EUROPEAN COMMISSION Brussels, 14.1.2022 SWD(2022) 3 final COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Accompanying the document Proposal for a Council Recommendation on learning for environmental sustainability {COM(2022) 11 final}



Council Recommendation on learning for environmental sustainability Staff Working Document January 2022

EUROPEAN COMMISSION Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture Directorate B — Youth, Education and Erasmus+ Unit B.2 — Schools and Multilingualism E-mail: EAC-UNITE-B2@ec.europa.eu

European Commission

B-1049 Brussels EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Contents About this Staff Working Document 1. Learning for the green transition: a challenge and opportunity for Europe 2. State of play and challenges to further progress Key role of education and training in the green transition Learning, teaching and assessment Educator preparedness for sustainability Challenges and barriers at institutional level Policies and approaches at systems level Collaboration and partnerships Monitoring and evaluation Support at Member States and EU level 3. Towards sustainability in learning: achieving lasting change Learning for environmental sustainability starts early Building on traditions in early childhood education and care Moving forward Learning for environmental sustainability is lifelong

Learning for sustainability in formal education Non-formal learning and sustainability Informal learning and sustainability Learning for environmental sustainability requires supportive learning environments Mobilising the institution as a whole Investing in green and sustainable infrastructure Learning for environmental sustainability is engaging and positive Active and interdisciplinary learning Promoting nature-based and outdoor education Curricula and educational programmes Aligning and redesigning student assessment Involving students in meaningful ways Potential of digital technologies to support learning for sustainability Learning for environmental sustainability requires capacity building of educators and leadership support Embedding sustainability in initial and continuing professional development Career progression and new roles for educators Role of leaders and shift to distributed leadership Learning for environmental sustainability fosters collaboration and partnerships Cross-sector collaboration Community engagement

Learning for environmental sustainability empowers youth Young people’s concerns The role of education and training in engaging youth Learning for environmental sustainability builds competences and skills Building on key competences Defining competences for sustainability Developing professional skills for the green transition Learning for environmental sustainability is founded on strong policies Monitoring and evaluation 4. The European sustainability competence framework Description of the framework 5. Implementing and monitoring the Recommendation Existing and planned EU initiatives Platforms and tools Funding programmes International cooperation on learning for environmental sustainability Annexes ANNEX 1: LITERATURE AND SOURCES ANNEX 2: LITERATURE AND SOURCES – European sustainability competence framework – chapter 4





About this Staff Working Document This Staff Working Document accompanies and supports the European Commission proposal for a Council Recommendation on learning for environmental sustainability, adopted in January 2022. It provides detail on the concepts and recommendations put forward in this new initiative and presents research evidence and good practice examples from across Europe. It can serve as a guide for policy makers, educators and all individuals and organisations working on environmental sustainability in the education and training sector. Chapter 1 provides an introduction to the topic, outlining the reasons, scope and wider policy context for the Recommendation. Chapter 2 gives an overview of key findings from the public survey and consultations. It presents recent evidence related to EU Member States’ approaches to learning for environmental sustainability and more generally from the wider field of research and practice. Chapter 3 describes a vision for achieving lasting change towards sustainability through learning and teaching. It builds on key learnings from the consultations and research and outlines the action needed with regard to systems, institutions, educators and learners. Chapter 4 presents in brief the new European Sustainability Competence Framework, developed by the European Commission to support learners, educators, policy makers and other stakeholders in developing and fostering knowledge, skills and attitudes related to sustainability. Chapter 5 provides details on how the Recommendation will be implemented, monitored and supported through various EU instruments, programmes, and platforms. 1.Learning for the green transition: a challenge and opportunity for Europe Through the European Green Deal and the goal to become climate-neutral by 2050, the European Union (EU) is working to deliver on the transformational changes needed in our economy and society. By aligning action across a range of policy areas, including energy, environment, mobility and agriculture, the EU aims for a green transition that is just and inclusive. Like all sectors, education and training needs to critically examine how it is responding to the climate and ecological crises – in terms of its operations, processes and practices and – crucially – how it is preparing learners for the future. Key EU policies, including the Green Deal, the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, the EU Skills Agenda and the Council Resolution on the European Education Area all point to the role of education and training in empowering and engaging people for environmental sustainability and boosting the skills and competences needed for the green transition. Education and training for environmental sustainability is about the learning and teaching we need for personal, societal and environmental well-being now and in the future. It can be understood as an umbrella under which all subjects and disciplines have a contribution to make. Learners need to understand the inter-connectedness of economic, social and natural systems and move from awareness to individual and collective action and empowerment. Achieving this requires hands-on, engaging and action-based ways of learning, which foster knowledge, understanding and critical thinking (cognitive learning); practical skills development (applied learning); and empathy, solidarity and caring for nature (socio-emotional learning). Many different strands and movements in education and training advocate for environmental protection, active citizenship, sustainability and global change. This includes environmental education, sustainability education, climate change education, peace education, global education and education for sustainable development. All these movements and concepts share a vision of education and learning which is transformative, embraces change and promotes sustainability. They also all recognise the interconnected nature of environmental, social, and economic issues. The European Commission’s work on learning for environmental sustainability builds on those movements and puts renewed attention on environmental concerns to support the goals and ambition of the European Green Deal.

Seizing the momentum for change Europeans rank climate change among the most serious problems facing the world today (European Commission, 2021b). Protecting the environment is important to 94% of EU citizens personally; 78% consider that environmental issues impact directly on their daily lives and health and almost all feel that urgent action is needed to tackle biodiversity loss (European Commission, 2020). People also expect stronger action by national governments and the EU to tackle climate change and environmental degradation (European Commission, 2021a). Young people have been especially vocal and active in demanding change and calling on public authorities to act urgently to tackle climate change and protect the environment for current and future generations. Many young people consider that school is failing to give them an adequate understanding of climate change, the environment, and how to live, work and act more sustainably (European Commission, 2019). Despite being the least responsible, children are already facing the devastating consequences of the climate crisis: half the world's 2.2 billion children are now exposed to multiple climate and environmental shocks, figures which are likely to worsen as the impacts of climate change accelerate (UNICEF, 2021). The COVID-19 public health crisis has put renewed attention on the interconnections between global societies, human systems and the environment. It has brought greater public and political awareness to the essential role that education and training has in society. The pandemic has highlighted specific issues in education such as wellbeing and mental health, the benefits of outdoors and nature, social inequalities and the role of local and wider communities (Finlayson et al, 2021). The crisis has also exposed weaknesses in the resilience of education and training systems, including disparities in accessing digital technologies for remote learning. The education and training sector will need to learn from the lessons of the crisis and continue to adapt and build resilience. Preparing for future disruptions and negative impacts on learning related to climate change, including extreme weather, flooding and heat, is also vital. Beyond the immediate and longer-term crisis response, the pandemic has raised questions not only on the what but also the how, where and when of learning and teaching. And it has triggered reflections on the fundamental purpose of education and how learners can live, thrive and be active and engaged citizens in a changing world (ibid.). COVID-19 has been and continues to be a major challenge for education and training (Carretero Gomez et al, 2021), but it can also be an accelerator for the changes needed in education and training to empower and engage people for the green transition. Towards deeper, systemic change Since the early days of environmental education in the 1960s, learning for the environment and sustainability has visibly progressed all over the world. Across Europe, a great number of initiatives, programmes and policy measures have been put in place to advance sustainability at all levels of education and training. Despite clear progress and growing public and policy attention, learning for environmental sustainability is not yet a systemic feature of education and training policy in the EU. Challenges exist at various levels: ·the interdisciplinary nature of learning for environmental sustainability; the need for learner-centred pedagogies, new approaches to assessment, organisational change and community partnerships often run counter to established cultures and norms in education policy and practice. ·whole institution approaches where sustainability is embedded in all processes and operations (e.g. teaching and learning, research, campus and buildings management) are not yet widespread due in part to insufficient funding and institutional support. ·institutions are often lacking data and tools on how to monitor the effectiveness of sustainability initiatives and efforts and there is further scope to adapt curricula for sustainability at all levels of education and training.

·teachers and trainers across Europe are already actively teaching for sustainability, often driven by their sense of responsibility to prepare future generations. At the same time, many educators say they lack training and support in sustainability education and training, in particular, regarding interdisciplinary approaches, active pedagogies and the challenging subject matter. Urgent efforts are therefore needed to redirect education and training as a whole towards the deep and transformative changes needed for the green transition and prepare learners for a rapidly changing society, economy and future. As will be detailed in this handbook, effective learning for sustainability: ·Starts from early childhood education and care, ·Takes a life-long learning approach, ·Requires supportive learning environments where the institution as a whole is active on sustainability, ·Is learner-centred, hands-on and based on real-life experiences, ·Supports educators, including leadership teams, to teach and act for sustainability, ·Fosters collaboration and partnerships in local and wider communities, ·Empowers youth, ·Builds sustainability competences, ·Is founded on strong policies. Re-visioning education and training and putting sustainability at the heart of its design will offer learners of all ages and at all stages of education and training a wide range of opportunities to learn about, in and for environmental sustainability in different settings and contexts, within and beyond formal education. Schools, universities and other education and training institutions will become places where sustainability is not only taught, but also actively practised. If this happens, then education and training for environmental sustainability can make all learning more relevant; motivate students and educators towards greater societal engagement and help develop competences for sustainability increasingly needed for life and work.

