Climate change education for sustainable development through basic climate change science and fire education Overson SHUMBA Copperbelt University, Kitwe, Zambia Paper presented under Thematic Area 2: ‘Draw from a variety of knowledge sources’ of the UNESCO Experts Meeting on Climate Change Education for Sustainable Development in Africa20-22 March 2013, Mauritius.

Slash and burn... then crop...food security or deforestration? Indigenous agriculture and land-use practices often perceived simply as destructive...fire at heart of some of those practices... not much attempt to explore the rationality

Mines... Economy! But how of?

Charcoal industry... Energy security... Poverty alleviation.. Or deforetration?

Fair or unfair criticism ‘Backward traditional practices’ leading to –...Deforestation, erosion, loss of nutrients and soil fertility, biodiversity loss, and climate change May be discriminatory and undervaluing the rationality and socio-historical factors and realities, e.g., – No information or capacity to forecast what to expect from climate change – Survival needs – No financial or political muscle

‘Indigenous’ rationality bourn out of long history of observation and experience Knowledge and practice bourn out of experience that bears scientific rationality that may be based on the impact of fire on the ecosystem + Increased soil fertility Natural fertilisers stored in vegetation Low pH soils need ‘ash’ to raise pH level Certain plant species favoured and easier to manage weeds Enhanced soil nitrification and micro-nutrients, e.g., Zn, Mn (-)Loss of soil nutrients » Loss of soil C, N, P » Loss of water inflitration and retention (hydrophobicity) and increased runoff » Decreased soil organisms » Fallow periods... Recovery and regeneration periods

‘Indigenous’ rationality of practices in the face of poverty, risk and vulnerability? Practices contributing to ‘resilient communities’ faced with poverty and vulnerability and social risks Land husbandry and food security Employment Management of Weeds and Pests Biodiversity Indigenous rationality not based on anticipation of climate change BUT it does NOT mean indigenous people are helpless in the mitigation and/or adaptation to its impacts... need interventions that at the same time demonstrate the value basis of local practices while at the same time providing evidence to question these practices

‘Learning to explore the dialectic between tradition and innovation’ “Underpinning this process is the need to explore cultural values and traditions in a way which respect diversity, protect traditional knowledge and if necessary challenge exploitative practices” (Tilbury, 2011). Interrogating the ‘dialectic between tradition and innovation’ is an important agenda for CCE and hence the need for teacher resources that are ‘community- connected’ or ‘community-connecting’... often indigenous philosophies and practices are not only ecologically and socially intelligent but sustainable!

Propose need for community-connected resources for teachers Example: Exploring Community Practices Associated With Fire and Relevance for CCE Collect examples of community practices and their history, e.g., slash and burn, chitemene, and exploit opportunities to learn and change Explore their rationality (e.g., empirical experience and the scientific basis) of practices relative to environmental and sustainable development issues Engage people to assess knowledge, awareness, and attitudes towards Climate Change and what needs to be done for Mitigation and Adaptation Designing instructional resources carrying – Basic climate change science – Interrogating local practices – Exploring future capabilities for sustainablility

Explore for example: – History of fire in the community [including myths and rituals involving fire; traditional fire uses and management practices and the rationality] – The Science of Fire and Burning [chemistry and science of fire and combustion; flammability of earth; basic fire education; basic climate change science] – Fire, Ecosystems, Economy, and Society [survey of fire uses and its management; traditional and modern knowledge and practices of fire use and management and their scientific rationality; how shared] [Practical investigations and experimental work: What happens to soil organisms and nutrients (C, N, P, etc), habitats, and vegetation? N, C, and H2O cycle; Exploring existing and alternative income generating activities and impacts on community; Surveys exploring CC awareness and attitudes; exploring local lifestyles and climate change and change projects] – Fire, Nutrient Cycles and Biodiversity [fire and natural nutrient cycles; positive and negative impacts on bio-diversity] – Fire, Lifestyles and Climate Change [fire and climate change; fire as an important part of climate change, fire impacting climate change; climate change impact on fire incidence and cycles]

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