Citizenship at key stage 4 (Year 10-11)
Unit 12: Global issues, local action
Section 1: What is Local Agenda 21?
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Objectives |
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- about Agenda 21 and where it originated
- about local action plans for sustainable development (Local Agenda 21) and priorities set by the local authority
- to devise an enquiry into local priorities and plans for sustainable development
- about the ways in which the local authority consults young people on its policies
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Activities |
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Outcomes |
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Children: |
- Pupils brainstorm / concept map what they already know about local action plans for sustainable development (Local Agenda 21), drawing on their general knowledge and previous learning in geography and science.
- Using a range of information sources, eg school-based sources, the local library, websites (including the local authority site), visits from local authority or Local Agenda 21 representatives, pupils investigate:
- where did Agenda 21 originate? Pupils find out about the Agenda 21 agreement drawn up at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992. They could also find out about how international agreements on sustainable development signed up to by national governments impact on both national and local government policies, eg by investigating how the UK government is implementing the 1997 Kyoto Protocol on greenhouse emissions, which takes effect in 2002
- what are the plans and priorities for sustainable development in their local authority? How is their success being measured, ie what are the criteria for and indicators of their success? Are young people consulted on policies? How?
- Pupils share their findings as a class, and agree on related issues and areas to be investigated further by small groups.
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- describe what sustainable development is and identify a range of local priorities
- recognise the impact of international agreements on national and local government
- use skills of enquiry to undertake research
- recognise that global issues can be addressed by local action
- identify how the local authority consults young people on its policies
- communicate their findings to the class
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Points to note |
- Link with geography: this section builds on the knowledge and understanding of environmental change and sustainable development acquired at key stage 3. It also links with work in GCSE geography on the interrelationships between people and their environments, and on planning and managing environments and resources (3.1v).
- The local authority may have a Local Agenda 21 representative with a specific remit to work with schools.
- For information about Agenda 21, refer to the United Nations Sustainable Development website (www.un.org/esa/sustdev/). Chapter 39 of the Agenda 21 agreement deals with assisting states in promoting sustainable development at both a national and international level, through enhancing the effectiveness of legal instruments and mechanisms.
- Sustainable development is about ensuring a better quality of life for everyone, both now and for generations to come. This means meeting four objectives at the same time, in the UK and worldwide:
- social progress that recognises the needs of everyone
- effective protection of the environment
- prudent use of natural resources
- the maintenance of high and stable levels of economic growth and employment
- Further information about sustainable development is available at www.nc.uk.net/esd.
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This unit is divided into sections. Each section contains a sequence of
activities with related objectives and outcomes. You can view this unit by
moving through the sections or print/download the whole unit.
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