Information, Communications, Education, Capacity-Building

The organizational decision to align more local management techniques and procedures with WWF International thrusts has prompted the communications unit to emphasize environmental education, incorporating Information, Communication, Education and Capacity Building into what we refer to as the ICEC Process. This process aims to facilitate the development of the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values that people can use to build self-sufficiency and contribute positively to conservation. It is a two-way process with very specific medium and long-term end goals.

Environmental education (EE) combines strategies from pedagogy, behavioral research, social marketing, gender analysis and participatory methodologies, as well as information and communication. These strategies are integrated in education projects in order to encourage people to explore and evaluate their action around specific environmental issues, as well as develop the knowledge and skills required to undertake a broad range of longer-term changes in the social and economic settings that challenge sustainability. Results, both for education and conservation, are evaluated as outputs, outcomes or impacts.

Sir Peter Scott, one of the founders of WWF, said, "The most important task, if we are to save the Earth, is to educate." The WWF network has been using education to engage, motivate, and empower people around the world to actively participate in decisions that affect the quality of the environment and the quality of their lives.

Conservation is a people issue. Education is an activity that engages people. With an integrated process that links the two, we are in a better position to achieve our goal of protecting biodiversity and creating a more sustainable global society.

To know more about our work in ICEC, please email gyan@wwf.org.ph.