




































African Journal of Environmental Economics and Management Vol. 1 (4), pp. 076-085, November, 
2013. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals 

 

 
 

 

Review 

 

Framework for sustainable development education 
and lessons learned 

 
Santosh Kumar Mishra 

 
Population Education Resource Centre (PERC), Department of Continuing and Adult Education and Extension Work, S. N. D. 
T. Women's University, Patkar Hall Building, First Floor, Room. No. 03, New Marine Lines, Mumbai - 400020, Maharashtra, 

India. E-mail: drskmishrain@yahoo.com.  Tel: 91 022 22066892 (O), 09224380445 (M), 91 022 28090363  
(R). 

 
Accepted 31 July, 2013 

 
Today, educators face a compelling responsibility to serve society by fostering the transformations 
needed to set the path to sustainable development. The time has come to ensure that the concepts of 
education for sustainability - IN THE BROADEST SENSE - are discussed and woven into a framework upon 
which current and future educational policy is based. Understanding the principles of sustainability 
and the interdependence of the environment, the economy, and social systems can help learn to make 
the changes necessary to become effective stewards of natural resources and the environment. 
Education for sustainability of which many other disciplines are indispensable components, will 
engage partners from all arenas - adult education, on-the-job training, other formal and non-formal 
education programs, and the media - to reach out to as many individuals as possible. Clearly, the time 
is right to engage in a dynamic process to educate not only children but all citizens about the 
economic and environmental realities of today’s world. Individuals from business and government, 
the educational community, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) need to come together to 
share common themes, ideas, and challenges related to education for sustainability. This paper aims 
to give an insight into the framework within which skills and education can be imparted for 
environment and sustainability. It also: (a) Looks into the significant lessons learnt in implementation 
of education for sustainable development programmes; and (b) Discuses role of students in 
sustainable development initiatives. The paper concludes that achieving a sustainable future will not 
happen unless the educational system imparts education for sustainable development to citizens and 
specialists who understand the interconnections among the environmental, economic and social 
disciplines. 

 
Key words: Education, sustainability, skill, framework of action, community. 

 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
Education is essential to sustainable development. 
Citizens of the world need to learn their way to 
sustainability. The current knowledge base does not 
contain the solutions to contemporary global environ-
mental, societal and economic problems.  

Today’s education is, thus, crucial to the ability of 
present and future leaders and citizens to create 
solutions and find new paths to a better future. Education 

 
 
 

 
for sustainable development (ESD) is not a particular 
programme or project, but is rather an umbrella for many 
forms of education that already exist, and new ones that 
remain to be created. The ESD promotes efforts to 
rethink educational programmes and systems (both 
methods and contents) that currently support unsustain-
able societies. The ESD affects all components of 
education including; (1) legislation, (2) policy, (3) finance, 



Mishra               076  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
Figure 1. Sustainable development and its linkages with social, environmental and economic aspects. 

 
 

 
(4) curriculum, (5) instruction, (6) learning, and (7) 
assessment etc.  

The ESD calls for lifelong learning and recognizes the 
fact that the educational needs of people change over 
their lifetime. There are many programmes using an ESD 
approach to learning which is critical for achieving 
sustainability. Many individuals and organizations around 
the world already have implemented several ESD 
programmes through formal and non-formal channels of 
education Cohen (1995). Examples of such programmes 
include: 
 
1. A teacher weaving sustainability themes into primary 
education using participatory methods;   
2. A community development worker raising people’s 
awareness on rights which are denied to them; or   
3. A public health worker training people to draw water 
from clean sources.  

 
This paper aims to give an insight into the framework 
within which skills and education can be imparted for 
environment and sustainability. It also: 
 
1. Looks into the significant lessons learnt in 
implementation of education for sustainable development 
programmes, and   
2. Discuses role of students in sustainable development 
initiatives.  

 
 

 
DEFINING EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABILITY 
 
Education for sustainability is a lifelong learning process 
that leads to an informed and involved citizenry having 
the creative problem-solving skills, scientific and social 
literacy, and commitment to engage in responsible 
individual and cooperative actions. These actions will 
help ensure an environmentally sound and economically 
prosperous future.  

Sustainable development, as defined by the Brundtland 
commission in 1987, is “development that meets the 
needs of the present without compromising the ability of 
future generations to meet their own needs”. In a 
sustainable society, environmental protection and 
economic objectives belong to a common framework. In a 
sustainable world, environmental protection, economic 
objectives, and social justice should be linked in 
harmony. The conceptual framework of sustainable 
development and its linkages with various social, 
environmental and economic issues can be best 
understood from Figure 1.  

