P.h.D Chiara Scalabrino

PhD in Education for Sustainability in Business and Environmental Education. Official Andalusian Master in "Environmental Education" and Degree in "Environmental Sciences" with marine specialization. Currently consultant for the European Commission on ES (Education for Sustainable Development). Founder and coordinator of the Center for Education for Sustainable Consumption (CECS). Lecturer at CMI Business School.

Academic training

  • PhD in Education (cross-disciplinary research on the processes toward Sustainability of three business cases and their employee engagement) – University of Cadiz (Spain, 2017)
  • Master’s degree in Environmental Education – University of Cadiz (Spain, 2011)
  • Bachelor’s + Master’s degree in Marine Environmental Sciences – University of Genoa (Italy, 2000)

Areas of expertise

  • Sustainability leadership
  • Sustainable Consumption and Production. Just, Circular and Low Carbon Economy
  • Sustainable Development Goals and Innovation
  • Organisational transformation
  • Stakeholder engagement
  • Education for Sustainability
  • Scientific explainer (Climate change, marine litter, inequalities, life cycle, energy…)

Career path

I am an Environmental Scientist and since 2001 I developed professionally as an expert in Education for Sustainable Development or Sustainability (ESD or ES), in Sustainable Consumption and Production, and as a scientific explainer, working in the public, private and not for profit sectors, in educational projects and activities involving people of all ages. 

Currently consultant for the European Commission on ES issues and freelance teacher and adviser since 2011. From 2004 to 2010, founder and coordinator of the Centre of Education for Sustainable Consumption (CECS) of the Regional Environmental Protection Agency of Liguria (ARPAL) and its Regional Government, especially committed to Education for Sustainability involving citizens and professionals, and considered a "good practice" at the national level. As coordinator of CECS and as member of ARPAL-CREA (Regional Environmental Education Centre), I have been the regional spokesperson for the UNESCO Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-14) and, between 2017 and 2018, ARPAL’s reference person for the Circular Economy and Green Public Procurement. In addition, as an expert I have participated in numerous conferences and in two National Work Groups promoted by the Italian Ministry of Environment, on Sustainable Consumption and Eco-labels. 

After these experiences, in 2010 my interest in social and organizational change towards Sustainability led me to explore the idea of Sustainability in cooperatives and the processes towards greater sustainability of important European and multinational companies, in a cross-disciplinary doctoral thesis on “The role of Education for Sustainability in the evolution to the economy of the future”. 

One of the main outcomes of this research period has been the development of the authors’ framework for an Education for Sustainability as "Transformative Education for Sustainable Consumption and Production from a complex, critical and constructivist perspective" (Scalabrino, Navarrete and Oliva, 2017).

As a person, I have grown up between Africa and Italy, in a blend of different cultures: the art and history of Rome and the wild nature of the savannah and the coral reefs of Kenya. From an early age I developed a multicultural mentality and a global and critical view of the socio-economic-environmental-cultural challenges of our time.

My ability to implement the pedagogical approaches of Education for Sustainability, my trans-disciplinary perspective and my continuous updating in three languages are my greatest strengths. Contributing to my methods and ES competences, numerous research articles and readings of books of experts in business, sustainability and innovation, in education, psychology and sociology, in economics or engineering, in active listening and non-violent communication.

My pioneering and innovative attitude has led me to anticipate, since 2002 in environmental groups and 2005 in the Centre of Education for Sustainable Consumption of Liguria (IT), currently very popular topics such as the life cycle of products and eco-design from cradle to cradle, climate change, modern slavery or “marine litter”. 

In conclusion, I have developed a unique experience in Education for Sustainability with a systemic perspective (educational, environmental, social and economic), thanks to a multicultural background and 20 years fulltime professional experience as educator and researcher for Sustainability, and as European projects and stakeholders manager. 

