ESTABLISHING COMMON UNDERSTANDING

After careful consideration, some areas of common consideration were established in order to clarify the intent of the contents of these courses. Since some terms can have broad and varied meanings, the following definitions were established for common understanding:

• fisheries refers to activities and processes related to aquatic species (both fresh and salt water) with culturing and/or harvesting potential (commercial and recreational)

• mining refers to activities related to both mineral resources and hydrocarbons recovered from fossil fuels

• sustainability refers to the conservation, protection, or regeneration of resources over an indefinite period. Central to sustainability is the idea that today’s decisions affect the future of human health and well-being, the environment, and the economy. Sustainability requires knowledge and understanding of past events as well as the ability to make informed predictions of future events.

The concept of sustainable development was defined by the World Commission on Environment and Development in 1987 as “development
that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” This definition considers that while development may be essential to satisfy human needs and improve quality of life, it should occur in such a way that the capacity of the natural environment to meet present and future needs is not compromised.

In December 2002, the United Nations adopted a resolution to establish the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD 2005-2014). Its main goal is to integrate the principles, values,
and practices of sustainable development into all aspects of education and learning. It is expected that such educational effort will encourage changes in behaviour that will create a more sustainable future in terms of environmental integrity, economic viability, and a just society for present and future generations.