Many educators are helping society achieve 
sustainability by teaching the three “e’s” - environment, 
economics, and equity - along with the traditional three 
“r’s” - reading, writing, and arithmetic. In so doing, they 
are fostering awareness of sustainability among; (1) 
Individuals, (2) communities, (3) Institutions, and (4) 
Governments. 



 
 

 
In coming decades, education for sustainability has the 

potential to serve as a tool for building stronger bridges 
between; (1) the classroom and business, and (2) 
schools and communities.  

The ESD framework has four major principles which 
include: 
 
1. Promotion and improvement of high quality, relevant 
basic education;   
2. The reorienting of existing education policies and 
programmes to address the social, environmental and 
economic knowledge, skills and values inherent to 
sustainability in a holistic and inter-disciplinary manner;   
3. The development of public understanding and 
awareness of the principles; and   
4. The development of specialized training programmes 
to ensure that all sectors of society have the skills 
necessary to perform their work in a sustainable manner.  
 
 
DIMENSIONS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 
 
Sustainable development is an extension of socio-
economic development, including the environmental 
dimension. Sustainability is the simultaneous fulfilment of 
the objectives in the three spheres that is, the 
preservation of ecological integrity, providing social 
welfare through economic development. These goals can 
only be achieved through an accurate management of the 
interfaces between the spheres. The keywords included 
in the intersections are to be understood as big 
management guidelines or criteria (Peter, 1994).  

The concept of sustainable development is progress-
sively recognised by national governments, policy makers 
and many parts of industry as an important strategy, 
comprising the following three inextricably linked spheres: 
 
1. Environmental sustainability: The environment is 
mankind’s life support system and includes everything 
that we rely upon for our existence. This includes air, 
metals, water, rock and other living organisms. Clearly, 
many of man’s activities are not sustainable and work 
needs to be done to improve our relationship with the 
environment. Environmental sustainability includes these 
elements: (1) Climate change; (2) Air pollution; (3) Ozone 
depletion; (4) Oceans; (5) Freshwater; (6) Wildlife; (7) 
Soil; (8) Land use; (9) Waste; (10) Radioactivity; (11) 
Noise pollution, and (12) Light pollution.  

Environmental sustainability rests on the rational use of 
resources, such as: (1) Fossil fuels; (2) Nuclear energy; 

 
 

 
increased; stability promoted; the skills of the workplace 
need to be improved and workers empowered and 
rewarded. Within this element, there is considerable need 
for innovation, enabling products to compete on elements 
other than price. Economic sustainability includes these 
elements: (1) Energy; (2) Transport; (3) Waste; (4) 
Employment; (5) Investment, competition and stability; (6) 
Education and skills; (7) Business and industry; (8) 
Trade, and (9) Tourism.  
3. Social sustainability: A strong, diverse and thriving 
social structure is a key element of sustainability. The 
goal with this element of sustainable development is a 
sense of social cohesion, cultural inclusion and people 
empowerment. This is achieved through making 
meaningful improvements to the places where people live 
and work, giving them the chance to play an effective part 
in shaping change for a preferable future. The key 
elements within the social sustainability pillar are: (1) 
Health; (2) Poverty; (3) Communities; (4) Housing; (5) 
Travel; (6) Crime; (7) Recreation; (8) Consumption; (9) 
Food safety, and (10) Stress. 
 
 
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENT 
 
Environment is not only a huge area, but also a huge 
ecosystem in which millions of creatures live in. 
Environment provides raw material for economy. This raw 
material gained through the production process turns out 
to be a consumption product. Then, these raw materials 
and the energy used in production return to the 
environment as pollution. Therefore, sustainability of 
environment is reasonably important in regards of 
economical development.  

In relation to environment, the first comprehensive 
arrangements concerning international cooperation have 
been considered in the early 1970s (National Science 
and Technology Council, 1994). In 1972 in Stockholm 
“United Nations Human Environment Declaration”  
(Stockholm Declaration), the first global evaluation of 
many countries whose socio-economic structures and 
development levels differ from one another, was 
accepted. Sustainable development concept was first 
defined in 1987 with the Brundtland Report, prepared by 
World Commission on Environment and Development 
and since then began to be widely used.  

One of the important developments which support the 
sustainable development vision has come into effect with 
the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. Rio Earth Summit, the 
largest meeting including 172 countries, was an important  

(3) Agriculture;   (4)   Livestock;   (5)   Forestry;   (6) meeting  in  which  the  countries  have  approved  of  the   
Biodiversity; (7) Water; (8) Fisheries, and (9) Minerals.  
2. Economic sustainability: Sustainable development 
encourages people to take a more long-term view of the 
economy. To make the economy sustainable, it has been 
argued that more needs to be done with less in terms of 
the rational use of resources: Investment needs to be 

 
economic and global issues to be achieved in accordance 
with the environmental values and sustain-able 
development principles.  

