Curriculum Development for Sustainable Development
Description
This book addresses the intersection of curriculum development and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), a field gaining urgency amid global environmental and social crises. Its background lies in the global push for ESD, championed by bodies like UNESCO, which argues that education systems must fundamentally evolve to equip learners with the knowledge, skills, and values to create a sustainable future.
The book's primary aim is to bridge the significant gap between the high-level theory of ESD and its practical implementation within formal educational curricula. It moves beyond advocating why ESD is needed to provide concrete guidance on how to design, deliver, and evaluate curricula that effectively embed sustainability principles across all subjects and educational levels.
Its major contribution to the literature is its holistic and integrative approach. Rather than presenting sustainability as an add-on, the chapters Showcase how it can be a core, transformative lens through which all learning is viewed. It synthesizes theoretical frameworks from sustainability science, pedagogy, and curriculum design with evidence-based case studies and practical tools for educators, policymakers, and curriculum developers. By offering a coherent model that connects philosophical underpinnings with actionable strategies, the book provides an essential resource for translating the ambitious goals of sustainable development into tangible educational practice.
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Persons
Walter Leal Filho is a Senior Professor and Head of the Research and Transfer Centre "Sustainable Development and Climate Change Management" at Hamburg University of Applied Sciences in Germany, and Chair of Environment and Technology at Manchester Metropolitan University, UK. He is the initiator of the Word Sustainable Development Symposia (WSSD-U) series, and chairs the Inter-University Sustainable Development Research Programme. Professor Leal Filho has written, co-written, edited or co-edited more than 800 publications, including books, book chapters and papers in refereed journals.
Golda A. Edwin is the Executive Director of APSCC Global and an Associate Professor at MVIT, India, with over two decades of leadership in sustainability. A global expert with experience across the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, UNFCCC, IPBES, FAO, and IUCN, she has led major climate, education, and ecosystem initiatives worldwide. Widely published and recognized with major environmental awards, she continues to advance sustainability strategies, foster effective partnerships, and strengthen green practices across institutions, cities, and communities.
Dr. Nandhivarman Muthu, a seasoned Senior Executive with over three decades of experience. Having multiple degrees in Science & Law, presently, holds the position of Coordinator, Office of Green Campus, Pondicherry University; Secretary-General of Association for Promoting Sustainability in Campuses and Communities; and as an Empaneled Arbitrator of Indian Council of Arbitration. His specialization lies in the interconnections of Water-Food-Energy-Biodiversity-Upcycling (Climate Change Adaptation). He is an 'Elected Advisory Committee Member' of the UN - World Water Quality Alliance; 'Expert Member' in the 'Capacity Building Task Force' of the UN - Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, also serves as an 'Authorized Observer' for multiple United Nations programs.
Content
Chapter 1. Envisioning Eco-centric Frameworks for Curriculum Development and Implementation in the Anthropocene.- Chapter 2. Envisioning Eco-centric Frameworks for Curriculum Development and Implementation in the Anthropocene.- Chapter 3. Pedagogy for sustainable futures: Integrating culture for comprehensive sustainability learning.- Chapter 4. Artificial Intelligence and Sociodigital Futures: Curricular Experiences for Sustainable and Immersive Education.- Chapter 5. Embedding Sustainability: Case Studies of Successful Curriculum Models for a Greener Future.- Chapter 6. Integrating sustainability teaching in higher education in South Africa: critical reflections.- Chapter 7. Scaffolding Sustainability Curriculum Within and Across Institutions: A Cautionary Tale.- Chapter 8. Walking the Sustainability Talk: The Case of a Higher Education Institution.- Chapter 9. Policy Innovations for Sustainability Education: Challenges, Opportunities and Lessons from Namibia and Ghana in Green Curriculum Development.- Chapter 10. Integrating Education for Sustainable Development in Teacher Training Curricula: A Comparative Analysis of Finland and Ghana.- Chapter 11. Co-developing European curricula and resources for sustainability (teacher) education: the case of Teacher Academy Project-Teaching Sustainability.- Chapter 12. Investigating Teacher Turnover in Namibia's Education System: Implications for Sustainable Curriculum Development in the Kandjimi-Murangi Circuit.- Chapter 13. The pond as an educational context for early childhood science and sustainability learning.- Chapter 14. DEVELOPING A SCALABLE ONLINE ECOLOGY COURSE WITH 4DEE.- Chapter 15. SERIOUS GAMES AS PEDAGOGICAL PRACTICE(S) FOR TEACHING SUSTAINABILITY.- Chapter 16. Sustainable Development in Practice: Applying a Learner-Centred Approach to Sustainable Development e-Curricula.- Chapter 17. How to Make a Difference: Capacities and Processes for Teaching Community Engagement in Higher Education.- Chapter 18. Envisioning Pathways for Building Sustainable Communities: A University Coursework Research Agenda.- Chapter 19. From theory to practice: rethinking the sustainable design curriculum in Mexico through complexity and participation.- Chapter 20. Teaching Sustainability in Interior Design: Interdisciplinary Approaches and Pedagogical Strategies from a Portuguese Higher Education Context.- Chapter 21. Integrating Design, Project Management, and People Management in Sustainable and Innovative Learning Processes.- Chapter 22. Advancing Sustainability Education through Capstone Curriculum.- Chapter 23. Integrating Sustainability and Practice into Engineering Education: An Interdisciplinary Curriculum Model in Côte d'Ivoire.- Chapter 24. Subnational Climate Planning Education: Meeting the Needs of the Coalition for High Ambition Multilevel Partnerships through Penn State's Local Climate Action Program.- Chapter 25. Educating for Environmental Character: Findings from a University Course in Sustainability Studies.