Education for Sustainable Development in Schools

  • Country: Ecuador
  • Organisation: Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad – INABIO
  • Support area: Adapting to the impacts of climate change, Conserving biological diversity, Mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions
  • Objective: Support educational institutions in acting in a climate and environmentally friendly manner
  • Funding: 800,164 euros
  • Project start: 01/12/2022
  • Project end: 31/03/2025
  • Website: http://inabio.biodiversidad.gob.ec/

With support from IKI Small Grants, Ecuador’s Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad (INABIO) implemented a nationwide Call for Proposals and selected 13 pilot schools around the country to create hands-on biodiversity and climate education. The initiative in cooperation with the Ecuadorian Ministry of Education has now reached over 1,000 schools nationwide through integration of one of the institute's exercises into Ecuador’s national biology curriculum. INABIO invited schools to participate in a call for proposals and submit educational concepts. These concepts addressed topics such as the rational and efficient use of electric energy in school facilities, appropriate use and conservation of water resources, ‘zero waste’ principles, and citizen science learning tools. As part of the project's sustainability interventions, each school installed an ecological garden and a composting system. Additionally, in some schools, solar benches and rainwater harvesting systems were introduced. IKI Small Grants also supported the institutional strengthening of INABIO through various capacity development measures.

GALLERY

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INABIO set out to integrate biodiversity, climate change, and resource management into students’ everyday learning.
INABIO set out to integrate biodiversity, climate change, and resource management into students’ everyday learning. © INABIO / Naranjo Armijo
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The approach to making children and youth aware of biodiversity included taking photographs of nature.
The approach to making children and youth aware of biodiversity included taking photographs of nature. © INABIO / Mosquera Jarrín
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INABIO’s team invited students to explore their surroundings, often for the first time.
INABIO’s team invited students to explore their surroundings, often for the first time. © INABIO / Mosquera Jarrín
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What began as a small-scale initiative has now reached over 1,000 schools nationwide.
What began as a small-scale initiative has now reached over 1,000 schools nationwide. © INABIO / Mosquera Jarrín
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Students focused on documenting biodiversity and asking scientific questions about their local ecosystems.
Students focused on documenting biodiversity and asking scientific questions about their local ecosystems. © INABIO
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The pilot directly involved 13 schools and over 8,000 students, teachers, and community members.
The pilot directly involved 13 schools and over 8,000 students, teachers, and community members. © INABIO
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As part of the project's sustainability interventions, each school received an ecological garden and a composting system.
As part of the project's sustainability interventions, each school received an ecological garden and a composting system. © INABIO

CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT

IKI Small Grants supported INABIO in their organisational capacity development through:

  • Design and preparation of a Call for Proposals
  • Improvement of financial management procedures
  • Enhancement of technical skills in photography and camera handling for biodiversity monitoring

Feature article

Inspiring Youth to Protect Biodiversity in Ecuador

Emily Lara from INABIO oversaw the technical implementation of the biodiversity education project supported by IKI Small Grants.

Project video

Project fact sheet

A more detailed overview of the project can be found in the INABIO project fact sheet

ABOUT THE ORGANISATION

INABIO is a public research institute attached to the Ecuadorian Ministry of Environment, Water and Ecological Transition (MAATE), with administrative, financial, and legal autonomy. The Biodiversity Database is INABIO’s main strategy for information management, built and developed with the support of several institutions, universities, and cooperation agencies. The research, development and innovation processes relate its projects to the Sustainable Development Goals, to the needs of the country and specially to goal 3 of the National Biodiversity Agenda, bioprospecting for conservation purposes and the promotion of bioindustry in Ecuador for the development of technology to minimise damage to the natural heritage.