ESD for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Abstract

A s the United Nations (UN) finalizes the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their associated targets, it would be for the first time that there is an agreed operational meaning given to the term 'sustainable development'. While the concept goes back several years, to several thinkers, it was the Brundtland Commission that articulated the concept in a way that led to its wide understanding and use. Simply stated, the commission clarified that 'Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.' 1 But going from a concept to a set of articulated and negotiated meanings that could be commonly accepted by the nations of the UN has involved a journey of over 27 years. Sustainable development acquired its meaning through several discussions, conferences, writings and debates. Within the UN system, it has been a process that went through the

Teaching Sustainability through Traditional Wisdom:A Conceptual Framework for Business Studies

“…The Bruntland Report 5 defines sustainable development as 'development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs', and discusses three aspects of sustainable development -environmental protection, economic growth and social equity [6][7][8][9] . According to Ehrenfeld and Hoffman 10 , 'Economic development itself is undermining the very roots of sustainability.…”

Education for Sustainability: Vision and Action of Higher Education for Sustainable Consumption

“…The international education community, co-led by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), began a broad and intensive consultation to define the future education agenda. This extensive process concluded in the Muscat Agreement adopted at the Global EFA Meeting in Oman in May 2014, representing a shared vision of education for the future (Sarabhai, 2015).…”

“…7, No. 12;2015 challenges facing universities in relation to the sustainability agenda are concerned with the complexity of achieving sustainability itself. This concept touches all aspects of our way of life; involves questions about human responsibility and can be seen through different perspectives and at different levels.…”

“…7, No. 12;2015  It is necessary to develop and implement policies, rules and strategic plans on higher education for sustainable consumption more widely.…”

“…7, No. 12;2015 Learning at all ages plays a vital role in the development of sustainable futures. At Rio+20-The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development-countries agreed to establish an intergovernmental process to develop a set of sustainable development goals (SDGs) to help in implementing sustainable development.…”