Some basic principles about the sustainable 
development which focus on the environmental dimen-
sions are: 

077       Afr. J. Environ. Econ. Manage. 



Mishra               078 
 
 

 
1. Humankind is on the centre of the sustainable 
development. She/he has the right to have a healthy and 
efficient life in accordance with nature.   
2. On condition that they are not disturbing other 
countries’ environment, all countries save the right to use 
their natural resources according to their own politics.   
3. A development right which meets the current and 
forthcoming generations’ is necessary so that 
environment and development should be acknowledged.   
4. Environmental protection should be seen as a 
complementary part of development process.   
5. In terms of ecosystem protection and development, 
countries shall cooperate in global association spirit. In 
environmental protection, countries have common but 
different levels of responsibility.   
6. National authorities, in terms of “the one who pollutes 
pays it” principle, should make the environmental costs 
international and the use of economic devices improved.   
7. As to activities, which have effects beyond borders, the 
activist country should inform the related countries in time 
and provide them with necessary information.  

 
Briefly, the living environment provided by sustainable 
development means using of water resources so carefully 
that current and forthcoming generations can benefit 
adequately, keeping the weather clean in order to breath 
fresh air, making use of the benefaction of nature and 
living in good health ‘today’ and in the ‘future’. The 
concept of sustainable development is an important 
milestone in environmental theory because it points how 
society itself should be organized. This ambitious 
interpretation is widely shared by business leaders, policy 
activists, and academics alike. 
 

 
ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 
THROUGH EDUCATIONAL APPROACH 
 
Historically, various conferences and organizations have 
offered definitions of environmental education (Harold, 
1992). Under some of these definitions, environmental 
education includes the economic, environmental, and 
social dimensions contained in the concept of education 
for sustainability.  

As attention to the concept of sustainability escalates 
domestically and abroad, efforts must continue to bring all 
stakeholders together in its pursuit. The roles of citizens, 
communities, industry, and government in achieving the 
goals outlined in recent national reports on sustainability 
suggest that efforts should be increased to ensure that 
thoughtful and comprehensive planning is promoted by 
the formal and non-formal education community. 
 

These efforts should focus attention on the delivery 
systems used to achieve these goals. If sustainability is to 
be achieved, educators should take a leadership role, 
breaking new ground to prepare society for an age of 
accelerating change in a world of: 

 
 
 

 
1. Increasingly diverse and growing populations,   
2. An expanding economy, and  
3. Changing global environment.  
 
 
PRESENT FRAMEWORK FOR SUSTAINABLE 
DEVELOPMENT 
 
There are various subject areas under sustainable 
development. These include: 
 
1. Health issues and the well-being of people: Prevention 
and control of disease and injuries, as well as the long-
term monitoring of the impact of pollution and climate 
change, are critical to human health and sustainable 
development.   
2. Sustainable economic activities and increasing 
community prosperity: In order to be sustainable, 
communities must have an appropriate economic base to 
ensure their survival.   
3. Education and cultural heritage: These are a 
fundamental prerequisite for sustainable development 
and capacity building.   
4. Children and youth: Their well-being and potential are 
essential to the future of communities and must be 
protected and nurtured.   
5. Management of natural, including living, resources: 
This must be based on sound science and traditional 
knowledge to maintain and develop local settlements.   
6. Infrastructure development: This enhances economic 
growth and the quality of life of people.  
 

 
COURSE FOR ACTION 
 
Course of action will require the help of many disciplines 
focusing on the interconnections among the natural and 
built environment, and the economic and political forces 
that influence the world. These forces are fluid and 
subject to changing conditions. Sustainable development 
is, therefore, a process rather than a fixed goal. Vision of 
sustainability will develop and mature in the future as 
environmental, economic, and social forces undergo 
change. The principle that sustainability is a process will 
need to be reaffirmed continually as nations advance 
along the path to sustainability (William, 1969).  

There is recognition that successful efforts for 
implementing education for sustainability depend on six 
core themes. Collectively, these themes outline a course 
of action to educate for sustainability. They are; (1) 
lifelong learning, (2) interdisciplinary approaches, (3) 
systems thinking, (4) partnerships, (5) multicultural 
perspectives, and (6) empowerment. 
 

