Environment

The BSP is a regional programme within the UNESCO Associated Schools network.

The objectives in the BSP are to

• increase the awareness of the students about the environmental
  problems in the Baltic Sea Region and give them an understanding of the
  scientific, social and cultural aspects of the interdependence between
  man and nature
• develop the abilities of the students to study changes in the environment
• encourage students to participate in developing a sustainable future

The BSP works with the following means:

• building networks of schools, teachers and educational institutions in the Baltic Sea Region
• creating and developing educational approaches and joint programmes for environmental, international and sustainable development education
• organising joint activities and events and publishing the BSP Newsletter and other relevant information

The Basic characteristics of BSP schools are

• active participation in looking for solutions to the environmental problems in the Baltic Sea Region
• networking
• pilot function in promoting environmental education in the spirit of the Rio Declaration for responsible and sustainable development - Agenda 21 and Baltic 21.

The educational approach for the BSP is to

• achieve a balance between a holistic view and individual subject studies
• change the role of the student from passive recipient to active constructor
• change the role of the teacher from supervisor to guide in a learning process
• use networks to provide participants with opportunities to learn and pass along new ideas
• use international co-operation as an inherent element of school work

The Wuppertal Institute explores and developsmodels, strategies and instruments to supportsustainable development at the local, nationaland international level. Sustainability researchat the Wuppertal Institute
focuses on ecology andits relation to the economy and society. Specialemphasis is placed on analysing and supportinginnovations that decouple the development ofprosperity from the consumption of naturalresources.

The Institute's seat is in Wuppertal. It is represented in Germany's capital by its Berlin Office since 2004. In 2005, the Wuppertal Institute and the United Nations Environment Programme jointly founded the UNEP/Wuppertal Institute Collaborating Centre on Sustainable Consumption and Production (CSCP) in Wuppertal.

The four Research Groups are:

1. Future Energy and Mobility Structures
   Research Group 1 examines questions related totechnology and infrastructure, taking a systemsanalysis approach. In the areas of energy andmobility, it explores how the transition tosustainable structures can be facilitated, whatimplications this transition has and whatopportunities it offers. It seeks to evaluatetechnology and find coherent paths ofdevelopment, as well as carry out dynamicpotential analyses.
2. Energy, Transport and Climate Policy
   Research Group 2 focuses on strategies andinstruments for effective and integrated energy,transport and transportation, and climatepolicies. A central theme is the synergisticeffects of policy strategies that support thesustainable development of energy and transportsystems as well as climate protection ingeneral.
3. Material Flows and Resource Management
   Research Group 3 investigates material flowsfrom the extraction of raw materials through tofinal disposal, taking account of the global‘ecological rucksack' model as well as theland use involved. It develops concepts,strategies and instruments to improve resourceproductivity and sustainable resource management
4. Sustainable Production and Consumption
   Research Group 4 develops concepts andstrategies to promote sustainable management ofproduction and consumption patterns. This ismeant to make a contribution to the developmentand market launch of more sustainable products, production processes, and economy.