Rising to the Challenge: Education for Sustainability in Australia

Abstract With the UN Decade in Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014) approaching, the question is “how well positioned is Australia to respond to the challenge of educating for sustainability?”. The purpose of this paper is to provide a brief summary of ESD status, needs and innovations at the national level within Australia. ESD is relevant to all major social groups and so this paper includes developments in a number of settings including, formal education, further and higher education, industry and community contexts. This paper has been informed by the recent findings of a national review of EE's contribution to sustainability in Australia. It incorporates the latest trends and recent national initiatives which are playing a significant role in developing frameworks in ESD nationally.