 
Lifelong learning 
 
Education is a process  that  is -  or  should  be – ongoing 



079       Afr. J. Environ. Econ. Manage. 
 
 

 
throughout one’s lifetime. As the Ontario Teachers 
Foundation has stated, learning is not “a prerequisite to 
living but is its accompaniment”. Lifelong learning is the 
first major theme of the action. “Lifelong learning” refers 
to non- formal education that occurs after one’s formal 
schooling has been completed. Learning is a process that 
occurs in non-formal and informal ways during an 
individual's lifetime. All forms of formal and non-formal 
education are part of the process of lifelong learning. 

Mishra 61 
 
 
 

 
be encouraged as part of non-formal educational 
experiences. “Non-formal education” is used by 
educators to indicate those forms of learning acquired in 
informal contexts, such as the media, workplaces, and 
community activities. All learners - both children and 
adults - need to see the connections among discrete bits 
of knowledge gained on a daily basis if they are to 
respond to the challenges posed by a nation moving 
toward sustainability. 

 
 
Interdisciplinary approaches 
 
Education for sustainability requires an understanding of 
the interdependence and interconnections of humans and 
the environment. Its elements include: 
 
1. Knowledge of global socio-geopolitical disciplines,  
2. Biological and physical sciences, and   
3. Human socio-economic systems.  

 
For example, education for sustainability will prepare 
policymakers for merging economics and the natural 
sciences with other disciplines when developing 
environmental policy. Environmental issues traverse 
studies of the natural sciences (biology, earth sciences), 
social studies (economics, anthropology, geography, and 
history), and the humanities (philosophy, the arts, ethics, 
and literature). Many schools have begun integrating 
environmental examples into some of their coursework, 
thereby fostering enthusiasm for science and other 
disciplines (Abbey, 1995).  

Ideally, disciplinary courses with social, economic, or 
environmental content should be accompanied by 
interdisciplinary subject matter on sustainability, which 
draws from a number of content disciplines. To the extent 
possible, educational curricula and pedagogy should 
reflect the interconnections among disciplines that are 
central to sustainable development. The benefit of this 
approach is that sustainability is an ideal organizing 
theme ideal for encouraging integrative thinking. Learning 
about sustainability necessitates breaking down the walls 
between disciplines, perhaps by focusing on a single real-
world issue addressed from various perspectives. To 
support this kind of experience, existing education 
standards may need to be revisited to embrace the major 
elements of sustainability.  

Whatever the approach, the process used and 
resources employed to integrate education for 
sustainability across the curriculum will remain a local 
issue to be addressed and continually assessed by 
communities, local and regional programs, and their 
respective stakeholders. Course materials with regionally 
specific, hands-on examples will have to be developed, 
and teachers will benefit from training and practical 
assistance.  

Equally important, interdisciplinary  approaches  should 

 
 
Systems thinking 
 
Educators generally accept that the first goal of learning 
is to impart knowledge and the second is to teach skills 
such as problem solving, conflict resolution, consensus 
building, information management, interpersonal 
expression, and critical and creative thinking. Education 
encompassing the concepts of sustainability offers an 
exemplary vehicle for developing and exercising many of 
these skills which are increasingly being sought by 
employers. Increasingly, these are the skills that 
employers are seeking in a world of complex problems 
requiring integrative solutions.  

As socio-economic problems and environmental issues 
become increasingly complex, advanced technologies 
can serve as a tool helping the human mind synthesize 
and integrate mountains of data. The importance of 
systems thinking cannot be ignored. Any concept - 
including sustainability - should be open to informed 
debate and sustainable development should not be 
taught as an ideology or as a goal, but rather as an 
ongoing process; not as a set of irrevocable answers, but 
as a way of continually asking better questions. 
 
 
Partnerships 
 
In addition to bridging disciplines, education for 
sustainability will mean reaching beyond schools to 
involve businesses and individuals with specialized 
expertise throughout the community. In the 21st century, 
learning about economic and social development as well 
as the built environment and natural resources will be the 
collective responsibility of public and private institutions, 
communities, businesses, and individual citizens 
worldwide. Partnerships among governments, 
educational institutions (from schools to community 
colleges and universities), industries, nongovernmental 
organizations, and community groups are increasingly 
important.  

Increasingly, businesses require a workforce that is 
both environmentally literate and skilled in 
interdisciplinary systems approaches to solving problems. 
Businesses can support formal education by participating 
in class work as mentors, by offering internships, by 
providing employees with opportunities for advanced 



Mishra               080 
 
 

 
training, and by employing business sites as classrooms. 
Most importantly, the business community and the 
education profession can engage in ongoing dialogue 
about common goals and how best to achieve them. 
National governments can support educational activities 
in the public and private sectors and build intergovern-
mental alliances to advance education and training by 
supporting educational activities. Educational institutions 
should seek ways to collaborate with nongovernmental 
organizations and industry to advance common 
objectives. 
 
