Education for Sustainable Development

Alongside its collaboration with national governments, UNESCO also works with various regional and global partners to address challenges, provide support, coordinate efforts, and develop solutions aligned with Target 4.7 of the Sustainable Development Goals. ESD offers an opportunity to comprehensively tackle some of the region’s most pressing social challenges—such as poverty, injustice, and inequality—by fostering skills and competencies that encourage reflection, collective problem-solving, and innovation to transform society for the future.
Strategic priorities
- Collaborating closely with Ministries of Education and Environment, along with other key stakeholders, to promote sustainable lifestyles.
- Reviewing and developing educational policies.
- Training and equipping teachers and educators.
- Analysing and assessing curricula, educational programmes, and projects.
- Implementing comprehensive sustainable development education initiatives.
- Conducting research on social, economic, and environmental frameworks, integrating diverse perspectives.
- Promoting and valuing community-led actions, Indigenous knowledge, and traditional wisdom.
- Encouraging youth inclusion in sustainable development initiatives.
Projects
News
Recommended documents
Resources



UNESCO-Japan Prize on Education for sustainable development

The UNESCO-Japan Prize on Education for sustainable development, funded by the Government of Japan, consists of three annual awards of USD 50,000 for each recipient. It was awarded for the first time by the Director-General of UNESCO in November 2015.