Putting sustainability at the heart of education and training is, therefore, a tremendous opportunity to deliver future-oriented, relevant, engaging and inclusive education and training, which is closely linked to and supports other education agendas of inclusion, quality, innovation, internationalisation and student-centred learning. Purpose and context of the Council Recommendation The Commission proposal for a Council Recommendation on learning for environmental sustainability is a response to the challenges set out above. The Recommendation aims to foster greater cooperation at EU level on the deep and transformative changes needed in education and training for the green transition. It can serve as a reference to Member States and aims to support and facilitate policy development and whole-system approaches to learning for environmental sustainability in national settings, including by sharing expertise and best practices at system and institution level. Through the new European competence framework on sustainability (see chapter 4), a further goal is to develop a shared understanding of the competences and skills that people need to act, live and work in a sustainable manner. The proposal aims to contribute to the initiatives at global level to strengthen climate, environmental and sustainability education and training. Sustainable development is a core principle of the EU, and delivering on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals is a priority objective for the Union’s internal and external policies. The Recommendation therefore builds on the extensive work by UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, to make education a more central and visible part of the international response to the climate crisis through its Education for Sustainable Development programme, including the 2030 Roadmap . Key points The vision for learning for environmental sustainability is aligned to Europe’s vision of a green transition that is just and inclusive. Despite progress and growing attention, learning for environmental sustainability is not yet a systemic feature of education and training policy in the EU. The purpose, policies, provision and practices of learning and teaching need to be fundamentally re-examined to integrate sustainability at all levels. Putting environmental sustainability at the heart of education and training means responding to the realities of the 21st century and equipping learners with the competences they need to contribute positively to a sustainable society and economy. The Commission’s proposal for a Council Recommendation aims to foster greater cooperation at EU level on the deep and transformative changes needed in education and training for the green transition. 2.State of play and challenges to further progress To prepare the proposal, the European Commission consulted widely on the current state of play regarding learning for environmental sustainability in the EU. This consultation was an opportunity to collect good practice and to identify difficulties and barriers in effectively embedding environmental sustainability in schools, higher education, vocational educational and training and other education sectors.

A public survey, which consisted of 10 questions and the option to submit a position paper ran from 18 June to 24 September 2021. A total of 1369 responses were received from individuals (49%) and organisations (43%) as well as 95 position papers. From April to September 2021, online workshops were held with the aim of identifying existing challenges, guiding principles and good practice. This included: ·Four workshops with policy makers and other representatives from EU Member States and partner countries focused on (i) early childhood education and care for sustainability; (ii) pedagogies and support for teachers; (iii) whole-institution approaches to environmental sustainability; and (iv) barriers and enablers for system level change. ·Four online workshops with stakeholders from education and training, research, environment and youth sectors on (i) policy levers and measuring impact and effectiveness of learning for environmental sustainability; (ii) cross-sector collaboration and partnerships; (iii) building capacity of educators; and (iv) lessons from Erasmus+ projects related to the environment and sustainability. ·A series of online meetings was organised in April and June 2021 with teachers from the European Commission’s eTwinning community who are active on sustainability and environmental issues in their schools. This chapter presents findings from the consultation workshops and the public survey, and includes illustrative quotes (in italics) from respondents and participants. Further evidence presented includes findings from a number of dedicated studies carried out for the European Commission to inform the proposal. This included a mapping of curricula, policies and other measures in EU Member States related to education for environmental sustainability; a review of relevant Erasmus+ projects and a study on education for sustainable development in the context of COVID-19 and the green and digital transitions. Wider academic research has also been taken into account as well as findings from large-scale surveys, including the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and evidence gathered by other organisations active in the field, including UNESCO, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop). While the evidence provided in this chapter is extensive, it is nonetheless a snapshot of the current state-of-play; it should be acknowledged that new research and perspectives are constantly emerging. Key role of education and training in the green transition Respondents to the public survey to inform the Recommendation pointed to the crucial role of education and training in helping people understand and take action on environmental sustainability. Education and training was ranked as the most important sector by 71% of respondents, ahead of public bodies and governments (56%), and media (34%). A number of position papers stressed that as ecological impact comes largely from industry, the burden of ‘solving’ these challenges should not be placed solely on young people or the education system. To encourage action on sustainability, respondents opted most often for guidance on how to change behaviour and take action in everyday life (75%), followed by more opportunities to take part in decision-making related to environmental sustainability (64%) and more information on environmental issues and challenges (48%) . 'If children are to live with the climate crisis, the curriculum needs to be fit for this purpose’

‘Education and training at the earliest age is needed to create awareness’ ‘We should aim to raise our students as world citizens’ Learning, teaching and assessment Respondents were asked to identify what is needed most urgently when it comes to learning for the environment and sustainability. The main areas highlighted were more practical hands-on ways to learn, including learning outdoors (53%), and more opportunities for learners to identify a problem which is of concern to them and work together on solutions (52%). A further priority area was to connect different issues and topics related to sustainability, considering multiple perspectives and acknowledging uncertainty (48%). Position papers highlighted the need to recognise the value and opportunities of natural environments and outdoors settings for learning. Active engagement and connection with nature was seen as crucial for raising awareness of climate change and biodiversity loss, and fostering environmental citizenship. To achieve this, respondents called for new approaches and additional funding to actively engage citizens, in particular younger people, in monitoring nature and biodiversity, including in urban settings and for field work to be a priority for schools, for both curricular and extracurricular activities. An active role for community organisations in sustainability education was also seen as necessary. A number of position papers stressed that people in all sectors of employment should develop knowledge and skills related to environmental sustainability. ‘The acquisition of green skills in the workplace will increase resilience and adaptability while contributing to green growth’ ‘We need to enable and invite families and grandparents to share expertise and joint actions to support intergenerational learning’ Position papers also called for education and training for environmental sustainability to be open and accessible to all learners, irrespective of gender, age and socio-economic background. All programmes and initiatives related to learning for sustainability should take into account the needs and context of people from disadvantaged backgrounds, including access to digital tools and technologies. Need for action-oriented and socio-emotional learning A global review of national curricula and policy documents by UNESCO in 2021 shows that crucial environmental themes are not yet sufficiently covered (UNESCO, 2021). Globally, ‘the environment’ is largely present in policy documents (83% of documents analysed); however, climate change and biodiversity are much less represented (47% and 19% respectively). This is of concern given the increasing relevance and urgency of those issues and the need to develop understanding and related competences in these fields. Across the board, cognitive learning, i.e., learning about the environment, prevails over socio-emotional and action-oriented learning. The latter are especially important for developing learners’ engagement with the environment and climate change and developing their sense of agency.

‘We need to place emotional skills into focus and encourage a sense of hope’ ‘The educational offer for our students and researchers must not only teach them a set of sustainability themes, but enable them to live and behave in a sustainable way’ ‘When they actually plant a tree or when they actually touch a solar panel it stays with them and it motivates them to want to continue doing such activities’ The discrepancy between cognitive and socio-emotional learning for environmental sustainability is also reflected in learning outcomes. The OECD’s 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) showed that most 15-year-olds know about climate change and global warming (79% of students across the 37 OECD countries). However, on average, only 57% feel that they could do something about problems such as climate change. While students are aware of environmental and other global challenges, they do not feel ‘a sense of empowerment and agency to make a real difference’ (Schleicher, 2021). The findings on the need for more action-oriented learning are in line with teachers’ own beliefs. A qualitative survey (Mulvik et al, 2021) of 140 teachers in 32 European countries showed that most teachers thought their students would benefit from more hands-on, experiential learning on the environment and sustainability. Source: Mulvik et al, 2021. In the same survey, only 29% of teachers report cross-curricular integration of sustainability to be present in their schools. Some 83% responded that sustainability was part of natural sciences, while 58% said it was included in extracurricular activities (ibid). Teachers also listed a variety of approaches, pedagogies and resources that they use (see figure 1 below). Figure 1. Pedagogies and practices commonly used Source: Mulvik et al, 2021. Research and feedback at the consultation workshops show that the switch to emergency remote teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted action-based, hands-on learning, including in the field of vocational education and training. Face-to-face learning and gaining practical experience in VET schools and workplaces is crucial for providing quality education to apprentices and graduates, and to prevent early school leaving and encourage lifelong learning. However, in the context of COVID-19, VET students ‘have seen their opportunities diminish in terms of the experience acquired in the workplace, the relational capital gained, and the personal maturity achieved’ (Finlayson et al, 2021).

