Education for Sustainable Development

Latin America and the Caribbean is a region of great social and cultural diversity. It is home to all known types of ecosystems and has considerable climatic diversity, with local variations due to latitude, altitude, terrain, and distance from the sea—all of which have contributed to extraordinary biodiversity. Given this exceptional context, UNESCO promotes actions focused on gathering evidence, management, support, and technical guidance to help countries integrate and implement the principles of sustainable development into their policies and education systems, empowering youth and communities as agents of change.
EDS
Last update:10 June 2025

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

Mangroves Restauration as a nature based solution in Biosphere Reserves in Latin America and the Caribbean

UNESCO Santiago initiatives.

ESDNet 2030 – Education for Sustainable Development National initiatives
Integration of education, environment and climate change sectors into public policies and programmes in LAC
Education for Sustainable Development National initiative (Chile)
Intersectoral project on Sciences & Education

Fostering education for sustainable development in UNESCO’s designated sites

Resources

Education for Sustainable Development (UNESCO Paris)
ESD for 2030 Global Network
Education for sustainable development for 2030 toolbox

UNESCO-Japan Prize on Education for sustainable development

EDS

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.