How has Education for Sustainability developed?

Over time approaches to education for sustainability (EfS) have evolved as our understanding of environmental issues and the role of education in achieving sustainability has developed.

Since the first environmental education conference in Australia in 1970, the focus of environmental education has shifted from knowledge of natural ecosystems – and the threats posed to them by overuse and depletion of resources – to equipping all people with the knowledge, skills and understanding necessary to make decisions based upon their full environmental, social and economic implications. ¹

More specifically over last decade, there has been a shift in focus for environmental education to address the complexities of ecologically sustainable development, with a re-orientation towards education for sustainability or as it is known internationally ‘education for sustainable development’. ² Terms such as environmental education, education for sustainability and education for sustainable development vary across cultural and political contexts, both locally and internationally and these concepts will continue to evolve.

<sub>1. Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (2009) Living Sustainably: the Australian Government’s National Action Plan for Education for Sustainability, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra.
2. NSW Council on Environmental Education (2006) Learning for Sustainability: NSW Environmental Education Plan 2006-10, NSW Council on Environmental Education, Sydney.</sub>

Learning for Sustainability: NSW Environmental Education Plan 2007-10, outlines the key changes in thinking reflected by the shift towards EfS

 

Focus	Earlier approach	Emerging approach
Problem	Pollution	Causes of unsustainable resource use
Solution	Environmental protection and conservation	Collaborative solutions for sustainable development
Connectedness	Humans separate from ecosystems	Humans part of ecosystems
Goals	Individual awareness, knowledge and behaviour	Sustainable lifestyles and societies
Methods	Predominantly information-based	Participatory and experiential, community development and capacity building
Time and scale	Short term, local and national	Long term and systemic
Learners	Audience and target groups	Participants, stakeholders and partners
Implementation	Mainly top down	Through partnerships and networks
Legitimacy	Technical and scientific expertise	Multiple perspectives – based on different ways of seeing, knowing and doing

 

Learning for Sustainability: NSW Environmental Education Plan 2007-10, outlines the key changes in thinking reflected by the shift towards EfS

 

Focus	Earlier approach	Emerging approach
Problem	Pollution	Causes of unsustainable resource use
Solution	Environmental protection and conservation	Collaborative solutions for sustainable development
Connectedness	Humans separate from ecosystems	Humans part of ecosystems
Goals	Individual awareness, knowledge and behaviour	Sustainable lifestyles and societies
Methods	Predominantly information-based	Participatory and experiential, community development and capacity building
Time and scale	Short term, local and national	Long term and systemic
Learners	Audience and target groups	Participants, stakeholders and partners
Implementation	Mainly top down	Through partnerships and networks
Legitimacy	Technical and scientific expertise	Multiple perspectives – based on different ways of seeing, knowing and doing

 

Education has been recognised internationally as fundamentally important to addressing the critical challenges we all face. The United Nations has declared the decade from 2005 to 2014 the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, emphasizing that education is an indispensable element for achieving sustainable development.

 

The overall goal of the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development is to integrate the principles, values, and practices of sustainable development into all aspects of education and learning. This educational effort will encourage changes in behaviour that will create a more sustainable future in terms of environmental integrity, economic viability, and a just society for present and future generations.

 

EfS is being applied to many different challenges and problems including gender equality, health promotion, environment, rural development, cultural diversity, peace and human security, sustainable urbanization and sustainable consumption.

 

More information about the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development is available via the  UNESCO website. The Australian Government response to the Decade is outlined in Caring for Our Future: The Australian Government Strategy for the UNDESD, 2005 – 2014.

Education has been recognised internationally as fundamentally important to addressing the critical challenges we all face. The United Nations has declared the decade from 2005 to 2014 the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, emphasizing that education is an indispensable element for achieving sustainable development.

 

The overall goal of the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development is to integrate the principles, values, and practices of sustainable development into all aspects of education and learning. This educational effort will encourage changes in behaviour that will create a more sustainable future in terms of environmental integrity, economic viability, and a just society for present and future generations.

 

EfS is being applied to many different challenges and problems including gender equality, health promotion, environment, rural development, cultural diversity, peace and human security, sustainable urbanization and sustainable consumption.

 

More information about the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development is available via the  UNESCO website. The Australian Government response to the Decade is outlined in Caring for Our Future: The Australian Government Strategy for the UNDESD, 2005 – 2014.