Integration of environmental sustainability in curricula and study programmes Regarding curricula and courses , the majority of respondents favoured a cross-curricular and interdisciplinary approach to environmental sustainability, rather than adding it as a topic or module in a single subject (81%). A majority also favoured the redesign of curricula and courses to fully embed sustainability (68%). 'Sustainability must not be taught as a subject per se. It should encompass all activities and subjects. Everything should be read with sustainability eyes’. A mapping of curricula to prepare the Council Recommendation (Mulvik et al, 2021) showed that over half of EU Member States have defined, at least partially, competences for environmental sustainability. Environmental sustainability is most frequently integrated in primary and secondary education. Some countries refer to specific teaching methods in the curricula, the majority of which promote learner-centred approaches (e.g., Finland, the Netherlands, Hungary, Latvia, Romania, Estonia, Slovenia). Austria, Cyprus and Czechia have national curricula specifically on sustainability education. Information on early childhood education and care (ECEC) curricula and programmes across the EU is fragmented as responsibility for this sector may be under different ministries and/or falls under regional or local governance competence. Finland has established a national core curriculum for ECEC, based on respect for life, sustainable living, and human rights, and the inviolability of human dignity. The mapping study suggests that only one third of EU countries include multidisciplinary approaches in curricula. Given the interconnected nature of learning for sustainability, the structuring of curricula around single subjects appears to be a barrier to further embedding environmental sustainability. Cross-cutting themes on the environment and sustainable development are either integrated into certain subjects or delivered as separate subjects (e.g. environmental studies). Most often, sustainability features in natural science subjects across the EU, but in a growing number of countries it is integrated into citizenship education. Citizenship education in general is part of secondary education in all EU countries and taught at primary level in 16 EU countries. Austria has a particularly comprehensive approach to interdisciplinarity in its curricula frameworks and interdisciplinary competences are included as a quality criterion at various levels of education. Sustainability is being progressively integrated in higher education study programmes (Lozano et al, 2019), albeit often limited to discipline-based courses. In some knowledge areas (e.g., social sciences or environmental sciences and engineering), environmental sustainability is more frequently integrated. Research conducted on the integration of the SDGs into higher education study programmes globally found that 43% of the polled universities have integrated or will integrate, the SDGs. However, many reported embedding single goals rather than all SDGs, the most popular being climate action (SDG 13), followed by sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11) and education (SDG 4) (Leal Filho et al 2019). The existence of disciplinary silos within HEIs is a major barrier to fully embedding sustainability across study programmes (Kurland et al, 2010). Lack of leadership and management support with regard to fostering sustainability are further obstacles. Where courses and modules on environmental sustainability exist, these are often not interdisciplinary, and more learner-centred and collaborative pedagogies are not yet widespread. Moreover, environmental aspects of sustainability usually receive more attention in the literature and in the practice of HEIs over the social and economic dimensions (Rey-Garcia et al, 2020).

Lack of suitable teaching materials and guidance was also identified as an issue during the consultations. Whereas knowledge-based material is generally available, more guidance is needed for educators on suitable pedagogies, competences linked to sustainability, multidisciplinary approaches and outdoors learning. Access restrictions - for example where subscription is necessary - can be frustrating for teachers who are self-motivated to promote sustainability but who have limited financial resources for support materials. Teaching materials are also often too broad and general. Clear classification of resources by theme, education levels, target users and type of resource can render the search for resources more interactive and dynamic and save valuable time for educators. Assessment of learning for environmental sustainability Assessment frameworks related to environmental sustainability are lacking in many Member States, even where relevant knowledge and competences are included in the national curriculum or education policy documents. Without defined learning outcomes and accompanying assessment frameworks, schools may have difficulties delivering on curricula. In some cases, assessment of knowledge and skills related to sustainability is part of a general assessment framework. In Estonia, for example, state examinations in upper secondary schools can cover cross-curricular topics and topics related to environmental sustainability. In some countries, schools and teachers can find tools and guidance in assessment frameworks developed by other partners, such as the Curricular Framework for Advancing Circular Economy by eco-schools. While filling a gap with regard to assessment, depending solely on outside partners for assessment practices, can create a disproportionate burden for individual schools and teachers to implement and assess learning and teaching for environmental sustainability. It may also lead to disparities between schools and assessment practices. In higher education, several reviews of assessment tools for sustainability found that most tend to focus on one dimension of sustainability only, while a few use an integrated approach (Tumbas et al, 2015). Often the focus is on environmental performance of the institution, while teaching, research and outreach are underrepresented (Yarime and Tanaka, 2012). 'It is challenging to design learning interventions focused on behaviour change and evaluate their success.’ ‘We need a holistic approach to learning outcomes that go beyond knowledge and skills and focus on the social and emotional aspects of learning, creativity, inspiration and changes in values, attitudes and behaviour.’ Educator preparedness for sustainability Evidence from studies and consultations confirms that many teachers, trainers, academics and youth leaders across Europe are already actively teaching for sustainability, often driven by a sense of responsibility and duty to prepare learners to live, work and thrive in a highly complex and rapidly changing society and economy. At the same time, many educators are seeking support and training in sustainability education, in particular, regarding interdisciplinary approaches, active pedagogies and how to deal with the challenging subject matter of the climate and biodiversity crises. Regarding the support that educators need on environmental sustainability, respondents to the consultation survey selected : professional development opportunities, e.g. workshops, guidance and mentoring, opportunities to work with local projects and on-the-job training (61 %), opportunities to collaborate with organisations working on sustainability activities in the local and wider community (44%) and opportunities to take learners into the field for hands-on learning and activities (42%).

Position papers and replies in the open fields also pointed to the general need for more investment in teacher capacity building; to boost the status and attractiveness of the teaching profession; improve career pathways for teachers and provide more and better teacher training opportunities. All employees in education and training should have opportunities to learn about sustainability, not only those with teaching responsibilities. To inform the proposal, the Commission also organised a series of online workshops in April and June 2021 with over 100 teachers from the e-Twinning network who are active on sustainability and environmental issues within their schools. The teachers are members of the SENSE ( Sustainability Education Network Service eTwinning ) group within the e-Twinning community. The workshops consisted of keynote talks, presentations of classroom and school-wide projects by the teachers, a survey on their experiences in teaching and sustainability and collaborative work. They highlighted the following challenges and barriers: ·Primary and secondary pupils and students were highly motivated and enthusiastic to work on topics related to the environment. Collaborating on environmental and sustainability projects with students in different countries is also a highly motivating factor. ·The curriculum does not always allow for working across disciplines. Teachers often do not have the time, space or resources they need, even where the curriculum has been redesigned to include sustainability. ·Working with organisations beyond the school is highly beneficial. The COVID-19 crisis has disrupted these connections and has reduced opportunities for students to go on field trips and in general, enjoy the benefits of learning outdoors and in nature. ·The shift to remote teaching had improved both staff and student digital skills and opened up new ways of cooperating online. Teachers were more aware of opportunities for their own professional development through online platforms. ·More quality professional development opportunities, and more opportunities to network with peers is needed. Peer learning from other teachers would be highly beneficial as teachers are often on their own or working with a small number of teachers on sustainability issues. Initial teacher education and continuing professional development In most EU countries, environment and sustainability is present in some form in initial teacher education (ITE). In some Member States it is obligatory, while in the majority, it is offered as an elective topic or module (see table 1). Disciplinary silos and subject-specific timetables in ITE represent key challenges for further embedding sustainability, in particular through interdisciplinary approaches (Bolscho et al, 2006 and Stevenson, 2007). In addition, where there is insufficient emphasis on learning for environmental sustainability during initial teacher training, teachers may be less inclined to take part in sustainability-related continuing professional development (CPD) during their career. At the same time, many countries report shortages of teacher educators or a lack of teacher educator competences with regard to environmental sustainability. 'It is important to make professional development on sustainability as attractive as possible for teachers’