Publications

Articles in Journals and books of proceedings

Books and reports

Chapters of books

Presentations and Conferences

  • Online workshops on Circular Economy "Responsible Consumption After Covid19: Why and How", organized by As. Defensa Consumers and Bank Users -ADICAE (6 and 13 Oct.2020).
  • Webinar "Reflections on plastic, water, waste... in the Covid19 era" at the Online Workshop "Towards Responsible Consumption After the Covid-19 Crisis", organized by As. Defensa Consumers and Bank Users -ADICAE (May 28, 2020).
  • Online lecture "Towards the new "reality”… What consumption and what economy?" at the online conference “Changes in Consumption After the Covid-19 Crisis", organized by ADICAE (29 Apr 2020).
  • Teaching in the university course “Didactics of Natural Science II”, Faculty of Education, University of Cadiz, 30h. (Feb.-Mar.20).
  • Lecture on "Innovation and change: Evolving in the Anthropocene", ADICAE workshops on energy, electronics and the Circular Economy (Seville, 4 Dec. 2019).
  • Presentation on “Home composting" in the course "Circular Economy Manager " (Cadiz, Jun. 19 and Jerez, Oct. 19).
  • Poster presentation “Promoting Life Cycle Thinking: a training of public officers for Green Public Procurement” in the PLATE (Product Lifetime and the Environment) Conference. Scalabrino, C., Navarrete, A., Oliva, J. M. (Sept. 2019)
  • Trainer in a cycle of 8 training courses of 8 hours each, for ARPAL employees “Introduction to the Circular Economy and Life Cycle Thinking”, (Genoa, Imperia, La Spezia, Apr.- May 2018)
  • Speaker in an interactive conference at the Genoa Science Festival 2015: “Equilibriums at stake: eco-ninjas in action” (Genoa (IT), Nov.  2015)
  • Design, proposal writing and educator of the training course “Why and how Sustainability: socio-economic-environmental challenges and opportunities. For professionals in a changing World”, for university students, promoted by the Office of Sustainability of the University of Cadiz (Cadiz, 25 hours, May 2015).
  • Design, proposal writing and educator of the training course “Healthy food for yourself and the planet” for university students, promoted by the Office of Sustainability of the University of Cadiz (Jerez, 19-23 May 2014).
  • Proposer and designer of didactic activities to strengthen personal engagement with sustainability, for an e-learning course on eco-publishing organized by the Junta de Andalucía -Region of Andalusia, Spain- (2014).
  • Educator in the training course “Sustainability and Social Responsibility” at the Instituto Provincial Educación Permanente, Cadiz (13-14 Nov. 2013).
  • Presentation in the VII World Environmental Education Conference of the study realized with Prof José María Oliva “The image of sustainability in Social Economy Enterprises” (Marrakech, Jun. 2013).
  • Presentation in the conference “Jornadas: Aprender del medio Ambiente. Encuentro de EA” (Learning from the environment: Environmental education meeting) organized by Fundación Migres “The image of sustainability in Social Economy Enterprises” (Vejer de la Fra.12-15 Apr. 2012).
  • Interactive lecture at Tarifa ECOcenter on “Sustainable consumption and production” (Tarifa, May 2011).
  • Interactive lecture on “Sustainable Consumption and Production and CECS” in a seminar of the master on Environmental Education in the University of Cadiz, (Cadiz, May 2011).
  • Trainer in a course designed for the environmental protection agency (ARPAL) workers on the new environmental topics “Sustainable Consumption and the CECS. Why sustainability?” (Genoa, May - Nov. 2010).
  • Collaboration with the Cultural Centre Carignano and the Municipality of Genoa in the environmental film festival “CINEA, il filo di Gaia” (22-30 Mar., 5 Jun. 2010), as expert on sustainable lifestyles, for the coordination and answering to the questions of the public at the end of movies (Genoa, 22-30 Mar., 5 Jun. 2010).
  • Training of a conference centre manager on “Reasons and solutions for impacts reduction” (Genoa, 2010).
  • Trainer on “Waste: why and how to reduce it through sustainable consumption” in a course on ARPAL’s waste management, designed for the environmental protection agency workers (Nov. 2009 - Jun. 2010).
