any ideas?

I'm afraid I haven't really had any Earth-shattering (pun intended) ideas yet. The only thoughts I did have whilst walking over the park the other day were kind of meta-level concerning this project. I was a little concerned what colleagues may think about my blogging then I got to thinking about parameters and boundaries - to knowledge and communities, I think, but it relates to anything really. It relates nicely to sustainability for sure too as we have to know where to place the markers for the boundaries of our investigations. Sustainable Development relates to so many inter-connected systems that one can easily start to deal with matters of complexity. That isn't insurmountable as there is a science of complexity itself. However, its kind of tricky. I'm not sure the Terms of Reference referenced our boundaries, probably (quite rightly) intentionally.

I had also thought about trying to define Sustainable Development too but I guess that is quite boring. Or maybe that's what I'm trying to do with the above non-idea?

If anybody has any real ideas about where I should start please do leave comments below. That's the whole point of this blog. I really do thank you for contemplating this.

Welcome: Scheming for Sustainable Futures

I wanted to start with an earth-shattering quote. However, I don't have my books to hand and, searching my mind, cannot think of one individual who has influenced me sufficiently that their wise words spring to mind. I thought of James Lovelock and his gaia hypothesis, Gandhi and his preference for peaceful means of protest and lastly John Lennon, again for peace, but also as an attractor of the hippie ethic of love and peace, etc. These seem an unlikely bunch of folks to initiate these discussions but hopefully set out my stall at least. I couldn't even find anything appropriate in the one book I did have to hand, the Tao te Ching.

In any case, this isn't about me. I have been asked to participate in an 'Expert Team' by UNESCO Bangkok and the Commission on Education and Communication (CEC) of the World Conservation Union (IUCN), in conjunction with Macquarie University (MU). The project concerns advising on 'indicators' for the UN Decade for Education for Sustainable Development (DESD) in the Asia-Pacific region. The idea is that the 'Expert Team' together with a 'Guidelines Review Team' inform the 'Guidelines Development Team'!

Initial topics which may be covered are:

• ESD in practice
• Monitoring and assessment practices in ESD
• Values and limitations of ESD indicators
• Lessons learnt from previous/current indicator initiatives
• Characteristics of effective ESD indicators
• Data gathering and reporting methods

However, topics may come and go as we get talking.

As I kind of belong to some kind of digital diaspora - friends and colleagues being around this globe - and since I have reservations concerning any (especially my own) 'expertise' I shall open up my own mind here. I dearly hope some people are able to sensibly contribute. This way we can have a much-needed wider discussion than the 44 'experts' alone may be able to manage. I sincerely thank you in advance.

Please note that I will be respecting the confidence of other participants in the official discussions. The postings will entirely represent my own views and not those of the other 'experts'. I look forward to your comments.