‘Initial teacher education needs to work with associations and other actors in the field’ Some countries have created guidelines on the integration of environmental sustainability in ITE for teacher educators, trainers, institutions and future teachers alike. Several countries have introduced the concept of whole-institution approaches to sustainability in ITE. This is often done by focusing on the competences needed for change towards sustainability, rather than theoretical knowledge about sustainability. In Spain, for example, pre-service ECEC and primary teachers should acquire competences relating to environmental sustainability, such as the ability to foster student learning on the interactions between science, technology, society and sustainable development. Table 1. Teacher education on environmental sustainability, EU-27 Teacher training on environmental sustainability Member States AT BE BG CY CZ DE DK EE EL ES FI FR HR HU IE IT LT LU LV MT NL PL PT RO SE SI SK Compulsory in ITE/CPD ○ ◌ ◌ ○ ◌ ◌ ◌ ○ ● ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ○ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ○ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ○ ◌ ○ Present in ITE ● ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ● ○ ○ ○ ● ● ○ ○ ○ ◌ ● ● ○ ○ ○ ◌ ○ ○ ○ Present in CPD ● ● ● ● ◌ ◌ ● ● ○ ● ◌ ● ● ● ● ● ○ ● ● ● ◌ ● ● Note: ● – Present in the country ○ – partially present ◌ - not present. Blank cell indicates N/A In most Member States, CPD is a professional responsibility (European Commission, 2021c), and often involves sustainability at least as an optional component. CPD related to sustainability can be offered as a separate topic or integrated systematically across courses. In Germany, efforts have been made to integrate environmental sustainability in a structured way in existing teacher training programmes rather than offering it additionally (ibid.). Cyprus also takes an integrated approach with all professional development courses on sustainability education being developed around the competences for systems-thinking, future literacy, participation, attentiveness, empathy, engagement, interdisciplinarity, action, based on the UNECE ESD competences (UNECE, 2012) and the Rounder Sense of Purpose competences model. In several countries, CPD on sustainability issues in education is offered only in the context of natural sciences. This makes it difficult for teachers and educators to understand and treat learning for sustainability in a holistic way and to help all teachers to embed sustainability in their teaching practice. ‘Time is a problem. Sustainability doesn’t fit into my everyday teaching life’ ‘Teacher training needs to be supported by substantial public funding so that it is free and accessible to all teachers and available in their working time’ Lack of funding and time constraints remain major challenges in many Member States, preventing teachers from attending CPD, including on environmental sustainability. Making sustainability-related CPD more visible, accessible and attractive for teachers, e.g. by creating links to innovative pedagogies, could strengthen preparedness and competences of teachers (UNECEC, 2020). Linking CPD to career development can also motivate teachers to participate. In Croatia and Portugal, completing CPD on environmental sustainability allows teachers to gain points needed for career progression. In the field of higher education, the University Educators for Sustainable Development (UE4SD) initiative, funded by the European Commission and running from 2013 to 2016, brought together 53 HEIs from 33 European countries with the aim of improving professional development opportunities for academic staff in order to reorient higher education towards ESD (Mulà, I. et al, 2017). The study revealed the following trends (Mader, M. et al 2013): ·education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is gaining importance in higher education and there is a growing recognition that university educators need to acquire ESD competences; ·university educators address sustainability issues, but do not always reflect on their pedagogical approaches; ·in many countries, university educators lack ESD professional development opportunities.

Only a few countries and institutions participating in the UE4SD project had ‘significant staff development initiatives to enhance ESD in both the academic practice and leadership capabilities of university educators’ (Mulà, I. et al, 2017). The strategies of nine countries emphasised university educators’ professional development for ESD competences whereas in 23 countries, no such need was acknowledged in either national ESD strategies, policies or legislative documents (Mader, M. et al 2013). In many instances, institutional progress in sustainability depended on individual academics and their interest in building expertise and competences in ESD. Research and specialist topics in sustainability were usually drivers for activities rather than ‘critically reflective and innovative pedagogies that extend capabilities of staff as well as students’ (UE4SD, 2014). Among the participating countries, only Slovakia and Latvia reported having many HEIs that support ESD competence development of academics, while in six countries this was the case for ‘several’ HEIs (Mader, M. et al 2013). In many countries, academic teaching has traditionally received less attention than research, a trend that is often reinforced by the focus on research in higher education rankings and funding. While it is still rare for university educators to have or be required to have formal teaching qualifications, countries are generally placing more emphasis on developing the teaching competences of academic staff. However, this does not usually involve a reorientation of the academic system and its purpose as a whole, whereas learning and teaching for sustainability ‘invites university educators not just to embed new elements into the existing system, but to alter that system’ (Mulà, I. et al, 2017). While academic educators generally acknowledge the importance of sustainability competences (Leal Filho, 2021c), and possibly even cover sustainable development in their research, teaching or in both, they rarely critically reflect on their own teaching or competences for sustainability (Mader, M. et al 2013). Yet, to help students develop those competences, it is vital for HEI educators to address both content and pedagogy for environmental sustainability and to have access to professional development that links both aspects. Professional development for leadership A key point from the consultation workshops was the need for training and support for educational leadership teams to support the mainstreaming of environmental sustainability in education. This, however, has been overlooked significantly in practice. Training the principals, rectors and other leaders of institutions matters, because they can further support staff and generate a positive organisational culture in relation to sustainability. ‘Teaching environmental sustainability has to be accompanied by leadership and examples shown by institutions teaching it’ ‘Management has an important role to play in developing a culture of sustainability’ Challenges and barriers at institutional level Regarding specific actions that education and training institutions should take regarding sustainability, respondents to the public survey called for more environmental and climate change focused projects (57%), new learning opportunities for students (57%) and reviewing operations such as management of buildings and grounds, recycling, transport, procurement, etc. (55%). Position papers highlighted the need for sustainable schools and campuses in terms of teaching and learning and operations of grounds and buildings. For this to be effective, all members of the educational community should be involved in decision-making. Appointing a ‘sustainability coordinator’ could help in overseeing sustainability-related activities, including the pedagogical approaches to sustainability. A number of papers also called for the EU to support higher education institutions in developing sustainability and green campus strategies. Here, interdisciplinary approaches as well as innovative and sustainable educational materials were called for. Further points raised in consultation workshops were the overloaded curricula and the general workload of leaders, educators and students. This was seen as major barriers to additional, let alone more integrate, sustainability activities at institutional level.

‘For impact we need to shift from events, day-based actions and short-term projects that are awareness-focused to behaviour-focused long-term programmes’ 'The culture of the school has a significant impact on the type of sustainability education that is delivered’ The ‘whole-school’ or ‘whole-institution’ approach (hereafter WIA) is a key transformative strategy to support learning for sustainability. WIA encompasses teaching and learning, planning and governance, active learner and staff participation, management of buildings and resources (e.g. energy, waste and water reduction) as well as partnerships with local and wider communities. In many EU countries, WIA to sustainability take place through the global eco-schools programme of the Foundation for Environmental Education (see chapter 3). Schools taking part in the programme follow a seven step change process, with pupils and students playing an active role. How the programme is applied differs considerably, however, from country to country and from school to school, particularly with regard to the pedagogical approaches chosen (Boeve-de Pauw et al, 2017). A teacher survey in the context of mapping national approaches across EU Member States showed that 52% of respondents perceived sustainability as being part of their school culture. However, most teachers listed waste management practices as well as the use of sustainable learning materials as proof of a ‘whole-institution’ culture, which indicates a restricted view of WIA. Teachers who identified WIA as lacking referred to the absence of a clear institutional vision and concrete actions from the school management as well as a reliance on the motivation of individual teachers without sustained support from management. Sustainability initiatives in higher education institutions are driven by internal initiatives, through government incentives, or through collaborative networks of universities and other stakeholders. Lack of support from HEI administration is frequently reported among the challenges for implementing sustainability in the sector. Where less attention is paid to operational matters (Leal Filho et al, 2019) – such as sustainable energy generation on campuses or implementing wider environmental training efforts (Leal Filho et al, 2021b), pedagogical aspects, the teaching and learning of environmental sustainability, are likely to also be underdeveloped or lacking. There is also growing interest in HEIs in adopting a sustainable vision or sustainable practices. While increasing attention is paid to nature in curricula, few overarching policies exist for the WIA approach. Therefore, the integration of environmental sustainability depends to a large extent on the resources and interest of the staff. Challenges relate closely to staff capacity, educators’ awareness, resources, support from local municipalities and motivation towards the integration of WIA approaches (HUMUSZ (2016). Lack of funding for sustainability in education and training is often associated with insufficient prioritisation at governmental level. At institutional level, in particular in higher education, funding gaps might appear due to a lack of national support or prioritisation or inadequate funding strategies. The survey on ‘Greening in European higher education institutions’ conducted by the European University Association, confirms lack of funding as the most common challenge for HEIs to promote environmental sustainability (EUA, 2021b). Lacking or limited funding has many ramifications. If environmental sustainability is not prioritised in institutional frameworks, this not only weakens the possibility of accessing internal resources, but also often jeopardises the chances of receiving external funding (Leal Filho, 2021b). Funding might predominantly be used to support core tasks rather than to strengthen sustainability. If sustainability-related tasks are not assessed, there is little incentive in pursuing them over well-established core tasks. Performance-based funding can inhibit take-up of sustainability, if it is not explicitly integrated in the performance agreement as in such cases institutions can focus on aspects that yield better funding. Such missing structural support then often results in highly engaged educators or institutional leaders either finding other sources of funding, or pushing environmental sustainability as an extra-curricular activity without institutional funding. Policies and approaches at systems level

