversity Forum workshop enabling different
people from all over the world to share their experience and to set the
stage for providing guidance to the Parties.
The workshop also heard about co-operation between Pacific Island
governments on campaigns in the Pacific on turtle conservation and coral
reefs. These were triggered with the assistance of the South Pacific
Regional Environment Program, SPREP.
In SPREP, campaign planning commenced one year in advance with fund
raising, planning and support from heads of government. One advantage
was the existence of a regional program and strong regional networks of
organisations that could be the basis of the campaign action. Ten months
before the campaign was launched, preparations began. A regional
meeting decided on the campaign goal, target audiences, slogan and key
messages and the support required at the regional level.
Following the regional meeting, national campaign planning meetings
were put in place in each participating country. Multi-sector groups were
engaged in the planning at the national level such as religious groups,
women, fisheries, education; and they were involved along with
environment government departments and NGOs.
At the regional level, support was given to national campaign actions;
information was shared about what was happening in different countries;
access to resources provided, and agreed common resources produced,
such as posters and videos for use throughout the region. After the
campaign a regional evaluation meeting was held.
There was a high degree of ownership and involvement by countries with
NGOs and governments working in a fun way together. The mass media
were used to good effect to gain high exposure of the issues. The work
was not without its difficulties, not least that of communicating in a region
one sixth the area of the earth and lacking in many instances electronic
means of communication. National resources, human and financial, were
limited resulting in actions that were highly focused, though not as
extensive as desired. Monitoring the impact is difficult, e.g. there are no
media monitoring services.
The international co-operation on the campaign
• led to shared benefits from attracting sponsors, high exposure, shared
music/songs, and shared ideas;
• by using a participatory approach, ownership amongst countries is
assured;
• and high level endorsement of the campaign helped to facilitate
implementation;
Key characteristics of the campaign were
19
Public Education and Awareness
GBF Workshop Report
1) region-wide heads of government endorsed the campaigns giving the
highest political support possible;
2) the campaign approach was part of an agreed regional strategy;
3) a fully participatory approach to designing the campaign, implementing
and evaluating it was undertaken;
4) co-operation between states occurred;
5) a network of national campaigns supported by SPREP at the regional
level;
6) high degree of government, NGO and private sector involvement at
the national and regional levels;
7) high degree of media coverage and involvement by educational
institutions;
8) working links to wider international initiatives;
9) fun, empowering and innovative activities that reached targeted
audiences.
The key facts of the two campaigns, one on turtles and the other on coral
reef are listed in the table from Sue Miller and Lucille Apis-Overhoff,
SPREP.
1997 Pacific Year of the Coral Reef
SPREP ( coordination role),
participating Pacific Island countries,
territories and NGOs
Pacific Island region
Location
Region wide education and
Type of
awareness campaign
project
2 years* includes campaign design,
Duration
implementation and evaluation
To communicate the urgent need to
Aim
conserve coral reefs and related
ecosystems in the region
Campaign national and regional
Campaign national and regional
Target
plans included a wide range of
plans included a wide range of
groups
activities that were clearly targeted to
activities that were clearly targeted
key audiences e.g. government
to key audiences e.g. government
leaders, media, youth, community
leaders, media, youth, community
leaders
leaders
Cooperation
•
•
National – through in-country
National – through in-country
governments /NGO campaign
governments /NGO campaign
committees
committees
•
•
Regional – through SPREP
Regional – through SPREP
coordination and
coordination and
governments/NGOs
governments/NGOs
•
•
International links to IUCN
International links to ICRI and the
Turtle network
International Year of the Reef
Multi donor including GEF, SPREP,
Multi donor including GEF, SPREP,
Financing
member governments, private sector
member governments, private
and NGOs.
sector and NGOs.
