How does ESD fit within the curriculum?

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ESD is an approach to the whole curriculum and management of a school, not a separate subject. The key concepts can be delivered across different areas of the curriculum such as geography, science, personal/social/moral education and citizenship.

There is broad support for ESD in the curricula of all the UK countries.

In England, Education for Sustainable Development is defined in the revised National Curriculum as "[enabling] pupils to develop the knowledge, skills, understanding and values to participate in decisions about the way we do things individually and collectively, both locally and globally, that will improve quality of life now without damaging the planet for the future."
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In Northern Ireland, sustainable development is defined by the Council for Curriculum, Assessment and Examinations in the aims and objectives of their review as: "the need to educate young people about the importance of maintaining the biological and physical support systems that will dictate the quality of life of future generations."
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In Scotland, the Education for Sustainable Development Group in a report to the Secretary of State for Scotland states that: "The purpose of education for sustainable development is to equip people with the skills, knowledge and understanding to help them to take better informed decisions, whether corporately on behalf of others or individually in their own lives, and to act in ways which are consistent with a sustainable future."
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In Wales, the Government of Wales Act (1998) gives the National Assembly a statutory duty to promote sustainable development. This is reflected in aspects of the curriculum which aim to "Foster and encourage positive attitudes and behaviour towards the environment and the principles of sustainable development, nationally and globally."
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The following are generally agreed to be key learning outcomes for ESD:

Knowledge and understanding

• How natural processes work
• That the environment and the human condition are inextricably linked
• How meeting human needs and wants affects the environment
• That the earth’s resources are finite and precious, and access to them unequal
• That the earth’s resources need careful management
• How pupils’ own lives and actions connect with the lives and actions of others – locally, nationally and globally; past, present and future (globalisation and interdependence)
• That quality of life is not just dependent on standard of living
• An understanding of the place of individual and collective rights and responsibilities
• How personal values and beliefs can affect behaviour
• How people around the world are responding to the challenge of sustainable development
• How the processes of decision-making work and how to take part in them.

Skills

• Cooperation and conflict resolution
• Critical thinking
• Negotiation
• Problem-solving
• Reasoned debate/ability to argue effectively
• Informed decision-making
• Creativity; ability to envision alternatives
• Ability to challenge injustice and inequalities
• Research and data handling.

Values and attitudes

• A sense of identity and self-esteem
• A commitment to the well-being of all living things
• Value and respect for diversity
• A commitment to social justice and equity
• Empathy and awareness of other points of view
• A desire to participate
• A belief that working with others can make a difference
• A belief in a positive future.

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