The majority of EU Member States have put in place strategies, policy documents or action plans on learning for environmental sustainability and/or equally viable and related concepts such as education for sustainable development and global competence. Education for environmental sustainability is generally well represented in other (non-sustainability specific) education strategies and policy documents, particularly in those related to primary and secondary level. Strategic approaches targeting early childhood education and care are rare. In several cases, this is because regulations and frameworks for this sector are the same as for pre-primary and primary/secondary education or only universal recommendations are provided. Where specific legislation or strategies for pre-primary education exist, they are often broad and not targeting sustainability or environmental issues. Recognising the importance of vocational education and training (VET) as an enabler for the development of competences and skills for the green transition, Member States increasingly introduce sustainability-relevant elements in VET action plans, funds and other linked activities. Half of the Member States have higher education acts that address education and training for sustainability (UE4SD, 2014). Putting them into practice through action plans and other implementation measures needs to take into account, however, the more autonomous governance structures at HE level (UNECEC, 2019). Table 2. Strategies and policies on education for environmental sustainability across EU-27 EDUCATION POLICIES RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Member States ECEC AT BE BG CY CZ DE DK EE EL ES FI FR HR HU IE IT LT LU LV MT NL PL PT RO SE SI SK Specific strategy ● ● ◌ ◌ ● ○ ● ◌ ● ◌ ◌ Part of other education strategies ● ● ● ● ● ● ○ ● ● ● ○ ● Part of other policy documents ● Primary/

secondary Specific strategy ● ● ◌ ● ● ● ◌ ● ◌ ● ○ ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ◌ ◌ ● ◌ Part of other education strategies ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ○ ● ● Part of other policy documents ● Higher education Specific strategy ◌ ● ◌ ○ ◌ ○ ● ○ ● ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ Part of other education strategies ● ● ○ ◌ ● ● ◌ ○ ◌ ◌ ● ● ○ ◌ ○ ● ◌ Part of other policy documents ◌ ● ● Note: ● – Present in the country ○ – partially present ◌ - not present. Blank cell indicates N/A. Having in place dedicated policies at an institutional level is a clear enabler for advancing education and training for environmental sustainability. An exploratory study (Leal Filho et al, 2021b) based on the views of several universities worldwide concluded that even though the relations between governance and sustainability (through policies, certification, budget, staff training, and the existence of a sustainability team) are quite inconsistent across institutions, the existence of formal documents and commitments at national and institutional level is regarded as important and should guide their strategies. In the first half of 2021, 305 higher education institutions from the European Higher Education Area took part in the European University Association survey, ‘Greening in higher education institutions’ (EUA (2021a). Results show that 61% of higher education institutions have a strategy in place for sustainability whilst 27% indicated that such a strategy is under preparation. The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (69%), as well as national policies and initiatives (39%), provided guidance on framing these strategies. European policies and initiatives (16-17%) do not as yet strongly influence university strategies and actions for environmental sustainability (ibid.). There is scope therefore for EU level guidance to steer higher education strategies in contribution to EU goals and targets. The survey also identified institutional values (59%) and the engagement of leadership (56%), students (52%) and staff (51%) as key drivers. Systematic inclusion of non-formal education is scarce in education policies related to environmental sustainability. Learning for environmental sustainability tends to be integrated in non-formal education through specific initiatives and cross-sector collaboration Applying policies effectively on the ground is challenging. In over two thirds of Member States (Mulvik et al, 2021) implementation needs to be improved and better supported by awareness and capacity building, including targeted professional development for policy makers at national, regional and local level. Collaboration and partnerships When asked in the consultation survey whether education and training institutions are working with local and wider communities on environmental sustainability initiatives and programmes, 52% of the respondents said that this was indeed the case. A relatively high share, however, (16%) indicated that they did not know the answer.

On the extent and depth of collaboration, 36% of respondents indicated that education and training institutions collaborate sometimes (at least once per semester) and 35% a little (at least once per year). Collaborating ‘a lot (continuously all year)’ received the lowest number of responses (10%). The main challenges associated with collaboration relate to ‘lack of funding for projects and partnerships’ (58%), ‘lack of time in an already full curriculum’ (56%) and ‘having longer-term cooperation (e.g., tends to be limited to once-off events)’ (48%). Many position papers also highlighted the crucial role of collaboration and partnerships, including with key players in the local community such as youth associations, environmental and science centres, farms, parks, museums, libraries, as well as industry. Cooperation with local partners could help facilitate ‘living laboratory experiences’ outside of the busy school curriculum. Schools should also be encouraged to work with higher education institutions. Having boards or standing committees on sustainability composed of various groups (students, parents, educators, local community groups) was seen as a way to more sustained and effective partnerships. 'Collaboration will be more successful if it is integrated into educational programmes, rather than being an add-on’ ‘Providing a fertile ground for coordination and exchange between formal, non-formal and informal education will be key’ ‘Sustainability themes lend themselves perfectly to bringing people together’ 'New technologies make it possible to connect citizens easily and effectively with the science community…and monitor biodiversity data on larger scales than ever before’ Across Europe and across education and training institutions, many different forms of collaboration between education institutions and NGOs or non-formal education institutions can be found on sustainability and environmental issues. However, an overall lack of coordination and effective management between stakeholders was identified as a challenge in many Member States. Inclusion of different stakeholders in a formalised way is less common, which in turn can affect the durability of partnerships. Transitory and constantly changing partnerships can undermine the potential for positive long-term impact. Research suggests that inter-university networks and intersectoral initiatives are on the rise. Regional centres of expertise in sustainable development, led by universities networking with local stakeholders on awareness, education and capacity building, now number 180 globally (Sterling, 2021). Many universities have established transfer offices or transfer centres to support multi-stakeholder collaboration activities (Nölting et al, 2020). Multi-stakeholder, participatory and collaborative learning partnerships create opportunities for reflective and inclusive trust-building, which can foster the development of solutions and innovations (UNESCO, 2018). Partnerships in early childhood education and care are often focused on integrating the elements of nature and sustainability into the play and learning of children. This results in an enhanced importance of NGOs and institutions focused on topics such as interaction with nature and animals in a playful manner. While businesses, universities, or other education institutions usually play a smaller role, their contribution can be very meaningful. Collaboration for forest kindergartens in Hungary and Austria usually involves ECEC institutions and programme providers such as national parks and forestry companies or governmental organisations, including local environmental organisations or even companies working in the tourism sector.

Monitoring and evaluation Monitoring and evaluation frameworks on environmental sustainability, where they exist, are mostly implemented at national level by public authorities. Other organisations, such as NGOs focusing on sustainability and environmental education, also tend to play an important role in monitoring, especially on programmes prepared and coordinated by NGOs and the non-formal education sector. Cyprus, Czech Republic, Malta and Portugal have evaluation and monitoring frameworks specifically for sustainability. Monitoring and evaluating the integration of environmental sustainability can also be a part of the quality monitoring and evaluation mechanisms of the general education system. The Luxembourg National Education Report (‘Bildungsbericht’), published every three years, offers a unique and diverse insight into the country’s education system. The 2021 edition focuses on digital learning and education for sustainable development. Regional or local rather than national authorities might be responsible for evaluation and monitoring. This is the case in Slovakia, where the evaluation of environmental education takes place through regional associations. At international level, many EU Member States report progress on education for sustainable development (ESD) and related concepts within the framework of UNECE, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. In 2018, national implementation reporting covered 18 EU Member States. The self-reported data collected from the participating countries refers to take-up of ESD in a broad range of areas, including policies, regulatory and operational frameworks, assessment, whole-school-approaches and educators’ development. UNESCO has committed to monitoring progress in ESD of its members. Monitoring and evaluation was an integral part of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD) during which the DESD Monitoring and Evaluation Expert Group developed a Global Monitoring and Evaluation Framework, including a set of indicators. Following the DESD, countries committed through the Global Action Programme for Sustainable Development (GAP) to align monitoring and data collection to SDG targets. The 2016 Global Education Monitoring Report, commissioned by UNESCO, was dedicated to ‘education for people and planet’ (UNESCO, 2016). While stating progress in a number of areas related to SDG target 4.7, including curricula, textbooks, teacher education, activities outside the classroom, it also acknowledged that monitoring ‘the core aspiration of target 4.7 – acquisition of knowledge and skills needed for sustainable development – is not easy’ (ibid.). The wide range of ESD-relevant topics poses a challenge as well as developing relevant student assessment and surveys (ibid.). In addition, most assessment has been focusing on school students while adults and learners in other contexts have been underrepresented in monitoring (ibid.). In general, monitoring and indicators have mainly targeted inputs (such as changes in curricula or the establishment of learning for environmental sustainability strategies) rather than measuring learning outcomes. System-wide assessment through large-scale programmes like PISA, TIMSS or PIRLS plays an important role in education monitoring across the EU. Such assessment has grown in in the last two decades, prompting many countries to increase test-based accountability to measure learning outcomes. More recently, large-scale assessments are addressing learning for sustainability, highlighting, for example, the correlation between awareness on environmental and climate challenges and pessimism (Schleicher, 2021). According to research, there is a certain tension between what international large-scale assessments measure and socio-emotional, hands-on or place-based learning for environmental sustainability (Pizmony-Levy et al. 2021). A challenge will be to address potential shortcomings in large-scale assessment by better addressing the social and economic dimensions of sustainability and adapting for specific local contexts and circumstances (ibid.). ‘What gets measured, gets done.’ ‘Measuring impact should not be limited to indicators like electricity or water usage - the changes in attitudes, values and behaviour of pupils and staff should also be measured’

