Abstract
This paper examines “Education for Sustainable Development (ESD),” clarifying the current situation of research, activities, and future perspectives on ESD. It must first be noted that ESD is closely related to the concept of “Sustainable Development”, and that the idea of ESD first clearly appeared in the Thessaloniki Declaration of 1997. In 2002 at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg, the Japanese government and NGO committee members advocated introduction of ESD into every effort for achieving a sustainable society and sustainable education systems by developing a United Nations international project. Therefore in 2005, the United Nations launched the “UN-Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014). Since then, the number of research results and practical reports on ESD has increased. In Japan, the national government has been promoting ESD, for example, by arranging several laws and systems concerned with ESD. Furthermore, many educators and practitioners have also endeavored to implement ESD in many fields, such as school education, social education, and in local communities where networks and communities hold consultations for improved environments and amenities. Research outcomes such as ESD theory, ESD in school education, and ESD in community-building education are also taken up in this paper in order to explain current research contents, methodologies and findings. Regarding the volume and quality of research outcomes in the field of ESD, there is still a need for further consideration. In respect to the works mentioned above, there are ten points on problems, prospects, and themes that need to be henceforth addressed and are briefly mentioned.