New five year coral reef and
Second Regional Marine Turtle
Follow Up
associated ecosystem strategic
Conservation Programme Strategy
action plan
1997-2001
* Note: campaigns were actions identified in existing and ongoing strategies and action
plans
Project
Name of
Organisation
1995 Year of the Sea Turtle
SPREP ( coordination role),
participating Pacific Island
countries, territories and NGOs
Pacific Island region
Region wide education and
awareness campaign
2 years* includes campaign design,
implementation and evaluation
To communicate the urgent need to
conserve sea turtles
20
Public Education and Awareness
GBF Workshop Report
Lessons learned in managing an educational program
Key points to consider in developing an educational plan were illustrated
by Kathleen Blanchard from the QLF/ Atlantic Center for the Environment,
USA who has conducted a long term educational project with a community
to improve the conservation of sea birds. Based on this experience the
following guidance has been prepared.
Phase I Research and Goal Identification
1. Identify the need from the standpoint of biological diversity
The need, often expressed as a traditional management goal, must be
clearly stated and kept in focus, since the education program is an
instrument to assist in the attainment of that goal.
Examples: The restoration of depleted wildlife populations; the
recovery of endangered, threatened, or rare species; the
management of hunting to sustainable levels; the restoration of
vital habitat. .
Describe the need in tangible, manageable terms, rather than broad
concepts or large geographic areas. Remember that what is about to be
accomplished must be real and do-able to many people. Management
approaches often are ecosystem based; but when it comes to practical
application it is sometimes easier to understand a problem in terms of
species, populations, or habitats. Projects should be organised such that
all parties will understand what needs to be done and the specific things
that they can do to help achieve success.
2. Identify stakeholders, inform them of the need.
Involve stakeholders in the whole process from this point on.
3. Investigate the problem and its context thoroughly, from both
biological and human perspectives.
This will help to identify such aspects as:
• root causes of the problem
• knowledge of the problem among the stakeholders
• attitudes specific to relevant behaviour and consonant with changes
needed
• motivating influences, both extrinsic ( eg regulations and fines) and
intrinsic (norms, personal ethics, traditions)
• barriers ( eg economic political, geographic,, cultural, legal etc.) to
improvements
• parties involved both in creating the situation and able to work towards
solutions
• decision makers and opinion makers
The research should yield answers to questions relevant to establishing
the necessary groundwork for a sound education program. Such
questions might be:
21
Public Education and Awareness
•
•
•
•
•
•
GBF Workshop Report
How vital are the activities to the region’s culture
Are the technologies appropriate to the need and to the resources?
How have the activities changed over time?
What is the prevailing opinion of management agencies, non
governmental organisations, and outsiders in general?
Is the region undergoing rapid development?
What do people value?
Education as a Conservation
Instrument
Planning
evaluation
outcome
Research
information
stakeholders
RESULTS
STRATEGY
EVALUATION
Implementation
timing & place
KASA
GOAL
REPORTS
4. Modification of the goal
Take the results of the research to the stakeholders and modify, if
necessary, the management goal such that all parties can agree.
Example, “the recovery of endangered populations of a species
while preserving the integrity of the local culture”, or the “
protection of critical wildlife habitat while enhancing the economic
development of the region”, or “ the protection of species while
ensuring the basic life support needs (named) of the people.”
The important point is to include a human component to the basic goal of
biodiversity and to ensure that all parties agree to this goal.
If there is conflict in achieving the agreed upon goal, then take time for all
parties to elaborate. Try visioning or conflict resolution procedures and
broaden the goal to basic fundamental principles. The principles of
sustainability defined in “Caring for the Earth” are useful as fundamental
goals on which most parties can agree. Language that expresses concern
for future generations often works.
22
Public Education and Awareness
GBF Workshop Report
Achieving a goal on which all parties can agree is fundamental to the long
term success of the project. It is the foundation for later effort. It is the
basis for the establishment of trust. It is referred to constantly during the
process and it ids the benchmark for the evaluation of the project and the
success of the education intervention. If this step is missing or weakened
then the project as a whole may fail in the long run.
5. Define the overall approach to achieving the goal and the role that
education will take in an integrated plan that includes other
instruments.
What instruments will be used (e.g. education, legal, research,
economic)? How will they relate to one another? What cross
communication will be established so that each does not work in isolation
from the other, but rather works in an integrated manner towards the
attainment of the goal?
Phase II Planning
Formulate results of the education and target audiences such that they
support the overall biodiversity goal stated in phase 1
The education results (objectives / goals) may be in terms of knowledge
(cognitive), attitudes (affective), or in the practices (behavioural) or a
combination of all three. Prioritise the educational goals, each with target
audience, according to such factors as the management goal, ecological
parameters, socio-economic factors and limits imposed by time and
budget.
