Elementary age students are working in school garden, planting vegetables and learning about plant life. Teacher is instructing students during outdoor science class. Children are wearing private school uniforms.

The word “sustainability” is often connotated with planting trees, eliminating ocean pollution, and reducing waste. While these are incredible feats, they are only seeds in the forest of sustainability. 

The United Nations defines sustainability as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (United Nations). This means nurturing global homeostasis amongst nature, technological innovations, and evolving civilizations. Cultivating sustainability means empowering current and future generations to thrive environmentally, socially, and economically. Sustainability is the epitome of optimism and determination.

There is one arena that can accelerate sustainable development. There is one chief asset in advocating for the harmonious survival of passion. There is one field that can create the world we dream of. It just so happens that we are living and breathing in this sphere: education. 

Reflect on your educational journey. Perhaps you colored in kindergarten, learned fractions in elementary school, wrote an essay in middle school, volunteered in communities in high school, and joined organizations at USF. Perhaps you went to chess or swim practice every day. Perhaps you hiked mountains, played Geometry Dash, or baked cookies with your sibling. I’m ecstatic to report that all those experiences are the key to saving the world. 

Education is the foundation of personal character and global development. Organized education gifts students the opportunity to learn about the world, its history, principles, and solutions to improve it. 

Education instills a rooted sense of curiosity toward the world and cultivates critical thinking. The United Nations recognizes the importance of education and says it is the “key to addressing climate change” because it teaches students about the causes and consequences of global warming and encourages them to “make informed decisions.” Learning about global issues can eliminate fear-mongering and empower students to take action (United Nations). 

Basic statistics knowledge can teach students how to interpret the health risks of treatment and consequently increase health literacy. Language comprehension can teach students how to analyze scientific and social literature and navigate the complexities of modern news. Problem-based learning can empower students to think about their global impact and how they can contribute to environmental solutions. 

The key to sustainable development is education. Interestingly, the inverse is also true. The key to education is the sustainable development of education systems, curricula, and classroom environments. Therefore, investing in sustainable education that “meets the needs of the present” while protecting and accelerating its future is the key to global sustainability. 

What does sustainable education look like? 

The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a cumulation of seventeen global targets that “provide a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future” (United Nations). Each SDG has specific and measurable goals and milestone achievements. The fourth SDG is Quality Education, where the UN is focused on equitable, inclusive, effective, and empowering education for all youth around the globe. Using the SDG as a guide, sustainable education can be measured through three targets: 

1. Equitable, Accessible, and Affordable Education

  • Early childhood education and care
  • Primary and secondary education 
  • Tertiary, technical, and vocational education

We must strive to provide educational opportunities around the globe to increase enrollment, retention, and graduation rates. If intentional efforts are not made, 84 million children will be out of school by 2030 (United Nations SDG Report 2023).

2. Inclusive & Effective Learning Environments 

  • Qualified educators
  • Safe & equal access for Indigenous students, students with disabilities, and students in vulnerable situations
  • Eliminate gender disparity

Currently, only half of all global primary schools have accessible campuses and supplies for students with disabilities (United Nations SDG Report 2023).  Students must feel safe and supported to develop their educational and personal growth (Johanna, 2016). When students feel connected to their school climates, they are less likely to experience poor mental health, sexual health risks, substance use, and violence (CDC, 2023). 

Educators must master conflict resolution and classroom management to instill a safe climate for students to focus on course material and experiential engagement. Teachers should be competent in multicultural material and act as model advocates for diversity and inclusion (Kite & Clark, 2022).

3. Curricula for Empowerment 

  • Relevant skills for employment and entrepreneurship
  • Knowledge and skills to promote sustainable development
  • Literacy and numeracy 

On the current track, 300 million students will not be equipped with numeracy and literacy skills by 2030 (United Nations SDG Report 2023). To thwart this trend, we must proactively bring students from disadvantaged backgrounds and create engaging, relevant, and applicable curricula. This includes opportunities for hands-on projects that incorporate the design process, critical thinking, and implications for cultivating sustainable communities. Sustainable development curricula includes lessons and experiential engagement in honoring human rights, advocating for equity, celebrating culture, and cultivating peace (United Nations). 

Case Study: SEEQS 

The School for Examining Essential Questions of Sustainability, or SEEQS, is a charter middle school in Honolulu, Hawaii. The school is rooted in the mission of “seeking questions and seeding futures.” Their pedagogy is focused on creating students who will be “stewards of planet Earth and healthy, effective citizens of the world.” This school excels in all three targets for sustainable education (SEEQS).

SEEQS education model. https://www.seeqs.org/why-seeqs

1. Equitable, Accessible, and Affordable Education

As a charter school, any family can apply their student for tuition-free enrollment. SEEQS implements “an independent, auditable, double-blind lottery” system to choose their students, meaning all students have an equal opportunity to attend (SEEQS).

2. Inclusive & Effective Learning Environments 

SEEQS is a school that honors student health and engagement: each day begins with a physical activity or community engaging activity before academic content begins at 9:20 AM. This embraces study findings on sleep habits and brain development. All students also have an advisor who supports their social, emotional, and academic growth. Educators at SEEQS are knowledgeable and passionate lifelong learners who can act as role models while implementing sustainable practices in their lives and classrooms (SEEQS).

3. Curricula for Empowerment 

SEEQS instills a mindset of interdisciplinarity with a focus on sustainability in all of their “SEEQers.” They dedicate over 7.5 hours a week on interdisciplinary project-based learning for an Essential Question of Sustainability, which is a topic that “opens up new avenues of inquiry in which students can explore and apply knowledge from all content areas.” Students are equipped with the expertise to perform the following Sustainability Skills: reason analytically, manage effectively, communicate powerfully, collaborate productively, and think systemically (SEEQS). Students will carry these tools into their personal and professional futures.

SEEQS is an exemplary educational institution that epitomizes how education can thrive in an ever-changing world by continuously improving its pedagogy to incorporate technological advancements and sustainable development. In conclusion, we must invest in the evolution of education that is rooted in nurturing conscientious, sustainably-driven students who will create innovative solutions to systemic issues. Quality, sustainable education will not only ensure our world has a future, but will dictate what kind of future we will have. 

Works Cited

“Education Is Key to Addressing Climate Change.” United Nations, United Nations, www.un.org/en/climatechange/climate-solutions/education-key-addressing-climate-change. Accessed 23 Sept. 2024. 

“Goal 4 | Department of Economic and Social Affairs.” United Nations, United Nations, sdgs.un.org/goals/goal4#targets_and_indicators. Accessed 23 Sept. 2024. 

Kite, Mary, and Patricia Clark. “The Benefits of Diversity Education.” American Psychological Association, American Psychological Association, 8 Sept. 2022, www.apa.org/ed/precollege/psychology-teacher-network/introductory-psychology/benefits-of-diversity. 

Lacoe, Johanna. “Too scared to learn? the academic consequences of feeling unsafe in the classroom.” Urban Education, vol. 55, no. 10, 24 Oct. 2016, pp. 1385–1418, https://doi.org/10.1177/0042085916674059. 

“Learn About Sustainability.” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, www.epa.gov/sustainability/learn-about-sustainability. Accessed 23 Sept. 2024. 

“School Connectedness Helps Students Thrive.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 24 July 2023,  www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/protective/school_connectedness.htm. 

SEEQS, www.seeqs.org/. Accessed 23 Sept. 2024.

“Sustainability.” United Nations, United Nations, www.un.org/en/academic-impact/sustainability. Accessed 23 Sept. 2024.