EIS Webinars – The Educational Institute of Scotland says make learning for sustainability your new academic year’s resolution. The Institute is running Putting Learning for Sustainability at the heart of practice professional learning webinars in September. You can choose from early years, primary and secondary.
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Earth Echo – If you are or know a young (13-25) environmental leader that wants to learn about ocean conservation and advocacy, here’s an opportunity. This youth summit will unite hundreds of young people, ages 13-25, for two days of learning, networking, and collaboration focused on restoring and protecting our planet. Using EarthEcho’s global network of scientists, policy leaders, influencers, and youth change-makers, this free, virtual event will convene a community of youth leaders driving #OceanEcho30x30, an initiative to mobilize support for the protection of 30% of the ocean by 2030. You can register here.
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A Fair Foundation – Following student-led audits, 25 institutions have achieved the Fairtrade University Award, which is jointly accredited by SOS-UK and The Fairtrade Foundation. Award criteria cover a wide range of areas including Research and Curriculum; Campaigning and Influencing; and Procurement, Retail and Catering. Institutions can also receive points for trying out innovative ways to engage staff and students on global issues. You can find more details here.
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If you go Down to the Woods – Click here to read about the UKSSN summer residential at Wytham Woods where they had a “full immersion in nature and sustainability.”
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Policy Benchmarks – Am initiative by the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) and the GEM Report, Setting commitments: National SDG 4 benchmarks to transform education, contains details of national educational benchmarks that 9 out of 10 countries have now set for 2025 and 2030 to make SDG4 [Quality Education] a reality. There are several case studies from round the world including Angola, Jordan and Senegal.
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Going Round and Round – A set of teaching resources have been created by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation to engage primary and secondary age children on the circular economy — inspiring them to redesign the ‘take, make, waste’ system to make things better for people and the planet. You’ll find them here on TES.com
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The Green Edge – This is a community of those actively involved in creating, developing, and applying green skills that people in all walks of life will need for the Green Economy and Net Zero. Recent posts have covered: hydrogen, EV vehicles, home heating technology, school curriculum, green skills education and training, green skills employment and jobs, and systems thinking. The Green Edge is provided free to subscribers. Just click here for details.
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Not Neutral about Neutrons – The RSPB and Suffolk Wildlife Trust are disappointed about the government’s decision toapprove the development of Sizewell C, despite its predicted impact on local nature. It’s grist to the environmental educators’ mill though in helping young people explore a controversial issue.
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Trees and Venison – A fifth of Scotland’s deer population is to be culled over the next five years. It will begin in September and aims to protect the 150-million young trees on land managed by Forestry and Land Scotland. The contracts which are worth £30m will generate 100 jobs and give rise to around 37,000 carcasses each year. More grist.
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Cydia servillana – The sallow-shoot piercer moth has been seen in Scotland. This is the first time it has been sighted north of Birmingham. It was spotted on a nettle at the Cathkin Marsh wildlife reserve near Glasgow. It’s a member of the tortrix moth family.
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Soil Protection – The EU’s Soil Strategy for 2030 sets the vision to have all soils in a healthy condition by 2050 and to make protection, sustainable use and restoration of soils the norm. The European Commission is considering introducing a soil health law, providing a comprehensive legal framework for soil protection granting it the same level of protection that exists for water, the marine environment and air in the EU. This proposal “will complement the Nature Restoration Law and ensure synergies with climate change mitigation and adaptation actions.” A public consultation is now open. Although not directly of interest to the UK, soil problems know no boundaries.
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Bonn Accord – Click here to see the individuals who are rethinking how we live and what progress and development towards a sustainable future could look like. You can watch a live broadcast of the UN SDG Action Awards Class of 2022 Awards Ceremony on 27 September where finalists will be recognized and winners will be announced at a live ceremony in Bonn.
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Beavering Away – DEFRA has announced legal mechanisms for the release and control of beavers in England. The new legal status will make it an offence to deliberately capture, kill, disturb, or injure beavers, or damage their breeding sites or resting places without a license. This will come into force in the Autumn.
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On the Edge – NatureScot has been awarded £4,232,000 by the National Lottery Heritage Fund for its Species on the Edgepartnership project with Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, The Bat Conservation Trust, Buglife, the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, Butterfly Conservation, Plantlife Scotland and RSPB Scotland. The four-and-a-half year programme will support seven areas, from the Solway to Shetland and from the East Coast to the Outer Hebrides, benefitting species including midge-munching soprano pipistrelles, vital pollinators like the Great Yellow bumblebee, rare amphibians such as the natterjack toad, wading birds including terns, lapwings and curlews and the ‘jewel of the north’, the Scottish primrose.