 
Multicultural perspectives 
 
To be effective in reaching people across the country and 
around the world with a message that is relevant and 
meaningful, education for sustainability must encompass 
an appreciation of diverse cultural perspectives. This 
requires that the content of educational materials reflect 
divergent cultural approaches to sustainability. 
Educational materials and programs should be made 
accessible to all interested communities.  

Furthermore, educational programs should be rooted in 
the actual experiences of people in their own 
communities. These programmmes should not assume a 
common understanding of sustainability's political and 
social context. Finally, young people from diverse cultural 
backgrounds must be provided with the training and 
access necessary to pursue environmental and scientific 
careers. 
 
 
Empowerment 
 
Education is generally agreed to be the most effective 
way to impart knowledge and skills that can be applied 
outside the classroom in everyday life. The desired 
outcome is informed citizens who are prepared to 
participate responsibly in a sustainable society. Students 
can be empowered by giving their voice to new ideas and 
through action, such as voluntary community service, 
which is, itself an educational tool. Non-formal education 
programs also provide good opportunities for learners to 
act individually and collectively by providing the 
knowledge and skills necessary to evaluate and discuss 
complex issues. Education for sustainability can provide a 
vehicle for engendering responsible citizenship, utilizing a 
variety of instructional models and guidelines that have 
been long accepted in the field of education.  

Sharing experiences about successful actions that are 
engendered by education for sustainability in its formal 
and non-formal modes will accelerate the transition to 
sustainability. Information about existing models of 
sustainability can be disseminated through the media, 
multimedia technologies, information clearinghouses, and 
other means, both nationally and internationally. 

 
 
 

 
Sustainability at local level 
 
The challenge of sustainability at local level emerged with 
a new dimension in 1992, in the Rio Summit, where local 
governments committed themselves towards 
sustainability. Among the key issues, one that assumed 
particular importance was the call to create opportunities 
for wide participation of local actors in the search of 
strategies and action to achieve sustainability. In Local 
Agenda 21 (LA21), public participation assumes a 
fundamental role.  

It is well known fact that local participants are the ones 
with the best knowledge of how the local ecosystem and 
culture are connected together and how they work 
(Julian, 1995). Going further, and as the UN Commission 
argues, an effective citizen participation in decision 
making processes helps the promotion of the social and 
economic equity within among nations. This is a question 
often neglected that causes the inability to promote the 
common interest in sustainable development. So, there 
will be no sustainability without a greater potential for 
citizens to take control of their own lives, health and 
environment (http://www.gcrio.org/edu/pcsd/chap1.html, 
Accessed on December 10, 2011).  

In several countries, it is primordial to find new forms of 
public participation that promote the effective involvement 
of the population and create partnership opportunities 
among stakeholders to achieve common solutions and 
assure its implementation. However, this cannot be done 
always in the same way. It is necessary to adapt the 
participation methods to the population in question, and 
to its social, economic, cultural and environmental 
characteristics (Jayne, 1995). 
 
 
ECO-SCHOOL PROJECT 
 
This project is an international project carried out with the 
cooperation of 14 countries. Eco-Schools Project is a 
programme carried out to teach in schools about 
environmental awareness, environment management and 
sustainable development education (Figure 2). With 
participant approach, students in schools get both 
information about environmental issues and have an 
effective role in making their families, local 
administrations and civil society organizations aware of 
the environmental issues (Rosalyn, 1995).  

Students, in order to help carry out sustainable 
development process at local level have an effective role 
in decreasing the environmental effects of school 
(Commission of Global Governance, 1995). Therefore, 
eco-schools, going beyond the teacher in class, 
contribute to provide environmental awareness in other 
parts of the society. Study is launched with one of the 
basic environmental issues like garbage and contami-
nation- water- energy and recycling. Eco-schools, after 
studying these three issues for about one or two years 



Mishra 63 
081       Afr. J. Environ. Econ. Manage.  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
Figure 2. Eco-Schools project. 

 

 
and making sure that the students comprehend the 
issues completely, can carry on their studies in the sub-
branch fields like bio-variety, extinct animals, etc. Studies 
carried out throughout the year are scheduled with an 
activity plan. To carry out studies in accordance with the 
plan, finding out the false parts and removing with the 
suggestions are handled by the students. Coordinator 
teacher reports the studies to the National Coordinator of 
Project at the end of the year. Coordinator evaluates the 
school’s success by examining the activity plan and the 
report at the end of the year (UNCED, 1992). 
 

