Refounding the Sustainable Development Goals
Led by two researcher-teachers from the Université de Toulon, the Assemblée de la Terre – France aims to rethink the Goals in an eco-centered way.
Adopted by the Nations Unies in 2015, the SDGs go beyond the sole framework of purely environmental issues to cover the concepts of biodiversity, energy, water, poverty, gender equality, economic prosperity, as well as peace, agriculture, education, etc.
SCIENTIFIC APPROACH Due to their international work and expertise on the subject, Caroline Regad and Cédric Riot, researcher-teachers at the Université de Toulon, were designated by Maria Mercedes Sanchez, the founder of the Harmony With Nature program of the ONU, to coordinate the development and implementation of the Assemblée de la Terre – France. In France, in-depth discussions have been initiated with numerous personalities acting within public or private structures, including: the Ville de Paris (including its environmental health and biodiversity observatories, but also the 'animal in the city' mission), the Parc national des Calanques (Marseille), the Office français de la biodiversité (Brest), the Métropole de Lyon, and the Conseil départemental des Côtes-d'Armor (Saint-Brieuc).
At the same time, the Assemblée de la Terre pays particular attention to the voices of younger generations. Participation mechanisms are being deployed (walls of intentions, video capsules, graphic or artistic productions...), notably within the educational framework.
The process is already underway in the Vosges, with nearly 70 schools involved.
A meeting is planned with all the heads of schools in the educational network of the Compagnie Marie Notre Dame, which brings together 213 preschools and elementary schools, 10 middle schools, and 8 high schools, including two agricultural ones, spread across the entire national territory.