National Action Plan for Agenda 21 -Chap. 25

[Agenda 21] National Action Plan for Agenda 21

Chapter 25 CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

In order to construct a society which will allow sustainable development with reduced environmental load, children and youth, who represent the next generation, are expected to gain a deeper understanding of environmental conservation, to voluntarily and actively conduct activities to reduce environmental burden and to participate in the activities of local communities, voluntary groups, etc. for environmental conservation.

Taking the above into account, Japan will attach importance to the implementation of the following activities:

(1)

In addition to making efforts to enhance children's and youth events concerning environmental conservation, utilizing a variety of opportunities, including those represented by environment month and the second Saturday of the month in accordance with the introduction of a partial 5-day school week, Japan will further improve environmental education in schools, homes and regions, and encourage environmental education through direct contact with nature.

(2)

As regards social education, in order to promote and assist in voluntary study-related activities among people, Japan is making efforts to provide children and youth with a variety of opportunities for courses and lectures as well as regional activities at social education facilities, such as public halls. With a variety of study-related activities regarding the environment in these social education projects being conducted, Japan will continue to make efforts to provide children and youth with opportunities for learning about the environment.

(3)

Japan will promote the development and dissemination of such programs as environmental surveys which are easy for children and youth to undertake, and will make efforts to provide assistance to private organizations for their projects which supply children and youth with opportunities to express their opinions about environmental conservation.

Ministry of the Environment Government of Japan