This book addresses the intersection of curriculum development and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), a field gaining urgency amid global environmental and social crises. Its background lies in the global push for ESD, championed by bodies like UNESCO, which argues that education systems must fundamentally evolve to equip learners with the knowledge, skills, and values to create a sustainable future.
The book's primary aim is to bridge the significant gap between the high-level theory of ESD and its practical implementation within formal educational curricula. It moves beyond advocating why ESD is needed to provide concrete guidance on how to design, deliver, and evaluate curricula that effectively embed sustainability principles across all subjects and educational levels.
Its major contribution to the literature is its holistic and integrative approach. Rather than presenting sustainability as an add-on, the chapters Showcase how it can be a core, transformative lens through which all learning is viewed. It synthesizes theoretical frameworks from sustainability science, pedagogy, and curriculum design with evidence-based case studies and practical tools for educators, policymakers, and curriculum developers. By offering a coherent model that connects philosophical underpinnings with actionable strategies, the book provides an essential resource for translating the ambitious goals of sustainable development into tangible educational practice.
Walter Leal Filho is a Senior Professor and Head of the Research and Transfer Centre "Sustainable Development and Climate Change Management” at Hamburg University of Applied Sciences in Germany, and Chair of Environment and Technology at Manchester Metropolitan University, UK. He is the initiator of the Word Sustainable Development Symposia (WSSD-U) series, and chairs the Inter-University Sustainable Development Research Programme. Professor Leal Filho has written, co-written, edited or co-edited more than 800 publications, including books, book chapters and papers in refereed journals.
Golda Edwin is the Executive Director of APSCC Global and an Associate Professor at MVIT, India, with over two decades of leadership in sustainability. A global expert with experience across the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, UNFCCC, IPBES, FAO, and IUCN, she has led major climate, education, and ecosystem initiatives worldwide. Widely published and recognized with major environmental awards, she continues to advance sustainability strategies, foster effective partnerships, and strengthen green practices across institutions, cities, and communities.
Dr. Nandhivarman Muthu, a seasoned Senior Executive with over three decades of experience. Having multiple degrees in Science & Law, presently, holds the position of Coordinator, Office of Green Campus, Pondicherry University; Secretary-General of Association for Promoting Sustainability in Campuses and Communities; and as an Empaneled Arbitrator of Indian Council of Arbitration. His specialization lies in the interconnections of Water-Food-Energy-Biodiversity-Upcycling (Climate Change Adaptation). He is an ‘Elected Advisory Committee Member’ of the UN - World Water Quality Alliance; ‘Expert Member’ in the ‘Capacity Building Task Force’ of the UN - Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, also serves as an ‘Authorized Observer’ for multiple United Nations programs.