Examples might be “ to increase public awareness of wildlife
regulations”, or to increase knowledge amongst government agency
personnel about the economic imperatives of the local culture.”
1. Establish educational objectives and learning outcomes.
This will require use of information gathered during the research phase.
An example might be, to “ increase willingness of fishermen to report
their by catch.”
2. Devise a specified method or methods of evaluation to monitor
performance of the plan in relation to the intended results.
Establishing an evaluation plan must come early in the process rather than
after activities are underway. As with all steps involvement and
participation of people to be affected by the program helps to establish
trust among all parties.
3. Develop the actual educational strategy
The value of local participation is especially apparent at this point because
successful strategies must subtly reflect local channels and styles of
communication, ethical norms, and conditions. Choosing strategies
23
Public Education and Awareness
GBF Workshop Report
requires clarity about desired learning outcomes ( eg short term or long
term ?) knowledge of available resources and considerable sensitivity to
local leadership patterns and the ways the target group normally receives
information. Too often strategies selected are merely those customary or
familiar to the planner, for example, an educational brochure to provide
information. Review the specifics of the situation and consider how much
and what kind of information is actually needed by the target audience and
who will deliver it.
Some educational programs require long term delivery of services, a
consideration that may dictate inclusion of strategies such as technical
training, leadership development, and nurturing other sources of financial
and technical support. For instance, the financial or other backing of
corporations or industry may be essential if long term goals are to met;
ongoing involvement of local organisations may be essential.
Phase III - Implementation
1. Continue to build trust with the people involved and establish
accountability so that they will be open to new information.
2. Understand the existing conceptual and behavioural constructs of the
target audiences so that the introduction of new information, skills, and
activities can link logically with the old.
Not being alert to the learner’s perceptions or way of seeing the situation –
can lead to misconceptions, cognitive dissonance and failure to hold
people’s attention. This can be especially true for internal education
programs designed for management agency personnel who are
unaccustomed to dealing with the public.
3 Take advantage of well used channels of communication and adapt to
the use of special events that may provide unexpected learning
opportunities.
4. Go to where the people are and repeat the message in a wide variety of
circumstances. Make repeated face to face contact with audiences.
5 Use innovative approaches to education
Incorporate hands on activities. Include activities that develop knowledge,
attitudes and skills and conservation behaviours.
5. Train local citizens and empower them for leadership roles in the
project.
6. Use appropriate mass media such as community radio, cable TV,
electronic mail etc.
7. Select field personnel who are able to relate well to people especially
in cross cultural experiences.
8. Keep program mandates reasonable in scope and time frame so as to
avoid burn out amongst workers or lack of financial resources just as
24
Public Education and Awareness
GBF Workshop Report
the project gains momentum
9. Emphasise the positive ( what has been accomplished) rather than
despair over what needs to be done. Inspire and motivate, this can be
just as or more important that providing information.
Phase IV - Evaluation
The purpose of evaluation is to measure the degree to which the
educational objectives are being achieved and whether the education
program is integrated with the overall management goals. It suggests how
the program might be modified, such as by targeting new audiences,
changing particular strategies, conducting more research, or enlarging the
educational objectives.
25
Public Education and Awareness
GBF Workshop Report
Conclusions of the GBF workshop
Education and communication are essential to achieve the objectives of
the Convention on Biological Diversity, providing the means to connect
people to biodiversity. Only then can responsibility for biodiversity be
engaged. Results from educational programs can be as concrete as an
increase in different species of seabird populations. But this is not
education modelled on the idea that people are empty vessels into which
we need to pour ever more information to effect change. It is education
and communication based on building relationships and shared
understandings. It is a process that engages people to participate in
solving problems.
The presentations at the workshop led to a high degree of accord amongst
the lessons learned. The participants felt this could be presented as a set
of guiding principles to the Parties including:
1. defining a shared goal among stakeholders;
2. incorporating local knowledge and culture;
3. involving stakeholders to plan, implement and evaluate policy and
programs;
4. facilitating networks at all levels.