Support at Member States and EU level The public survey asked how education and training systems in the Member States could best support education for environmental sustainability’. Most respondents chose more funding to support education and training institutions and the non-formal sector to tackle environmental and sustainability issues (62%). Almost 60% opted for reviewing existing or developing new policies and strategies on education for environmental sustainability (e.g., including learning environments, curricula, educator professional development and assessment, links to the jobs market). Strengthening collaboration between different parts of the education and training system (for example between formal and non-formal education, or between schools, vocational education and training and higher education) was chosen by 55%. A number of position papers reiterated the need for increased investment in education in order to develop the skills that learners need for digital and green transformations and life and work in a globalised society. ‘We need to lift ecological sustainability to be one of the main goals and motives of education at the national level’ ‘Investment in environmental education by the EU and its Member States would make education systems more effective, building resilience and forward-looking education and training systems’ On what should be done at European level to support Member States with education for environmental sustainability, the following three actions were seen as priority by respondents: §more exchange of ideas and experiences on education for environmental sustainability (e.g., sharing examples of successful projects and policies) (51%); §more funding for education projects and research (e.g., Erasmus+, European Social Fund, Horizon Europe) (49%). §establish common principles and a shared language on education for environmental sustainability to encourage more cooperation and projects (46%). Position papers called for green approaches and green skills to be promoted and developed through existing EU programmes (ESF+, Erasmus+, ERDF, Horizon Europe, Digital Europe, Life, etc.). Further research on green skills and the development of green practices and mindset to inform policy making was also identified as a priority. Position papers also supported the need to develop a shared understanding at EU level on education for environmental sustainability, green competences and whole-institution approaches. The development of the competence framework on sustainability was welcomed, with support for defining related learning outcomes. Supporting youth engagement

Respondents were also asked how the EU and Member States could support young people to further engage with environmental sustainability. Priority was given by respondents to: incentivise and support young people to develop their own ideas, solutions and projects on environmental sustainability (61%). This was closely followed by more opportunities to take part in EU projects and environmental initiatives (e.g., Erasmus+; European Solidarity Corps, Education for Climate Coalition; eTwinning, European Climate Pact, European Alliance for Apprenticeships) (60%). A more systematic outreach and engagement of young people in EU and national actions on environmental sustainability (e.g., dialogue, consultation, feedback opportunities, including through apps, games, challenges) was indicated by 49% of respondents. A number of position papers call for children and young people to participate more actively in school decision-making and organisation. This was seen as a way of supporting active citizenship and engagement in sustainability issues. Critical thinking skills can also be strengthened as young people can reflect on their own values and listen actively to the opinions of others. Using digital channels and social media networks was highlighted as crucial in reaching young people. ‘The creation of permanent and systematic mechanisms to listen and adopt the views of the youth’ 'The student population is often far more aware of environment issues than the population at large’ Key points from consultation and research Respondents call for more guidance on how to change behaviour and take action in everyday life, and more opportunities to take part in decision-making related to environmental sustainability. Environmental sustainability should be taught through a combination of different subjects and disciplines, rather than as a topic or module in a single subject. Regarding support for educators, quality professional development opportunities are seen as the main priority for action. There is a clear need to strengthen collaboration between education and training institutions and local and wider communities to make such cooperation more systemic and continuous. A lack of funding for projects and partnerships, together with a lack of time in an already full curriculum were highlighted as the two most important barriers for effective partnerships. National education and training systems could best support learning for environmental sustainability by providing more funding and by reviewing existing or developing new policies and strategies on learning for environmental sustainability. EU level support to Member States should focus on more peer learning, more funding for projects and research and on establishing common principles and a shared language on learning for environmental sustainability. Young people need further support to develop their own ideas, solutions and projects on environmental sustainability. They would also benefit from more opportunities to take part in EU projects and initiatives. Monitoring and indicators on learning for environmental sustainability and ESD have mainly targeted inputs such as strategies and changes in curricula rather than measuring learning outcomes. 3. Towards sustainability in learning: achieving lasting change The increasing number of projects and programmes across Europe related to learning for environmental sustainability shows a growing interest and engagement in these issues. However, many initiatives remain limited in time and scope. Given the urgency of the climate and biodiversity crises, it is time for a step change and to move beyond isolated initiatives to deep and systemic change in education and training. For this to happen environmental sustainability should be embedded in all education and training policies, programmes and processes and anchored firmly in the entire student learning experience. Action is needed both vertically, individual to institution to systems level, and also horizontally, meaning all stakeholders in education and training need to work together in synergy for whole-systems change. Short-term measures need to be continued or developed to support institutions and educators and to help learners develop the skills and mindset needed for the green transition. In the medium and longer term, all reform efforts in education and training should support and align with the changes needed for a greener and more sustainable future. It is important that learning and teaching for environmental sustainability is not viewed as an additional task or burden for educators to implement. Neither should it be viewed or treated separately to other education agendas of inclusion, quality, innovation, internationalisation and student-centred learning. Learning for sustainability has rich potential and is an excellent opportunity to make learning more relevant; to motivate learners and educators; and to develop competences increasingly needed for life and work. The extensive consultations and the research gathered to prepare the Commission’s proposal (see chapter 2) have highlighted a number of key principles and areas of focus. To fully embed environmental sustainability into education and training, action is needed on a range of different fronts which are detailed below.

Learning for environmental sustainability: –Starts from early childhood education and care –Takes a lifelong learning approach –Creates supportive learning environments where the institution as a whole is active on sustainability –Is learner-centred, engaging, positive and based on real-life experiences –Supports educators, including leadership teams, to teach and act for sustainability –Fosters collaboration and partnerships in local and wider communities –Involves young people in meaningful ways –Builds sustainability competences –Is founded on strong policies These nine interconnected areas are explored below with relevant examples provided from current policy and practice in Europe and beyond. Learning for environmental sustainability starts early Early years are formative years. They profoundly shape individuals’ intellectual, psychological, emotional, social and physical interactions and relationships throughout their life. According to research, early years are also a crucial time window to develop a sustainability mindset and the concept of being an active citizen (Davis, 2015), within the family network and in local and wider communities (Elliot and Davis, 2018). Everything ‘deeply lived, practised and felt in the early years of human development remains for the rest of one’s life’ (Didonet, 2015). Learning for environmental sustainability and acknowledging the right of children to participate in issues related to the environment and sustainable development (Fenton-Glynn, 2019) must therefore occur well before children start primary school (Siraj-Blatchford et al, 2010). Given the extent of the ecological crisis and the potential for eco-anxiety, it is tempting and indeed well-intentioned to conceive of childhood as a period of carefree play and to shelter children as much as possible from the realities around them. However, research indicates that even very young children are adept at sophisticated thinking about social and environmental problems (Christensen, 2021), and that the earlier learning for environmental sustainability starts, the greater its impact can be. In fact, ideas about children and childhood over the past 40 years have significantly changed in terms of how we see children’s development and their capabilities (Corsaro, 2005). Children are now perceived as active contributors and interpreters in their worlds, and as social actors as recognised in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Building on traditions in early childhood education and care High-quality early childhood education and care (ECEC) has an enormous potential in developing pro-environmental values, attitudes and skills. In addition, ECEC can build on well-established traditions to integrate learning for environmental sustainability. Many pedagogies and practices – while not necessarily perceived or named as such – align fully with effective learning for sustainability: holistic and integrated approaches; outdoor learning; experiential and project-based learning that supports co-investigation and co-construction building on real-life local situations and problems that children identify; and authentic participation with parents and communities (Davis, 2015). Research even speaks of a ‘pedagogical advantage’ (Elliot and Davis, 2009) that ECEC has with regard to learning for environmental sustainability compared to other education sectors.