 
ROLE OF STUDENTS IN SUSTAINABLE 
DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES 
 
Students by their status constitute one of the most 
enlightened members of the society. They are in most 
cases, the youths, full of energy, stamina and innovative 
skills. As educated people and to whom tomorrow 
belongs, they have a lot to offer in peaceful co-existence. 
In general, they are expected to be educators and 
informants of light and not darkness. Their ability to live 
and work together should have a positive impact on the 
larger society.  
Each student should: 
 
1. Be able to define sustainability.   
2. Be able to explain how sustainability relates to their 
lives and their values, and how their actions impact 
issues of sustainability.   
3. Be able to utilize  their  knowledge  of  sustainability  to  

 

 
change their daily actions and consumer mentality.  
4. Be able to explain how environmental, social, and 
economic systems are interrelated.   
5. Learn change agent skills (understands the 
sustainability issues; can analyze the issues and possible 
solutions from a systems perspective as well as a 
personality/group dynamics perspective; and can identify 
and implement viable solutions to shift the organizational, 
societal or cultural practices and policies towards 
sustainability).   
6. Learn how to apply concepts of sustainability to their 
campus and community.   
7. Demonstrate a commitment to sustainability by actively 
applying their knowledge of sustainability to their lives, 
professions, and societies.  

 
Students entering colleges have become increasingly 
more pragmatic and utilitarian in their approach to 
education. Higher education is seen as a means to social 
mobility, as opposed to developing a habit of mind that 
leads one to leadership and service. The vast majority of 
students entering higher education are more sheltered 
and conventional than preceding generations. Their 
highly structured lives have been framed by standardized 
tests and inexperience questioning the status quo. These 
characteristics coupled with an intense desire to be 
successful leads to a group of students who are 
motivated to make change, but lack the direction to do so. 
An ability to think critically beyond the status quo and 
utilize this knowledge is critical to their success. 
Employers rely on universities to prepare students for the 
reality of the world of work. This reality is framed by the 



Mishra               082 
 
 

 
triple bottom line. Corporations want to be perceived as 
environmentally friendly, fiscally responsible, and 
attentive and caring towards their employees and 
communities. Sustainability has become a requisite 
knowledge area for many industries and careers.  

Fostering student learning and promoting citizenship 
through the engagement of the disciplines is the 
philosophical and historical core of education in the 
United States. In the student affairs profession, this 
learning (in partnership with a co-curricular context about 
civic engagement and personal development) prepares 
students to encounter life’s big questions. In the 21st 
century, the questions the students encounter include 
those around; (1) climate change, (2) inequity in how 
humanity interacts and treats one another, and (3) the 
inability of present global economic systems and regu-
lations to provide for all people.  

Furthermore, the World Student Community for 
Sustainable Development (WSC-SD) is a multi-
disciplinary network of motivated students with the ability 
to think and act both locally and globally, and who share 
the vision to make a difference. Its purpose is to be a 
leading international student organization that carries out 
meaningful projects which result in positive and enduring 
changes that improve lives and communities around the 
world.  

The fundamental purpose of the WSC-SD aims to give 
motivated students, who are passionate about 
sustainability, opportunities to learn from each other and 
to collaborate. The WSC-SD hopes to offer students 
opportunities to get involved and to take action. Currently, 
the WSC-SD is comprised of 10 member student 
communities, 4 partner student communities and a 
growing network of individual members internationally. 
The scope and the nature of the student communities 
differ just as the personal efforts of the individual 
members vary. The WSC-SD is making a difference in 
the world because of the projects being implemented by 
the members. Such projects occur at different levels. 
Currently, countless projects are being implemented by 
student communities around the world. The main activity 
of the WSC-SD is to support each other in taking action 
for sustainability. Further, at schools across New York, 
students, teachers and staff are making a difference in 
their communities with program to recycle, reduce waste,  

save energy and conserve resources besides the 
longrange benefits of good environmental stewardship. 
Sustainability skills include the ability to: 
 
1. Consciously contribute to healthy ecosystems through 
activities such as reducing your carbon footprint, and 
other initiatives so humans and other species can 
continue to live on the planet.   
2. Generate support for change through strong 
communication skills, consensus building strategies, and 
with openness to the ideas and struggles of others.   
3. Articulate  clear,  strategic,  and  practical  course  for  

 
 
 

 
changes on our campuses and beyond that will contribute 
to sustainability.  
4. Challenge the status quo to achieve transformative 
change around sustainability.   
5. Take action on issues and get involved by joining 
organizations, assess the political, economic, and cultural 
landscapes contacting elected officials, or simply share 
information with colleagues, family, and friends.   
5. Apply effective change agent skills and implement 
them to achieve sustainability.  
6. Design sustainable programs, policies, and practices.   
7. Educate students to be lifelong learners and role 
models on sustainability awareness, knowledge, and 
skills.  
 