The perspectives that arose in the workshop are not those indicated by
Article 13 of the Convention which sees public education and awareness
as separate activities rather than as an integral component of making
policies and implementing them. Education and communication are
important policy tools, just as economic and legal instruments.
Obligations
The imperative obligation of the Parties to Article 13 is clear as the
Convention directs that the Parties shall undertake public education and
awareness. This obligation demands the Parties to take responsibility at
the national level and allocate human and financial resources to this
instrument. The workshop suggested measures to make this more
accountable such as
- reporting on work undertaken on Article 13 at each COP meeting;
- tabling public education and awareness action plans in connection with
biodiversity action plans;
- and to report specifically on how Article 13 is being implemented as an
integral instrument in each theme.
Funding
Parties are urged to allocate budgets to fully meet their obligations under
Article 13
- to lever funds by making it a GEF program area; including developing
capacity in biodiversity education and communication; seek support from
the World Bank and other multi-lateral and bi-lateral funding agencies; and
stimulate increased funding for biodiversity education in formal education
systems.
Capacity Building
26
Public Education and Awareness
GBF Workshop Report
Human capacity to mobilise communities and individuals is limited.
Therefore, it is recommended that the Parties develop institutional
capacity to manage biodiversity education and communication programs
and facilitate training of practitioners.
International co-operation
Parties should develop, as part of their action plans, ways to co-operate
regionally and in all other relevant Conventions to develop the most costeffective ways of working.
The Parties should consider endorsing the UN-ECE Convention on
“Access to Environmental Information and Public Participation in
Environmental Decision Making” going before the Aarhus Environment for
Europe Conference, June 1998.
17/09/98
updated 12/05/2000
27
Global Biodiversity Forum - 10th Session
Workshop on Public Education and Awareness Article 13
How to put it into Practicce
1-2 May 1998
List of Participants
(in alphabetical order)
Ms Marta Andelman
Conservation and Management
Foundation
Maipu 853, Piso 3
1006 Buenos Aires, Argentina
tel: +54 1 311-2233
fax: +54 1 312-6878
e-mail: master@webar.com
Mr Tibor Baranec
The Slovak Agricultural University in
Nitra
Dept. of Botany
Slovak Agricultural University
Tr. A. Hlinku 2
949 76 Nitra, Slovakia
tel: +421 87-601 ext. 450
fax:
+421 87-411 451
Mr Aake Bjoerke
Information Manager
UNEP/GRID - Arendal
P.O. Box 1602, Myrene
4801 Arendal, Norway
tel: +47 370 35-650
fax: +47 370 35-050
e-mail: bjoerke@grida.no
Ms Kathleen A. Blanchard
Quebec-Labrador Foundation
Atlantic Center for the Environment
55 South Main Street
Ipswich, 01938 Massachusetts, USA
tel: +1 978 356-0038
fax: +1 978 356-7322
e-mail: kblanchard@qlf.org
Mr Jan Brindza
The Slovak Agricultural University in
Nitra
Dept. of Genetics and Plant Breeding
Slovak Agricultural University
Tr. A. Hlinku 2
949 76 Nitra, Slovakia
tel: +421 87-601 ext. 787
fax: +421 87-411 451