Play-based learning Young children explore the world through play and play contributes to the development of cognitive functions, as well as to communicative and social skills that also contribute to building a child’s future sustainability mindset. Close contact with nature is seen as foundational for learning and caring about nature. Exploring woodlands, getting wet feet, climbing rocks, building with sticks, running on grass, turning over rocks, following insects, and connecting with nature (Siraj-Blatchford et al, 2010) are essential for building a strong foundation of environmental stewardship (Chawla and Derr, 2012). Forest kindergartens or other early childhood education facilities with a strong nature component have become popular because of their positive impacts on children’s well-being, dispositions and learning. Beyond play-based learning Many children and young people around the world are growing up in environments where nature is missing or severely compromised, whether in high rise apartments, urban slums or refugee camps. ECEC therefore needs to look far beyond nature-oriented education as a solution for todays’ problems. While acknowledging the crucial role of children’s close contact with nature, romanticised views of nature play and nature education in ECEC are often a product of an ‘idealised’ Western oriented childhood existence and no longer enough to deal with today’s human-nature challenges (ibid.). Applying innovative methods alongside more traditional approaches can further promote learning for environmental sustainability. This can include harnessing the potential of digital technologies. In Sweden, digital tools were successfully employed by teachers who used a picture book about waste collection to co-construct a project with their pupils involving handwritten letters and stories, tablets for picture taking and computers to create short videos about their learning (Johannesson et al, 2020). Increasingly, early childhood educators are working with children on, for example, socio-political sustainability with a focus on poverty (Paujik et al, 2020) and socio-cultural sustainability, focussing on storytelling to strengthen understanding and respect for cultural heritage (Tzima et al, 2020). Such learning centres on children being recognised as leaders and change agents whose democratic and civic participation is vital to addressing the complexities and challenges across all sustainability dimensions: environmental, political, social, and economic. The multi-dimensional approaches enhance creativity, critical reflection and problem solving; recognition of multiple worldviews, values, and cultural traditions; ethically informed relationships between humans across the globe and between generations, and nonhuman species, and natural elements (Elliott and Davis, 2018). Moving forward Providing younger children with learning opportunities for environmental sustainability poses challenges and new opportunities. To strengthen the sector as a whole, and also benefit its sustainability performance and practice, it is necessary to: ·improve access to ECEC, in particular for disadvantaged groups such as low-income families, people with migrant backgrounds, those living in rural and remote areas; ·raise the status of ECEC teachers and improve their working conditions; ·improve initial and continuing ECEC educators’ training, including on environmental and sustainability issues; ·invest in suitable facilities and working environments that enable exposure to nature;

·promote age-appropriate pedagogical approaches, with a focus on social and emotional learning; ·foster engagement with families, carers, and the wider community. Learning environments To enable children’s regular contact with nature and its elements, facilities that are not close to nature can be ‘naturalised’ through small gardens, potted plants combined with regular exposure to nature through walks and excursions. Staff and children can actively engage in sustainable practices by ‘greening’ ECEC facilities and their operations. They can apply ‘green housekeeping’, including waste reduction, saving water and energy and thus create learning environments that are both supportive of, and supported by, sustainable practices. A whole-institution approach, involving all levels of governance and management of ECEC facilities and services, can systemically promote and support these practices. Table 3. Examples of physical environments and teaching approaches to support learning for environmental sustainability Examples of designing the physical environments and resources in ECEC Examples of teaching approaches and pedagogies in ECEC §Location close to natural environments such as parks §Small gardens, potted plants, access to small animals §Rainwater harvesting system §A place where children sit and chat and do activities outside §Opportunities for children to grow vegetables and fruits (at school) and taste what they have grown §Information boards about the environment at school §A space where natural materials are displayed §Ethically sourced and/or repurposed, re-cycled items and material for play §Visuals showing animals’ life cycles and/or endangered animal species §Spaces at school where solar energy is used, water harvesting practices, waste recycling §Digital technologies to facilitate practice change such as online images, electronic timer lights etc. §Recognise children’s interests as the driving force for exploring nature play experiences §Stimulate children’s interest in protecting the environment §Provide opportunities for children to talk about local and global environmental news §Promote opportunities for discussing with children about values, about what sustainability means, and how could the Earth be a better place for all. §Regular opportunities to be immersed in nature through extended walks and excursions §Activities with children about water use, waste, energy consumption §Promote active transport by considering how children come to the service each day: car, bicycle, walk, train etc. §Promote opportunities for children’s voices to be heard through civic participation in community events such as Earth Day, local media or sending letters to relevant authorities. Source: own compilation based on Korkmaz and Guler Yildiz, 2017) and Davis, 2015. Strong policies and motivated staff as key enablers Re-orienting and updating policy and curricula to promote environmental sustainability and aligning with European and international sustainability policies and initiatives will offer guidance for ECEC professionals’ sustainability knowledge and skills. Some countries including Sweden and Finland, as well as Norway and Japan are already in the process of re-orienting curricula towards sustainability (Elliott et al, 2020). The EU quality framework for early childhood education and care can provide useful policy pointers for Member States on how to improve their ECEC systems. It sets out key principles for high-quality early childhood education and care, including by addressing children’s social, emotional, cognitive and physical development and their well-being. Successful learning for environmental sustainability will not be possible without qualified and highly motivated educators. Raising the status of the profession through investing in training, recruitment and support will benefit the sector overall, including in meeting sustainability targets. ECEC training courses on environment and sustainability need to familiarise future professionals with the nature play/learning paradigm while also trying to go beyond it and adopt other more transformative approaches.

Finland has developed a strong policy vision for sustainability in ECEC. According to the 2018 Finnish national core curriculum for ECEC, the goal of early childhood education is to develop the child's co-operation and interaction skills, promote peer activities and guide ethically responsible and sustainable activities, respect for other people, and membership of society. All activities should consider the need for an ecologically, socially, culturally, and economically sustainable lifestyle. Everyday choices and actions should reflect a responsible attitude towards nature and the environment, and early childhood education should promote sharing, reasonableness, sustainability, and the repair and re-use of resources. The GemüseAckerdemie, meaning Vegetable Academy, aims to re-establish connections between children and nature. The programme supports teachers, school staff, volunteers and parents to help children learn about the theory of growing food and apply this knowledge by sowing, caring for and harvesting vegetables. The programme is designed to engage not only the children, but also their teachers and families. Annual impact reports show that participants feel a stronger connection with nature and understand and value their food more. The award-winning programme which began as a pilot in 2013 is now running in 400 kindergartens and schools in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, including in disadvantaged areas. inherit.eu Since the early nineties, Denmark has designed and implemented forest kindergartens across the country, which connect pedagogical approaches to nature with engagement in sustainable practices and interaction with nature. Children conduct all kindergarten activities outside in natural settings, depending on the surroundings of individual schools and the ideas and knowledge of the educators. Since the first forest kindergartens were established, their popularity has grown enormously. Today, one in ten Danish kindergartens are outdoors and the idea has spread to other countries. Key points for early years learning for environmental sustainability Learning for environmental sustainability needs to start from a young age as early years are crucial to develop a sustainability mindset and to foster environmental stewardship and active citizenship. High-quality ECEC can foster pro-environmental values, attitudes and skills by building on well-established traditions, such as play-based learning, and by using the potential of innovative approaches and resources, including digital tools. Children need ample opportunities to develop a connection with nature as well as opportunities for civic participation. Successful early years learning for environmental sustainability requires strong policies that support whole-institution approaches; investment in learning environments, that enable regular exposure to nature; building staff capacity to apply sustainability pedagogies in their daily practice; strong links with families and the wider community. Learning for environmental sustainability is lifelong Putting our society and economy on a sustainable path provides new personal and professional opportunities for people but also requires continuous efforts to understand the complex nature of sustainability and the environmental crises and to develop the skills and understanding to address these challenges. Learning for environmental sustainability can and should therefore be lifelong; occurring throughout people’s lives in many places and contexts covering the full spectrum of formal, non-formal and informal learning, from early years into older age. How different forms and sectors of education and training can contribute to learning for sustainability is presented below. To help educators and institutions integrate futures thinking and other critical sustainability competences, the Commission has developed a sustainability competence framework to be used in a lifelong learning context (see chapter 4). Building these skills can help people to adapt, manage and contribute positively to a safer and more sustainable future. Learning for sustainability in formal education A large part of learning for environmental sustainability can and should take place in formal education and training. Early childhood education and care has – as highlighted above – a major, albeit underdeveloped, role to play in developing a caring attitude towards nature and in building a sustainability mindset. Schools at primary and secondary level, including VET schools, have a large societal reach and ripple-on effects can occur with parents, families and the wider community. While the integration of sustainability in schools is more advanced compared to other education and training sectors, the huge potential of schools to advance learning for sustainability is not yet fully realised, with large differences across the EU (see chapter 2). The changes needed to fully embed environmental sustainability require a whole-of-system approach, that is based on the learner’s experience and takes into account pedagogy and curriculum, support for educators, learning environments, including buildings and outdoor spaces, diverse actors, both in schools and outside and connection to local and wider community. VET plays a key role in formal education and training for environmental sustainability, equipping learners with cross-cutting sustainability competences, such as systems thinking and futures thinking, as well as sector specific skills. The UNESCO Strategy for Technical and Vocational Education and Training 2016–21 (UNESCO, 2016a) sets out a vision of ‘transformative VET’, which is based on economic development, equity and environmental sustainability. While the main function of VET is to build competences and train young people and adults, it increasingly involved in regional and local development and providing technology transfer to SMEs (Rosenfeld, 1998 and Toner and Dalitz, 2012). The Council Recommendation on vocational education and training for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness, and resilience recognises that ‘vocational education and training is a driver for innovation and growth and prepares for the digital and green transitions and occupations in high demand’. Greening VET requires a mind-set shift, from industry-centred thinking to sustainable development-centred thinking, both at system level and at the level of education and training providers and workplaces. Higher education (HE), in all its diversity and through all of its roles and missions – learning and teaching, research and innovation, and service to society, has a major contribution to make in preparing and empowering our societies to be more environmentally sustainable, and to manage the impact of those changes. This is relevant in terms of equipping their graduates with the knowledge, skills and competences they need for a rapidly changing global context, directing research and innovation to manage the impacts and explore and design solutions with regard to climate change, and placing sustainability at the heart of community outreach. At the same time, higher education systems are themselves affected by climate change, with impacts on infrastructure and campus management, where they can also act as role models for environmentally sustainable practice and operations. Expectations for higher education institutions (HEIs) to be leaders of change in the green transition are high, not least from many of their students who may be at the forefront of campaigning for a more environmentally sustainable society or global solidarity with regard to climate change. HEIs as ‘learning laboratories’ (Waas et al, 2012) or ‘centers of sustainability innovation and excellence’ (Clugston, 1999) require their activities to be ‘ecologically sound, socially just and economically viable, and that they will continue to be so for future generations’ (Waas et al, 2012). To achieve that, HEIs need to review and/or reevaluate their missions, curricula, research, community and campus operations priorities (Yarime and Tanaka, 2012). Having strong leadership on sustainability, along with an engaged and committed academic community, may open opportunities for the students, researchers and staff to improve both their expertise on, and their contribution to, environmental sustainability across all of their programmes, at all levels. In addition, a higher education institution can have a recognised role in their city, region or even country, and become a role model in both educating their students and staff on environmental sustainability and offering upskilling and reskilling programmes, such as micro-credentials, to lifelong learners. Engagement on sustainability efforts opens opportunities for collaboration and networking across institutions and among them at the local, regional, national and international level, in addition to inspiring other institutions to follow similar strategic pathways. Research and outreach, as specific university dimensions, have been playing an important role in education for environmental sustainability. Through initiatives in these areas, HE can address environmental sustainability and the SDGs through interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research, national and local implementation, capacity building, public engagement and cross-sectoral collaboration, among others (SDSN, 2020). At the same time, by advancing knowledge in these areas, research and outreach can support educational initiatives and contribute to a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of sustainability issues

