Saveit4aSong – An IUCN CEC member

After a performance in Copenhagen for an IUCN member's event, (read our blog for more details) Saveit4aSong partners Gillian Harding and A.J Moore were invited to become members of the IUCN's CEC department.

What is the IUCN's CEC department?

The IUCN is the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and it's members include charities, conservation and environmental groups and government organisations from all over the world. It also consists of a large network of environmental scientists who supply vital information to the union. The CEC, is the IUCN's 'Commission on Education and Communication' and is one of six Commissions of IUCN. They have a simply mission, to drive change for sustainability. They do this through leading communication, learning and knowledge management. With more than 600 members volunteering their professional expertise in these areas, (now including Saveit4aSong) the CEC has accumlated a great driving force to achieving its goals. They are a key player in a global effort taking place to integrate the principles of sustainable development into all aspects of education and learning. It’s called Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). ESD focuses on how people live, work and make decisions in order to create a more sustainable future. A wide variety of methods are employed that engage people in problem-solving and advance positive change.

The CEC has a decisive role in linking the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014) with regional agreements and the global environmental conventions. They promote strategic communications through training courses, practical tool development, publications, expert advice and advocacy efforts that influence practice, policy and governance.

 In the International Union for Conservation of Nature, strategic communication is the CEC's specialty. The Commission is responsible in particular for the biodiversity convention’s Global Initiative on Communication, Education and Public Awareness (CEPA).

What are the CEC's goals?

(1) Facilitate the co-creation of solutions

(2) Create strategic communication platforms

(3) Leverage new learning for sustainable development

These three goals in the CEC mandate contribute to the IUCN 2009-2012 programme of work. CEC also continues to advance international Conventions through CEPA (Communication, Education, Participation and Awareness), develop the World Conservation Learning Network, and support the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development. Currently, climate change and the International Year of Biodiversity 2010 are high on the agenda.

If you wish to find out more about the CEC and its work use this link. This information was taken from the IUCN CEC Website.