Education is the foundation
for sustainable development. It is a key instrument for bringing about changes
in values and attitudes, skills, behaviors and lifestyles consistent with
sustainable development within and among countries.
The concept of sustainable
development includes the key areas of society, environment and economy, with
culture as an underlying dimension. The values, diversity, knowledge, languages
and worldviews associated with culture influence the way Education for
sustainable development is implemented in specific national contexts.
The
concept of sustainable development emerged as a response to a growing concern
about human society’s impact on the natural environment. The concept of
sustainable development was defined in 1987 by the Brundtland Commission
(formally the World Commission on Environment and Development) as ‘development
that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs’ (Brundtland,
1987). This definition acknowledges that while development may be
necessary to meet human needs and improve the quality of life, it must happen
without depleting the capacity of the natural environment to meet present and
future needs. The sustainable development movement has grown and
campaigned on the basis that sustainability protects both the interests of
future generations and the earth’s capacity to regenerate. At first it emphasized
the environment in development policies but, since 2002, has evolved to
encompass social justice and the fight against poverty as key principles of
sustainable development.
The
concept of sustainable development emerged as a response to a growing concern
about human society’s impact on the natural environment. The concept of
sustainable development was defined in 1987 by the Brundtland Commission
(formally the World Commission on Environment and Development) as ‘development
that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs’ (Brundtland,
1987). This definition acknowledges that while development may be
necessary to meet human needs and improve the quality of life, it must happen
without depleting the capacity of the natural environment to meet present and
future needs. The sustainable development movement has grown and campaigned on the basis that sustainability protects both the interests of future generations and the earth’s capacity to regenerate. At first it emphasised the environment in development policies but, since 2002, has evolved to encompass social justice and the fight against poverty as key principles of sustainable development.
Good quality education is an
essential tool for achieving a more sustainable world. This was emphasised
at the UN World Summit in Johannesburg in 2002 where the reorientation of
current education systems was outlined as key to sustainable
development. Education for sustainable development (ESD) promotes the
development of the knowledge, skills, understanding, values and actions
required to create a sustainable world, which ensures environmental protection
and conservation, promotes social equity and encourages economic
sustainability. The concept of ESD developed largely from environmental
education, which has sought to develop the knowledge, skills, values, attitudes
and behaviours in people to care for their environment. The aim of ESD is
to enable people to make decisions and carry out actions to improve our quality
of life without compromising the planet. It also aims to integrate the
values inherent in sustainable development into all aspects and levels of
learning.
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