Non-formal learning and sustainability Formal educational systems alone cannot respond to the rapid and constant technological, social and economic change in society. Non-formal education is an integral part of lifelong learning for sustainability, allowing young people and adults to acquire and maintain the skills, abilities and the outlook needed to cope with and adapt to a continuously changing environment. Non-formal education providers, including local community groups, youth associations, the scouting movement, parks, farms, science centres, museums and libraries hold considerable potential to bring environmental learning to wider audiences than those reached by formal education. In fact, participation in non-formal education and training surpasses participation in formal education and training among adults (OECD, 2019). On average across OECD countries taking part in the Adult Education Survey, 16% of 25-34 year-olds were taking part in formal education and training while 50% of the same age group were taking part in non-formal education and training. (OECD, 2019). Non-formal education can contribute to learning for environmental sustainability both on its own as it sector and in terms of its relations with formal education. The absence of the structures and frameworks under which formal education operates can be a strength, as ‘non-formal learning provides an opportunity for education to rely more on the natural process of learning, by allowing it to be active, volitional and internally mediated’ (Heimlich, 1993). ‘The value of non-formal education arises because the formal education system is adapting slowly to the socio-economic and cultural changes of the world in which we live’ (Boeve-de Pauw and Halbac-Zamfir, 2020). Non-formal education is often based on hands-on, real-life experiences, teaching methods and pedagogies than formal education. Organisation and planning of learning in non-formal education is often taken on by the learners themselves, which support the more effective intrinsic, rather than extrinsic, motivation for learning (Norqvist and Leffler, 2017). Non-formal (adult) learning also plays a significant role in promoting social inclusion, active citizenship as well as personal development and well-being. Non-formal education is therefore well-positioned to adapt to, and adopt, new topics, discoveries and initiatives for environmental sustainability and implement them in new or existing programmes at a faster rate than may be seen in formal education. Learners also have an opportunity to develop and follow their own interests outside of formal education which can boost their engagement and learning. Initiatives, pedagogical methods and materials developed in non-formal education can inspire and complement work underway in schools and other formal education providers. The scouting movement, a voluntary non-political educational movement for young people, was quick to address the SDGs and produce teaching materials, both for their local units as well as to inspire actors in formal education (ibid.). As part of the reform of the Danish primary and lower secondary education, primary schools are required to work with local sports, cultural associations, life, leisure and club activities during the school day. Schools thus make connections with their local communities, and between the children’s times and activities in and outside of the classroom (Ministeriet for Børn, 2016). To foster uptake and impact of non-formal learning, including for environmental sustainability, recognition and validation of non-formal education need to be improved. Recognition of non-formal learning can improve access to formal education and make it more attractive for workers and employers to invest in non-formal education, such as on-the-job training, knowing that it can be recorded and built upon. Micro-credentials can be used to give visibility to non-formal learning and offer a flexible and accessible route for workers and learners to develop the skills they need. Increased investment in non-formal education is key to scaling and developing activities. This will positively impact the building of sector-specific expertise and capacity; the development of educational activities and materials by non-formal educational providers; and collaboration between non-formal and formal education providers. A number of position papers submitted as part of the public consultation also pointed to the need to mobilise local communities in urban areas to promote learning for sustainability. This can help tackle the problem of people in cities and towns spending less time outdoors and losing connection with nature. ‘Learning cities’ can bring together local organisations, businesses, museums, science centres, libraries, schools and other formal and non-formal education providers to build awareness, understanding and engagement with climate change, biodiversity loss and other environmental issues. According to UNESCO a learning city is one that: ·effectively mobilises resources in every sector to promote inclusive learning,

from basic to higher education; ·revitalises learning in families and communities; ·facilitates learning for and in the workplace; ·extends the use of modern learning technologies; ·enhances quality and excellence in learning;

·fosters a culture of learning throughout life. The UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities supports and improves the practice of lifelong learning in member cities by promoting dialogue and peer learning, capturing good practice, fostering partnerships, providing capacity building, and developing tools and instruments to support learning cities. All forms of learning, formal, informal and non-formal, need to be underpinned by the ability and willingness to learn in a life-long context, including for sustainability. It is crucial for individuals to develop learning to learn competences. The LifeComp Framework, developed by the Commission in 2020, can be a reference point for building personal, social and learning to learn competences. Informal learning and sustainability Informal learning, while not usually part of explicit policy design, plays a significant role for many people in developing awareness and understanding of the environment and sustainability. People learn from family, friends and neighbours, in local communities at work and through play, reading and sports. The mass media are a key player in informal education, for examples through films, documentaries and music. Mass-communication and social media play an ever increasing role in the lives of adults, young people and children. Informal learning can partly compete for attention and content with formal education and increasingly shape people’s opinion and values. In the SEEd Youth Listening Project, a 2019 survey among more than 1700 mostly school-aged young people from the UK (SEEd. 2019), television and social media were named second and third most important sources of information for young people on sustainability and climate change after geography lessons. While innovative practices and the use of digital media for learning are gaining ground, policy makers, education institutions and staff need to better reflect these realities so as to make the most of informal learning, connect formal and informal learning and be closer to learners’ real-life experience. Media (including public broadcasters, social media, digital platforms and streaming services) can help learners and their families to understand climate change, biodiversity loss and sustainability. They can encourage young people to create and share content on environmental issues and share stories on how learners can take action within their local communities. The vigour and engagement of young people around the world on environmental issues has triggered intergenerational learning, including by decision-makers. Youth-led action on climate and the environment has influenced and initiated policy measures for sustainability. The Green Deal acknowledges the motivation and input by young people as a driving force for designing and stepping up EU policies towards the green transition. In turn, and older people have much to contribute when it comes to sustainability and learning for sustainability. Given the central role of informal learning in any education process, parents, carers, grandparents and families need to have an active role in learning for the environment and sustainability. I