In this report, the authors introduce New Zealand's Environmental Education and Education for Sustainability (EfS) as well as its EnviroSchools which play a major role in these initiatives, based on educational policy reform that is transitioning to an emphasis on economic competitiveness from its welfare state policies and policies related to creating a sustainable society. They also closely examine analysis from an October 2010 policy evaluation report on Education for Sustainability and examine what the findings may suggest for school education in Japan. Through this research, it becomes clear that Environmental Education in New Zealand is being created through various initiatives and systems through various facets including: (1) mutual collaboration and cooperation amongst schools, families and communities (school support organizations, support networks, municipal boards, school board of directors), (2) maintenance of educational conditions in school administration and management (people, programs, practice, assimilation to place based on hidden curriculum, entire school management approach), (3) composition and implementation of educational curricula (emphasis on nature experience activities, cross curriculum, learning cycle based on behavior). Furthermore, it became clear that Environmental Education initiatives are playing a significant role and function as catalysts in the improving individual, organizational, and civic competencies in the promotion of Education for Sustainability in New Zealand. Not only Environmental Education is expected to contribute to environmental and educational facets, but it is also expected to contribute to social and community facets and is drawing a lot of attention as a way to create the leaders of a sustainable society, not just as contributing to traditional nature and science based environmental education.

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