Each student should: 
 
1. Be able to define sustainability.   
2. Be able to explain how sustainability relates to their 
lives and their values, and how their actions impact 
issues of sustainability.   
3. Be able to utilize their knowledge of sustainability to 
change their daily actions.   
4. Be able to explain how environmental, social, and 
economic systems are interrelated.   
5. Learn change agent skills (understands the 
sustainability issues; can analyze the issues and possible 
solutions from a systems perspective as well as a 
personality/group dynamics perspective; can identify and 
implement viable solutions to shift the organizational, 
societal or cultural practices and policies towards 
sustainability).   
6. Learn how to apply concepts of sustainability to their 
campus and community.   
7. Demonstrate a commitment to sustainability by actively 
applying their knowledge of sustainability to their: (a) 
lives, (b) professions, and (c) societies.  

 
Sustainability education should provide faculty and 
students with an opportunity to explore how their 
behaviors affect the quality of life of people and other 
living beings around the globe. It should also emphasize 
pedagogical learning approaches that are active and 
experiential, based on inquiry and real world problems. It 
can be interwoven into all disciplines and can elevate the 
learning experience to one that is richer in relevance and 
meaning. 
 
 
LESSONS LEARNED 
 
One lesson learned from the several years of educational 
efforts aimed at addressing education about the 
environment is that there is an opportunity for improved 
collaboration (Mindi, 1995). Individual roles for each 
stakeholder are important, but collective action is essen-
tial to reduce duplication and leverage scarce resources. 



083       Afr. J. Environ. Econ. Manage. 
 
 

 
All sectors of society should work toward complimentary 
goals so that education for sustainability can achieve its 
full potential. Educators, the private sector, government, 
and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) should 
evaluate their respective strengths and address how to 
better coordinate limited resources. Awareness of shared 
needs and common ground is the first step.  

Educators have identified a number of obstacles that 
are impeding the integration of information about the 
environment and sustainability in formal learning settings 
(Carol, 1993). One obstacle is that the interdisciplinary 
content of education for sustainability does not easily fit 
into a discipline-oriented educational process. Other 
obstacles are the lack of general agreement among 
professional educators that education for sustainability is 
a priority and there is insufficient professional preparation 
for teaching the core content of sustainability issues. Until 
recently, there has been a lack of consensus on an 
effective system for evaluating programs and materials in 
order to ensure quality; however, the North American 
Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) has 
developed material standards for evaluating 
environmental education curricula (U. S. Department of 
Commerce, 1994; Goals, 2000).  

New approaches to learning may offer significant 
benefits. New approaches will be more readily accepted if 
the benefits of teaching education for sustainability are 
understood (U.S. Department of Education, 1993, 1995). 
Professional training is needed to enable teachers to 
introduce new curricula and methods into the classroom. 
Still another challenge for educators is finding ways to 
incorporate diverse cultural perspectives. Administrators 
in universities and colleges should consider adopting 
sustainable procurement practices and persuade funders 
to support interdisciplinary research and teaching, which 
is increasingly needed for finding sustainable solutions 
(Software Publishers Association, 1995).  

NGOs frequently are faced with the challenge of trying 
to persuade foundations, businesses, and the public to 
sustain support for effective programs over an extended 
period of time, rather than changing focus annually. Many 
non-profit entities, both small and large, have learned that 
collaborative and synergistic approaches strengthen 
programmatic initiatives and contribute to longevity and 
the much-needed financial resource base.  

Business leaders can contribute by working with 
educators to set priorities to ensure that their support for 
educational programs is allocated to those that are 
effective, produce measurable results, and survive long 
enough to have a real impact. At the same time, 
companies can participate in mentoring programmes and 
internships. In the past, the business sector has made a 
number of indirect contributions to education for 
sustainability, such as developing innovative systems-
oriented approaches to problem solving. In addition to 
these kinds of contributions, business can finance training 
for their workers in the use of sustainable 

Mishra 65 
 
 
 

 
technologies and develop innovative approaches to 
protect the environment and ensure economic prosperity.  

While there are many successful education efforts 
underway across the regions of the globe, there is an 
opportunity for officials to address the lack of effective 
coordination among the educational activities of individual 
agencies. Duplication of efforts among agencies as well 
as a steady decline in fiscal support limit efforts to 
advance education for sustainability (UNESCO-UNEP, 
1988).  

