UNESCO Unveils Three Tools to Bring Sustainability Into Everyday School Life

The first publication, Driving sustainability in education through a whole-institution approach, encourages schools and other education institutions to connect what they teach with how they operate.

UNESCO is launching three guidance tools to help educational institutions build those connections, giving educators practical support to make Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) part of everyday learning and school life. Tested by 41 institutions across 10 countries, the publications support education that helps people contribute to more sustainable, peaceful and just societies, feeding into preparations for the 2027 World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development.

Making Sustainability Part of the Whole School

The first publication, Driving sustainability in education through a whole-institution approach, encourages schools and other education institutions to connect what they teach with how they operate. Sustainability becomes a consideration in leadership, daily operations, learning environments and partnerships, as well as classroom lessons, giving students a more consistent experience across their education. Slovenian teacher Marjana Turnšek described a central lesson from the project: sustainability is a way of thinking and operating for the entire school, extending beyond the subjects in which it is taught.

The guidance grew from UNESCO's 'Transforming futures: Enhancing practice for ESD for 2030 through action research' project, developed between 2024 and 2026 through research, international expert consultations and practical experience. UNESCO Chairs, higher education institutions and UNESCO Associated Schools Network schools participated in Brazil, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Germany, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, Romania and Slovenia. Educators and school leaders acted as researchers, expanding existing activities or creating approaches suited to their communities, then documenting their experiences to help refine the tools.

Helping Students Turn Knowledge Into Action

The second tool, Enhancing pedagogies and competencies for sustainability, focuses on teaching that helps learners use what they know, with an emphasis on critical thinking, collaboration, creativity and the ability to imagine more sustainable futures. Its approach gives educators support to develop learning experiences that encourage students to consider problems, explore possible responses and contribute to change. Cuban teacher María del Carmen Broche Esquirol described supporting students to promote environmental education among their families and communities, showing how classroom learning can reach people beyond school grounds.

The third publication, Assessing learning in Education for Sustainable Development, addresses how educators can understand the progress students make through this kind of learning. It explores assessment beyond traditional tests, considering knowledge, skills, values and the capacity to act, with assessment itself becoming part of the learning process. Romanian teacher Cheroiu Cozma Rodica recalled that her school previously had separate ESD activities without continuity or a shared approach across the institution, illustrating the fragmentation that more connected teaching, planning and assessment can help address.

Taking Classroom Experience to a Global Stage

Each publication can be used independently and adapted to local needs, offering support for teachers, school leaders, teacher educators, researchers and policymakers. Used together, the tools connect institutional change with teaching and assessment, helping education communities put the ESD for 2030 ambitions into practice. Their development through real institutional experiences gives educators examples and evidence to reflect on as they strengthen their own work, with room for approaches that respond to different learning environments and community priorities.

The World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development is scheduled for 13–15 January 2027 in Nairobi, Kenya, under the theme "Learning in action. Shaping our future." The first edition held in Africa will bring education ministers and other senior representatives together with civil society, academia, businesses and international partners to discuss green skills, digital transformation and social-emotional learning. Young people will have a central role in shaping discussions and outcomes, bringing their perspectives into decisions about the education needed for a more sustainable future.