Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
"Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is a dynamic and expansive undertaking that envisions a world where every person has the chance to benefit from educational opportunities and to learn the lifestyles, behaviours and values necessary to create a sustainable future."
The Rio Declaration from the World Conference on Environment and Development 1992 began by stating:
"Human beings are at the centre of concerns for sustainable development. They are entitled to a healthy and productive life in harmony with nature."
The Conference also emphasized that education is a driving force for promoting SD and building people's capacity to address environment and development issues. The 57th United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD) from 2005 to 2014. The basic vision of the DESD is a world where everyone is the stakeholder in the process, and is able to enjoy equal opportunities to benefit from life-long education in order to acquire the positive values, behaviour and lifestyles that are essential to produce the social transformation necessary to build a sustainable future.