ASEAN Working Group on Environmental Education (AWGEE)

AWGEEsm — Ms. Ma. Cristina Francisco (2nd from left) of EMB poses with delegates of the 10th Meeting of the ASEAN Work- ing Group on Environmental Education (AWGEE) in Da Lat City, Vietnam on 19 July 2018. [ASEAN Secretariat]

The ASEAN Working Group on Environmental Education (AWGEE) is a subsidiary body under the ASOEN. It was established as a consultative forum to promote coordination and collaboration among ASEAN sectoral bodies and dialogue partners to ensure a well-coordinated and integrated approach in promoting environmental education in ASEAN Member States (AMS) and ASEAN Dialogue Partners (Australia, Canada, China, European Union, India, Japan, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Russia, and the United States).

An ASEAN Environmental Education Action Plan was developed for the periods of 2000-2005, 2008-2012, and 2014-2018 to serve as a roadmap of actions related to environmental education for sustainable development at the national and regional level. This is also expected to contribute to the implementation of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) Blueprint 2010-2025 and the attainment of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, as well as to complement the implementation of the ASEAN Work Plan on Education 2016-2020.

The AWGEE also promotes the new global and ASEAN thrust on sustainable consumption and production, through the various information, education and communication programs of the AMS.

Focal Office:

Environmental Management Bureau (EMB)

Date:

7 July 2009 - First meeting

Focal Persons:

DENR Chair
MS. CORAZON C. DAVIS
Assistant Secretary for Policy and Planning Service, DENR
Tel. No. (632) 927 6726/926 1084

DENR Co-chair
ENGR. WILLIAM P. CUNADO
Director, DENR-EMB
Tel. No. (632) 928 3725, 927 1517

National Focal Point
MS. KAREN ANN PACPACO
OIC-Chief, Environmental Education and Information Division, DENR-EMB
Tel. No. (632) 928 4674

Alternate National Focal Point
MS. MARIA MATILDA A. GADDI
OIC-Director in concurrent capacity, Strategic Communications and Initiatives Services, DENR
Tel. No. (632) 426 3850, 926 7460

Commitments:

The goals in four target areas of the ASEAN Environmental Education Action Plan are the following:
- Target Area 1: Formal Sector Environmental Education (EE) and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) are integrated at all levels of the formal sector (relative to national capacity and directives) in each AMS.
- Target Area 2: Non-Formal Sector Non-formal sector in AMS enhanced through the integration of socio-cultural, economic and ecological knowledge through EE/ESD to address local, regional and international environmental issues and challenges.
- Target Area 3: Institutional and Human Resources Capacity Building
Strengthened institutional capacity in EE and ESD and trained human resource pool on EE and ESD in AMS.
- Target Area 4: Networking, Collaboration and Communication Improved exchange of environmental information, skills and resources in the region and increased support and commitment for EE and ESD and capacity building through formal and non-formal networks at local/national, regional and international levels.
Key activities under the action plan are the following:
- ASEAN Eco-schools Programme
- ASEAN Plus Three Leadership Programme on Sustainable Consumption and Production
- ASEAN Plus Three Youth Environment Forum (AYEF)
- ASEAN Youth Eco-champions Award
- ASEAN Environment Year
- ASEAN Green Higher Education Programme

Sources / Relevant Links:

https://environment.asean.org/?page_id=65

Status:

Updates

1. National Environmental Education Action Plan for Sustainable Development This is the Philippine initiative for the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development. It aims to pursue education to foster the transition to a sustainable society. The action plan for 2018 to 2040 was published in 2017.
2. National and Regional Search for Sustainable and Eco-friendly Schools
The search is a direct response to Republic Act No. 9512 also known as the Environmental Awareness and Education Act of 2008. It is also the Philippine initiative in support to the ASEAN Environmental Education Action Plan. A search was conducted in 2017. The national winners were:
- Elementary School Category
a. Payao Elementary School (Negros Occidental)
b. Bintawan South Elementary School (Nueva Vizcaya)
c. Katangawan Central Elementary School (General Santos City)
- High School Category
a. Divisoria High School (Santiago City)
b. Muntinlupa National High School (Muntinlupa City)
c. Pinsao National High School (Baguio City)
- College Category
a. Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University - North La Union Campus (La Union)
b. Western Philippines University (Palawan)
c. Naval State University (Biliran)
Special awards were given for water leadership, energy leadership, and green leadership.

3. ASEAN Eco-schools Programme This aims to create a school culture geared towards environmental protection and preservation through management, commitment and infusion into curriculum, co-curriculum and greening and cleaning activities. The ASEAN eco-schools awards are given every four years. The previous awards were given in 2015.
4. ASEAN Plus Three Youth Environment Forum (AYEF) Participation of the youth is critical to address global environmental problems and to achieve sustainable development in the region. Therefore, the ASEAN Plus Three Youth Environment Forum (AYEF) was first initiated by Brunei Darussalam in 2007 and has since been organized regularly to promote awareness and enhance the participation and cooperation of youth in environmental protection efforts. The hosting of the AYEF is on a voluntary basis. A Philippine delegate was sent to Singapore in 2018. Thailand volunteered to host the 2019 AYEF. Winners in the 2017 eco-schools search will be joining the 2019 forum.
5. ASEAN Green Higher Education Programme Led by the Philippines and Thailand, the programme aims to generate baseline data on eco-friendly initiatives of colleges and universities in the ASEAN Region. Specifically, the programme aims to (i) include country reviews on the state of greening of higher education institutions among AMS; (ii) review the ASEAN Eco-schools Guidelines to include a higher education category; and (iii) target the inclusion of a higher education category in the NEXT ASEAN Eco-schools Awards. The proposal has been submitted and is awaiting funding.
EMB-DENR has collaborated with the National Youth Commission and the DENR Youth Desk on various youth activities. It has initiated the creation of the EMB Greenducators which serves as the EMB's youth arm aimed at pursuing its advocacy to find young leaders that can help the Bureau in its environmental programs and projects.

Latest Activities

- 10th Meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Environmental Education (AWGEE), 17-19 July 2018; Da Lat City, Vietnam - Ms. Maria Cristina Francisco (EMB)
- 9th Meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Environment Education (AWGEE), 23-24 May 2017; Bangkok, Thailand - Ms. Elenita DR Basug (EMB) and Ms. Maria Matilda A. Gaddi (SCIS)
- 8th Meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Environmental Education (AWGEE), 11-12 April 2016; Singapore - Ms. Elenida DR Basug (EMB) and Dir. Ma. Sabrina R. Cruz (SCIS)

Next Steps

The NEXT Eco-Schools Award will take place in 2019 in Cambodia, back-to-back with the celebration of the ASEAN Environment Year at the sidelines of the 15th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Environment (AMME).
Challenges faced in environmental education are the following: (1) need to better integrate environmental education towards sustainable development (ESD) for all levels of formal education and for strategic sectors; (2) insufficient materials and information to support the delivery of basic learning contents of EE and ESD; (3) lack of trained teachers/trainers on EE and ESD in the country; and (4) insufficient funds for the production of materials to be distributed to the schools and other sectors related to environmental concerns.

This Page was updated on 17 December 2019 and will be updated on 10 December 2020