A new E-Discussion has begun on Education for Sustainable Development and will run until May 12.
Just as businesses are potentially powerful drivers of change, also are consumers. For the latter to fuel change, they need to be better aware of the impact of their choices on the environment and on the global community as a whole. Education can help address largely false dichotomies such as "biofuels versus food".
Education for sustainable development (ESD) has been mentioned from day one of the consultation, and a lively debate has arose on what this encompasses including discussions on what knowledge needs to shared, what alternative sources of knowledge can be tapped into, how should knowledge be shared.
These discussions confidently conclude that ESD will need to play a central role in the post-2015 development agenda. However, in the next phase this topic needs to be further explored.
- What is the role of education in changing behaviors?
- What kinds of education systems are necessary for environmental sustainability?
- Is there evidence that ESD changes behaviors and choices?
- What is the timeframe for such change to become visible?
- Are there other key drivers of behavioral change that need to be considered?