  • Interactive lecture “Waste prevention: product life cycle, eco-labels and sustainable consumption” in a seminar on waste, organized by the citizens of the municipality of Recco (Jun. 2009).
  • Interactive lecture on “ECO-labels: why and how to recognize them” at the “Suq festival of cultures - ECO Suq: Eco-labels and the experiences of two companies: IKEA and Cartiera verde” (Genoa, June 2009). Facilitation of “Let’s play with waste!” game activity for kids (Genoa, Jun. 2009).
  • Design and facilitation of workshops for students and persons of all ages in the contexts of the fair “Fá la cosa giusta!” (Do the right thing!), the “Science Festival” of Genoa and the CECS activities (Genoa, 2004-2010).
  • Speeches in the 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 “Annual meetings of the Italian UNESCO National Commission for the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development” (Rome) on the experiences and proposals of the Region Liguria for the promotion of sustainable energy, CO2 reduction, waste recycling, cities and citizenship, transport.  
  • Facilitator of around 10 work groups of the networks of expert of the CECS (Centre of Education for Sustainable Consumption), for the co-planning of the activities of the Centre (2005-2010).
  • Guide and facilitator of workshops on sustainable energy in the fair “Energethica”, editions 2007, 2008, 2009 (Genoa).
  • Round table on “The experience of the Centre of Education for Sustainable Consumption (CECS) of ARPA Liguria” in the “5th INFEA (Information Training Environmental Education) seminar of Region Emilia Romagna – Round table on Sustainable Consumption” (Guiglia, Mo, 11-12 June 2009).
  • Coordinator of the meeting “Sustainable Consumption? Let’s do it! Presentation of good practices”, Fair “Terra Futura” (Florence, 30 May 2009).
  • Facilitator of the work group “Cooperate for... Networks for Education for Sustainability”, organised by ISPRA – Italian Institute for the Protection and Research of the Environment (Rome, 25 Mar. 2009).
  • Interactive lecture on “Conscious buying: how (life cycle analysis) and why” in the event “BoissanoAmbiente – What’s in your shopping bag” organized by the Municipality of Boissano (May 2008).
  • Interactive lecture on “Why sustainable tourism: from climate change to quality and innovation” in the two seminars “Tourism that changes: objective sustainability! Reasons and tools to choose quality” (Riomaggiore and Sanremo, 2008). 
  • Moderator and speaker in different editions of the fair “Terra Futura” (Florence, May 2006-2007-2008).
  • Awareness part on “Why renewable energy” in a Professional Training course organized by Universitas Genuensis.
  • Trainer and lecturer on climate change and reasons for sustainable behaviours in the courses and seminars organized by the CECS network for  the “UNESCO National Weeks on Education for Sustainable Development in Liguria” on sustainable energy (2006) and CO2 reduction (2007).
  • Lecture on the “Realization and start up of CECS” in the conference “Ecological and socio-economic sustainability of anthropic development” (Bari, Dec. 2007).
  • Lecture on “The experience of the Centre for Education on Sustainable Consumption of ARPA Liguria” in the round table “Eco info-points of Italy… get together!” (Ferrara, Oct. 2007).
  • Trainer on “Climate change: consumption and production models” in courses of the 3rd age University (Genoa, 2007).
  • Trainer on “Sustainable behaviour and life styles: food” in lessons for the University of the 3rd age (Genoa, May 2007).
  • Trainer and speaker on “Sustainable behaviour and life styles: how much you can save and why” in courses for school teachers and seminars for house holders (Savona and Genoa, Apr.-May 2007).
  • Lecture on “Climate change and sustainable tourism” in the seminar organized by the Mountain Community Intemelia for Bed and Breakfasts (Dolceacqua, May 2007).
  • Speaker in the round table “Responsible Tourism: experiences at comparison” organized by CGIL (Sanremo, May 2006).
  • Trainer on environmental problems, campaigns and communication as team leader of the Direct Dialog fund raising campaign of Greenpeace (Rome, Genoa, Milan, 2002-2003).