Education in South Asia has a renewed agenda which can enable societies to leapfrog development that is sustainable such that the individual is prepared for his/her involvement, responsibility and commitment to local and global discussions of our common future. This book on South Asia will focus on initiatives under the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) umbrella and discuss the challenges, opportunities, issues and strategies in the countries of the region. It presents these initiatives of Environmental Education/ESD vis-à-vis the administrative, economic, social, cultural and ecological realities of each country at various levels of policy, planning, implementation and evaluation. The discussions in this book extend beyond formal education systems like schools, higher education, pre-service and in-service teacher preparation to community education and education initiatives conceptualized with the goal of sustainability. All initiatives will demonstrate how each country in its own pace contributing to move ESD from the periphery to the core of education initiatives.

To integrate the principles, values, and practices of sustainable development into all aspects of education and learning was the overarching goal of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014). This, it was believed, would ‘save the planet’, encouraging behaviour changes to allow for the development of a more sustainable and just society for all. Awareness of sustainable development has risen enormously in recent years, challenging us, as individuals and as families, workplaces, and communities (both local and global), to think about and act upon the major issue which we face. The Decade reaffirmed the United Nations’ commitment to the crucial role of education and learning in the pursuit of sustainable development, and the need for far-reaching changes in the way education is often practised. Of course, the very idea that education should be for something (whether sustainable development or anything else), remains as questionable as ever. Nevertheless the instigation of the Decade clearly recognised the need for intensified efforts to achieve sustainable development. This book reflects on the role and impact of the Decade in helping to reorient education towards sustainability, and looks forward, beyond the end of the Decade and its achievements, to contemplate the way ahead, giving special attention to case studies and the state of affairs in England. The authors offer different perspectives on the effectiveness and value of particular initiatives and practices that are responses to the Decade. This book was originally published as a special issue of The Curriculum Journal.

Education for sustainable development (ESD) presents an intriguing challenge in developed countries. The very notion of sustainable development may appear to be at cross-purposes with the social and political aims of large industrial economies. Yet, arguably, the residents of wealthy countries may be most in need of new ways of thinking and behaving on an increasingly more fragile and crowded planet. This book presents a collection of essays that capture the depth and diversity of education for sustainable development (ESD) work in formal education in Canada and the United States. Many of the authors are pioneers in the field of ESD, not only in their own countries but internationally. In this book, they share their expertise, lessons learned, and insights into the ongoing success of their work. The essays reflect leading edge practice, innovation, and depth of experience and provide clear models and strategies for expanding the application and influence of ESD in wealthy countries. The ESD programs described in the book are relevant and culturally appropriate for the specific locally contexts in which they are found but also in the larger context of ESD writ large as a planetary endeavour.