According to the Framework for the UNDESD International Implementation Scheme compiled by UNESCO, Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is considered to have three interlinked key areas (spheres): Society, Environment and Economy with Culture as an underlying dimension. In your particular effort to pursue the ESD goals, which sphere(s) of ESD do you emphasize most? Please share your views and comments below.

The project put environment as the most explicit key area that has been addressed to pursue ESD goals. It’s considered the fragility of the physical environment due to volcanic disaster. While the effect of human activity on the forest and surrounding volcano area is the aspect that we also consider as the important element to our project in advance. Within this environment sphere, we learned from each other’s experiences about how the risk, hazards, and existing human vulnerability can be reduced to sustain our lives. During identification processes we learned that these efforts in the environmental sphere cannot be performed if we neglect social aspects.

To reduce risk and vulnerability from disaster, we have to identify the existing role of social relations, social institutions that have the potential to be addressed as key factors of risk reduction. This is where the social sphere put the basis in our effort. While identifying the issues, we also found the relation of economic challenge at community level that hindered the progress of change and development. For example, we identified the community’s need of a paved road from their village to the city as the major infrastructural obstacle that could increase their vulnerability to disaster.

We also have found that the basis for interlinkages of these three areas is provided through the dimension of Culture. This is to recognise that practices, identity, values and behaviour of the community play a big role regarding the impact on the environment, society and economic aspects. For example, the change of behaviour in farming process at community level has influenced their economic income, so they need to exploit the forest around the village to satisfy their needs. This leads to environmental risk as landslide hazard, and the disruption of water supply. These project goals are about putting ESD perspectives on community disaster preparedness and mitigation efforts which is to increase sustainability through a community that is aware of the goals of a sustainable society and has the knowledge and skills to contribute to those goals.