e-mail: brindza@sai.uniag.sk
Ms Maria Cecilia Wey de Brito
PROBIO/SP - State Programme for the
Conservation of Biodiversity of the SMA
Environment Bureau of Sao Paulo State
Av. Prof. Frederico Herman Jr., 345
Predio 2, sala 201
A. de Pinheiros, Sao Paulo
CEP 05489-900, Brazil
tel: +55 11 3030-6625
fax: +55 11 3030-6203
e-mail: sma.mceciliab@cetesb.br
Ms Dora A. Lange Canhos
Base de Dados Tropical, Fundacao
André Tosello
Rua Latino Coelho 1301
13087-010 Campinas
Sao Paulo, Brazil
tel: +55 19 242-7022
fax: +55 19 242-7827
e-mail: dora@bdt.org.br
Ms Fiorella Ceruti
Oficial de Comunicaciones y EA
WWF Peru Programme Office
Avenida San Felipe 720
Jesús María
Lima 11
Peru
Tel: ++51 (1) 261-5300
Fax: ++51 (1) 463-4459
Email: fiorella@wwfperu.org.pe
Ms Antonia Chilikova
Youth Environmental Organisation Rodopi
114 Pozitano Str., fl. 3, ap. 20
1000 Sofia, Bulgaria
tel: +359 2 21-7623
fax: +359 2 77-7628
e-mail: chilikov@nat.bg
Ms Miroslava Cierna
DAPHNE Centre for Applied Ecology
Hanulova 5/d
84140 Bratislava, Slovakia
tel: +421 7 6541-2133
fax: +421 7 6541-2162
e-mail: daphne@changenet.sk
Mr Graham Donald
Head of the Biodiversity Action Plan
Secretariat
Department of the Environment, Transport
and the Regions
Room 904, Tollgate House
Houston Street
BS2 9DJ Bristol, UK
tel: +44 117 987-8850
fax: +44 117 987-8182
e-mail:
european.wildlife.doe@gtnet.gov.uk
Ms Viera Ferakova
Prirodovedecea Fakulta
Faculty of Natural Sciences
Department of Botany
Comenius University
Revova 39
811 02 Bratislava, Slovakia
tel: +421 7 531-2127
Ms Wendy Goldstein
IUCN Education and Communication
Programme
Rue Mauverney 28
1196 Gland, Switzerland
tel: +41 22 999-0282
fax: +41 22 999-0025
e-mail: wjg@hq.iucn.org
Ms Julie Harlan
World Resources Institute
1709 New York Avenue, NW
20006 Washington D.C., USA
tel: +1 202 662-2518
fax: +1 202 347-2796
e-mail: julieh@wri.org
Ms Latipah Hendarti
RMI the Indonesian Institute for Forest
and Environment
Jl. Sempur n° 64
16154 Bogor, Indonesia
tel: +62 251 32-0647
fax: +62 251 32-0253
e-mail: rmi@bogor.wasantara.net.id
Ms Vera Kappers
PAN Netherlands
Pontanusstr. 37A
1093 Amsterdam, the Netherlands
tel/fax: +31 20 694-0412
Ms Elin Kelsey
222 Laine Street, Apt 3
Monterey, CA 93940
USA
tel: +1 408 648-1039
e-mail: elin@iname.com
Ms Tatiana Kluvankova
Institute for Forecasting
Slovak Academy of Sciences
Sancova 56
81105 Bratislava, Slovakia
tel: +421 7 39-5256
fax: +421 7 39-5029
e-mail: tatiana@progeko.savba.sk
Ms Sukianto Lusli
Jamblangraya I/17
11270 Jakarta, Indonesia
tel: +62 21 631-38-29
e-mail: slusli@wwfnet.org
Mr Chris Maas Geesteranus
National Reference Centre for Nature
Management
P.O. Box 30
6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
tel: +31 317 47-4820/2
fax: +31 317 47-4909
e-mail: c.maas.gesteranus@ikcn.agro.nl
Mr Barney Masuzumi
Dene Cultural Institute
7 Otto Drive
Yellowknife, NT, X1A 2T9
Canada
tel: +1 867 669-0613
fax: +1 867 669-0813
e-mail: bmas@internorth.com
Ms Elaine McNeil
SIAST
International Services, 2505 23rd Ave.
P.O. Box 556, Regina
Saskatchewan, Canada S4P 3A3
tel: +1 306 787-1374
fax: +1 306 787-4840
e-mail: mcneil@siast.sk.ca
Ms Sue Miller
South Pacific Regional Environment
Programme (SPREP)
P.O. Box 240
Apla, Samoa
tel: +683 21-929
fax: +685 20-231
e-mail: sprep@samoa.net
Mr Dennis Minty
Softwaves Educational Software Inc.
