What is Education for Sustainability?

‘We need a shared commitment to education that empowers people for change. Such education should be of a quality that provides the values, knowledge, skills and competencies for sustainable living and participation in society.’
Bonn Declaration, UNESCO World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development, Bonn, Germany, April 2009

Formal and informal education and training is essential for the development of sustainable practices in the way we live and work. Education for sustainability, or EFS, aims to develop the knowledge, skills and understanding required to make decisions recognising the interdependence of our social, economic and environmental systems.

EFS empowers individuals and communities to reflect on current practice, identify opportunities and make informed decisions.

In order to achieve this, a new way of thinking is required and necessitates a new approach to education. Living Sustainably, The Australian Government’s National Action Plan for Education for Sustainability (2009) outlines seven key EFS principles.

EFS promotes learning which is interdisciplinary and holistic rather than subject-based, which encourages people to understand the complexities of and synergies between the issues threatening sustainability. Education incorporating: interdisciplinary and holistic learning; values-based, critical thinking; multi-method approaches (word, art, drama, debate, etc.); participatory decision-making; and locally relevant information, rather than national.