Education for sustainable development for 2030 toolbox

Policy-makers play a crucial role in fostering global sustainable development by creating an enabling environment for the widespread implementation of ESD.

• Education for sustainable development lens: a policy and practice review tool (2010)
  Supports the goals of the UN Decade for ESD and helps to initiate the process of re-orienting education towards sustainable development.
• Changing minds, not the climate: the role of education (2017)
• Integrating action for climate empowerment into nationally determined contributions: a short guide for countries (2020)
• Country progress on climate change education, training and public awareness: an analysis of country submissions under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (2019)
• United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Strategy for Education for Sustainable Development

Learning institutions need to be transformed so that students learn what they live and live what they learn. This whole-institution approach must align with sustainable development principles, reinforcing content and pedagogies.

• Education for Sustainable Development Toolkit (2006)
• Schools in action: Global citizens for sustainable development A guide for teachers (2016)
  Provides an overview of the importance for learners to become global citizens and how educators can support student contribution to sustainable development through classroom activities.
• Schools in action: Global citizens for sustainable development A guide for students (2016)
  Provides an overview of what it means to be a global citizen and how students can contribute to sustainable development, offering various activities.
• Getting climate-ready: a guide for schools on climate action (2016)
  Enables schools to become more climate-friendly and empowers children and young people to contribute to a healthier, fairer, and more environmentally sustainable society.
• Action for climate empowerment: guidelines for accelerating solutions through education, training and public awareness (2016) 
  Features examples on how to implement activities for strengthening climate action capacities at the national level.
• Stay safe and be prepared: a student’s guide to disaster risk reduction (2014)
• Stay safe and be prepared: a teacher’s guide to disaster risk reduction (2014)
• Stay safe and be prepared: a parents’s guide to disaster risk reduction (2014)

Educators need to be empowered and equipped with the knowledge, skills, values, and behaviors necessary in facilitating learners' transition to sustainable ways of life.

• ESD Sourcebook Teacher Education (2012)
  Focuses on how to integrate sustainable development into education and includes several ESD professional development videos 
• Exploring Sustainable Development: A Multiple-Perspective Approach (2012)
  Designed to help secondary school teachers deal with complexity and use a multiple-perspective approach to education.
   Greening technical and vocational education and training: a practical guide for institutions (2017)
  Designed to help leaders and practitioners of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) improve their understanding and implementation of ESD using a whole-institution approach.

Young people who are becoming increasingly vocal and active, demanding urgent and decisive change and holding world leaders accountable, in particular to address the climate crisis. 

• UNESCO Project Planner: Top Tips for youth action
  A helpful guide to implement environmental projects from concept to execution.

Active cooperation between learning institutions and the community should be encouraged to ensure the necessary knowledge and practices for sustainable development.

• UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities
  An international policy-oriented network providing inspiration, know-how and best practice.
• Learning Cities and the SDGs: A Guide to Action (2017)
  Highlights concrete approaches to the development of green, healthy, equitable and inclusive learning cities, including entrepreneurship opportunities within these learning cities.
• Learning Cities and Education for Sustainable Development video 
  A short starter’s video on ESD in cities.
• Multi-stakeholder approaches to Education for Sustainable Development in local communities (2020)
  Collection of examples on partnership and education for all, demonstrating how individuals from different walks of life or professional sectors can come together to learn and act in the pursuit of sustainable futures.

Member States are encouraged to engage in country initiatives to mainstream ESD in education and sustainable development.

• ESD Country Initiatives
• Voluntary National Reviews Database of the High-level political forum on sustainable development The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development encourages member states to conduct regular reviews of progress at both national and sub-national levels. These reviews aim to facilitate the sharing of experiences and thus accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
• ESD for 2030 Network
• ESD policy in Kenya (example) (2017)

In order to implement the five priority action areas of ESD for 2030, networking opportunities are organized to foster cross-national and cross sectoral collaboration.

• Education for sustainable development: partners in action (2015-2019) (2020)
  An analysis of the quantitative responses of key Global Action Plan (GAP) key partners to each of the 10 indicators.

Member States and other stakeholders are encouraged to conduct communication, outreach and advocacy activities, engaging a broader audience and a wider group of education and sustainable development partners.

• Education for Sustainable Development Goals - Learning Objectives (2017)
  Explains how education, in particular ESD, can be used to achieve the SDGs, and suggests topics and learning activities. 
• Sustainable Development Goals – Resources for educators
  Designed for educators, educational planners and practitioners. It offers hundreds of pedagogical ideas for classroom activities and multimedia resources detailing how best to integrate ESD into teaching and learning, from early childhood to secondary education.
• UNESCO Trash Hack Campaign
  Trash Hacks are small actions to reduce waste which can lead to big ideas for the planet. 
• The One Planet Network
  The One Planet network has formed to implement the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production, which supports the global shift to SCP and the achievement of SDG 12.
• Regional Centres of Expertise on ESD (RCEs) 
  Global objectives of local communities using their local knowledge and a global network. 

To support the implementation of the five priority action areas of ESD for 2030, see concrete evidence and strategic foresight of the latest developments in education and sustainable development sectors.

• Teaching and learning transformative engagement (2019)
  Explores the meaning of "responsible transformative engagement" to clarify the role of education.
• Issues and trends in education for sustainable development (2018)

To effectively implement the five priority action areas of ESD for 2030, mobilization of resources is crucial.

• UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Programme Launched in 1992, the UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Programme, promotes international inter-university cooperation and networking to enhance institutional capacities through knowledge sharing and collaborative work. 
• UNESCO UNEVOC Network
  This network for institutions specializing in technical and vocational education offers an environment of exchange, cooperation and mutual assistance for its members, the UNEVOC Centres.
• UNESCO Associated Schools Network (ASPnet)
  With more than 12,000 schools spread across 182 countries, the ASPnet is recognized as an effective tool in linking educational institutions across the world around a common goal: to build the defences of peace in the minds of children and young people.
• The World Network of Biosphere Reserves
  Biosphere reserves are learning places for sustainable development, where we can test interdisciplinary methods to understand and manage interactions between social and ecological systems, including biodiversity management and conflict prevention.
• Global Geoparks Network
  A non-profit International Association officially established in 2014 subject to French legislation.
• World Heritage sites
  UNESCO promotes the safeguarding of worldwide cultural and natural heritage of exceptional value through the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted in 1972.
• Intangible Cultural Heritage
  Intangible cultural heritage, which includes traditions or living expressions, is an important factor in maintaining cultural diversity in the face of increasing globalization.
• UNESCO Creative Cities Network
  The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN), made up of 300 cities was created in 2004 to promote cooperation between cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development.

To effectively implement the five priority action areas of ESD for 2030, a systematic assessment of the progress of ESD for 2030 should take place.

• The Recommendation on Education for Peace and Human Rights, International Understanding, Cooperation, Fundamental Freedoms, Global Citizenship and Sustainable Development (2023)
  The only global standard-setting instrument that lays out how education should be used to bring about lasting peace and foster human development. 
• On target: a guide for monitoring and evaluating community-based projects (2009)
  A monitoring and evaluation guide to support confidence and skills needed for the step-by-step process of project planning and related M&E activities.