P.O. Box 2188, St-John’s
Newfoundland, Canada
tel: +1 709 722-6680
fax: +1 709 753-0708
e-mail: dminty@firstcity.net
Dr Jonathan Mitchley
Environment Department
Wye College
University of London
Wye, Ashford, Kent TN25 5AH
UK
tel: +44 1233 81-2401
fax: +44 1223 81-2855
e-mail: j.mitchley@wye.ac.uk
Mr Rob Monro
Zimbabwe Trust
Box 4027
Harare, Zimbabwe
tel: +263 4 72-2957
fax: +263 4 79-5150
e-mail: monro@zimtrust.samara.co.zw
Mr Solly Mosidi
Head, Environmental Education
Department of Environmental Affairs and
Tourism
Private Bag X447
0001 Pretoria, South Africa
tel: +2712 310-3781
e-mail: opv_sm@ozone.pwv.gov.za
Ms Sylvi Ofstad
Royal Ministry of Environment
Myntgaten 2
0030 Oslo, Norway
tel: +47 22 24-5714
fax: +47 22 24-2772
e-mail: sylvi.ofstad@md.dep.no
Dr Ronald Orenstein
Humane Society of the United States
1825 Shady Creek Court
Mississanga, Ontario, Canada
tel: +1 905 820-2886
fax: +1 905 569-0116
e-mail: ornstn@inforamp.net
Mr Hans Olav Otterlei
Managing Director
Burson-Marsteller
24-28 Bloomsbury Way
LONDON WC1A 2PX
Tel: ++44-171 300 6442
Fax: ++44-171 831 6638
email: hans_otterlei@bm.com
Mr Juan Ovejero
Africa Resources Trust
Rue Jules Lejeune 32
1050 Brussels, Belgium
tel/fax: +32 2 343-0604
e-mail: ovejeroart@compuserve.com
Dr Nirmalie Pallewatta
Senior Lecturer
Department of Zoology
University of Colombo
P.O. Box 1490
Colombo 3, Sri Lanka
tel: ++941 580-246/594-490
fax: +941 59-4490
e-mail: nirmalie@eureka.lk
Ms Daniela Panakova
Slovak Republic
email: panakova@fns.uniba.sk
Ms Anita Prosser
36, St Marys Street
Wallingford
Oxfordshire OX10 0EU, UK
tel: +44 1491 83-9766
fax: +44 1491 83-9646
e-mail: A.Prosser@dial.pipex.com
Ing Jan van Rijen
Ministry of Agriculture, Nature
Management
and Fisheries
Postbus 6111
5600 HC Eindhoven
The Netherlands
tel: +31 40 232-9181
fax: 31 40 232-9199
Email: j.p.m.van.rijen@lnvz.agro.nl
Mr Jan Seffer
DAPHNE Centre for Applied Ecology
Hanulova 5/d
84140 Bratislava, Slovakia
tel: +421 7 6541-2133
fax: +421 7 6541-2162
e-mail: daphne@changenet.sk
Mr Mangal Man Shakya
Nepal Forum of Environmental Journalists
PO Box 5143
Thapathali, Kathmandu, Nepal
tel: +977 01 26-1991/26-0248
fax: +977 01 26-1191
e-mail: nefej@env.mos.com.np
Andra Suchankova
Cervenakova 5
841 01 Bratislava
Slovak republic
fax: + 421 7 374 266
tel.: + 421 7 764 207
email: suchanek@isnet.sk
Ms Diane Tarte
IUCN Regional Councillor
Executive Officer
Australian Marine Conservation Society
P.O. Box 3139 (Level 1, 92 Hyde Road)
Yeronga, 4104 Queensland, Australia
tel: +61 7 3848-5235
fax: +61 7 3892-5814
e-mail: dtarte@ozemail.com.au
Ms Elena Vartikova
GREENWAY
P.O. Box 163
81499 Bratislava, Slovakia
tel/fax: +321 7 541-4674
e-mail: vartikova@ba.telecom.sk
Ms Julia Ruth Willison
Botanic Gardens Conservation
International
Descanso House, 199 Kew Road
Richmond, Surrey TW9 3BW, UK
tel: +44 181 332-5953
fax: +44 181 332-5956
e-mail: jw%bgci@rbgkew.org.uk
Ms Jana Zacharova
Ministry of the Environment
Nam Stura 1
812 3T Bratislava
Slovak Republic
tel: ++4217 516-2211/516-2031
e-mail: zacravova@hotmail.com
5/26/00