In addition, government, the scientific community, 
educators, and the media should ensure that information 
provided to the public is accurate, useful and clearly 
presented. The vehicles, by which information is 
furnished – ‘internet’, ‘media’, and ‘publications’ - are 
continually changing and require: (1) ongoing training, (2) 
skill acquisition, and (3) upgrades in equipment 
(http://www.plotki.net/cms/images/stories/updatedrumour 
s/sustainble/sustainable_development_education.pdf, 
Accessed on December 11, 2011). 
 
 
CONCLUSION 

 
The convergence of a number of trends and events in 
recent years suggests that a unique opportunity to 
advance education for sustainability has arrived. On the 
one hand, the field is benefiting from increased attention 
from professional societies, continued surges of public 
concern over local and national and international 
environmental issues and ongoing engagement by NGOs 
and governmental bodies (Rawls, 2001). In addition, the 
impetus provided by the Earth Summit and other 
international efforts, is catalyzing increased public 
attention to education for sustainability (Redford and 
Steven, 1992). This trend is fostering interdisciplinary 
linkages among the natural and social sciences. 
Achieving a sustainable future will not happen unless 
educational system involves citizens and specialists who 
understand the interconnections among the environ-
mental, economic, and social disciplines.  

Today, education for sustainability is positioned to enter 
the international stage as a priority for the coming 
decade. Taken together, the initiatives and framework 
offer a starting point. The hope is that the efforts and 
initiatives will stimulate further dialogue and action.  
The overarching goal is to infuse the concepts of 
sustainability into all learning: From structured schooling 
in formal education settings to lifelong learning in non-
formal programs. Education for sustainability can help 
prepare the society and international community for a 
“fast-paced world of rapid scientific, social, technological, 
workforce, and demographic changes” (http://wscsd.org/, 
Accessed on December 11, 2011).  

Increasingly, citizens young and old are flooded with 
information. On the Internet, for example, they can find 
information about: 



Mishra               084 
 
 

 
1. Global-scale environmental changes like global 
warming, loss of biodiversity, and the ozone hole; and   
2. How human activities contribute to these changes, how 
they are inter-related and how they affect ecosystems 
and human health.  

 
The most up-to-date scientific information is more readily 
available than ever before. The key question, however, is 
whether citizens will be able to understand how to use 
this information. Education is a vehicle that can ensure 
that technology and the capacity to use information are 
available to everyone 
(http://www.tufts.edu/talloiresnetwork/downloads/Recasti 
ngtheRoleofYouthintheMENARegionandBeyond.pdf, 
Accessed on December 11, 2011).  

Education is bridge “from the past to the present” and 
“from the present to the future”. A deep recognition of the 
importance of education is the necessary first step if the 
globe is to achieve the level of sustainability. Infusing the 
concepts of sustainability throughout learning 
experiences will help foster that awareness. Involvement 
of educators, government, businesses, and NGOs 
working toward common goals will lead to an 
understanding of multiple perspectives and informed 
decision-making. In true sense, education for 
sustainability seeks answer to the following questions: 
 
1. What if every person benefited from an education 
promoting development that is environmentally sound, 
socially equitable, culturally sensitive and economically 
just?   
2. What if learning was about knowledge and also about 
doing, being, interacting with others and changing the 
world?   
3. What if formal learning was enjoyable, hands-on and 
relevant to life outside school while addressing the 
problems of our world?   
4. What if every person benefited from genuine learning 
opportunities throughout life, in the workplace, and within 
the community?   
5. What if education systems prepared learners to enter 
the workforce as well as handle a crisis, be resilient, 
become responsible citizens, adapt to change, recognize 
and solve local problems with global roots, meet other 
cultures with respect, and create a peaceful and 
sustainable society?  
 
To sum up, the environmental dimension of the 
sustainable development is necessary for the 
continuation of the living life on the earth. Therefore, all 
countries in the world should follow a particular 
environmental policy. However, in this matter people 
should also be informed. Peoples’ fulfilling of their 
responsibilities leads to a good deal of development by 
which the natural life is affected positively like decreasing 
of energy consumption and preventing environmental 
pollution. The thing which is necessary for peoples’ 
awareness is to provide them as citizens who are: 

 
 
 

 
1. Environmentally aware, and   
2. Active participant about environment beginning from 
primary school.  

 
Managing sustainable development involves considering 
interrelated environmental, economic, and social effects 
and considering policy and programme objectives over an 
intergenerational time-frame. This integrated and long-
term approach is a particularly challenging aspect of 
managing sustainable development 
(http://www2.myacpa.org/docs/publications/ACPA_Sustai 
nability_Monograph.pdf, Accessed on April 18, 2012). 
 
 
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