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What is the history of Education for Sustainability?

Chapter 36 of 'Agenda 21', the action blueprint from the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, advocated the pivotal role of education in the achievement of sustainability. The frequency of the use of terms 'education', 'public awareness'and 'training'within Agenda 21 positioned education at centre stage in building a sustainable future. It was seen as fundamental for achieving progress in other the chapters.
At the time countries from both North and South agreed that education was critical for promoting sustainable development and interpreted it as a process for increasing the awareness and ability of the people to address environment and development issues.
In 1996, the Commission for Sustainable Development (set up by the UN to monitor the follow-up decisions taken by the Earth Summit) concluded during its 4th Session, that 'in order to change unsustainable production and consumption patterns and lifestyles, it (is) essential to give great emphasis to the role of education for sustainable development'. It reiterated the key role that formal education systems must play in the achievement of sustainable development but also stressed the need to recognise the role of informal education in the community and in the family. These statements reflected a broader interpretation of education which was gaining ground across the globe.

The Commission initiated a programme of work on education for sustainable development (p22-24) reaffirming "that education, public awareness and training are critical for promoting sustainable development and increasing the capacity to address environment and development issues, and that therefore the implementation of chapter 36 of Agenda 21 will influence progress in the implementation of all the other chapters of Agenda 21".

Under the work programme, the Commission, urged that recommendations are integrated concerning education, public awareness and training contained in the action plans of all the major United Nations conferences and in the conventions since Rio; to advise on how education and training for sustainable development can be integrated into national educational policies; to refine the concept of education for sustainable development, the sharing of experience and the development of new partnership arrangements among educators, scientists, Governments, non-governmental organizations, business and industry, youth, the media and other major groups through both formal and non-formal channels. Education and training for sustainable development should be based on a broad participatory approach, taking into account local needs and values. The programme reiterated the key role that formal education systems must play in the achievement of sustainable development and also stressed the need to recognise the role of informal education in the community. These statements reflected a broader interpretation of education which was gaining ground across the globe.
By the time of Rio plus 5 in 1997, UNESCO reported that education seemed to be 'the forgotten priority of Rio' since there had been little national reporting of action or global funding. It was at this time that interpretations of 'education' began to move beyond awareness raising towards capacity building. Entering the education discourse were also interpretations of education as a critical policy instrument for change.
The momentum stimulated by the Rio Earth Summit in 1992 and 'Agenda 21' was revitalised at the World Summit for Sustainable Development which took place in Johannesburg in 2002. Discussions at the Summit reflected how education in the context of sustainability had evolved from former years, where it was mostly about reorienting formal systems and training, towards capacity building and learning based strategies for change. It was no longer just about becoming sustainability literate or receiving qualifications in this area. It was also about understanding education as an approach to making change within our families, communities, organisations and authorities.
The Johannesburg Summit culminated in the UN declaring the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, which is to be celebrated from 2005-2014. The Draft 'International Implementation Scheme' for the Decade interprets education as a strategic process which can challenge unsustainability in our societies.

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