An Overview of ESD in European Countries: What is the Role of National Governments?

摘要

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is and will continue to be vital to national efforts to pursue the goal of sustainability. The problems posed by increased CO_2 emissions, the depletion of the rainforests, increased levels of pollution, to name a few, require a search for solutions to capitalize on various advantages derived from education, awareness and training on sustainability. The importance of ESD is particularly pertinent in Europe, the continent with the highest concentration of industrialized nations, where awareness of environmental problems has not always been translated into action. This paper describes the current status of ESD in Europe and introduces the state of affairs in a number of European countries. It presents the results of a survey involving member countries of the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), outlining some of factors that hinder progress at implementing ESD at the national level. Finally, it lists some measures for implementing ESD in practice.