2010 Volume 14 Issue 2 Pages 101-107
As the world prepares for ‘Rio plus 20,’ questions are being asked regarding the role and impact of education in the attainment of a more sustainable future. Chapter 36 of Agenda 21, a key contribution of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, consolidated arguments that education is critical to the achievement of sustainable development. It called for action to improve learning opportunities across the globe which challenge unsustainable practices and promote a better quality of life for all.
Since then, efforts have gathered pace internationally and have culminated in a United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD 2005-2014). National strategies, multi-stakeholder partnerships, international collaboration and local to regional initiatives have provided exemplars of how learning and education can contribute to a more positive future. Questions are now been asked about the extent to which these practices have been mainstreamed across education systems and opportunities; and, about how we know that these education efforts are making a difference. UNESCO, in particular, is seeking to monitor strategies, processes of learning and outcomes of education for sustainable development. This article reviews international efforts undertaken as part of the UN DESD to map global progress in education for sustainable development and asks the question, “are we learning to change our education systems and practices?”
