Education for Sustainable Development and Argumentation

Abstract

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) provide a universal framework for development, agreed to by all UN Member States in 2000. They provide a means for developing countries and development partners to work together in pursuit of a sustainable future. Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) can contribute to the achievement of all the MDGs. It can help governments and development partners to ensure that capacity exists for achieving the MDGs. ESD provides learning goals that help to achieve the MDGs. How ESD contributes to the MDGs ESD addresses interrelated social, economic, environmental and cultural issues with a future's perspective. It can contribute to achievement of the MDGs by:  Supporting the education and learning goals of the MDGs;  Enhancing knowledge of MDG issues in society;  Developing action competence that strengthens political leadership and governance for service delivery related to the MDGs;  Enhancing women's empowerment and action competence to make decisions about their own and their children's health and well-being;  Developing knowledge and action competence for natural resource management, ecological sustainability, and sustainable living practices;  Developing knowledge and action competence of sustainable agriculture to reduce hunger and improve food security;  Developing critical thinking and evaluation skills to consider tensions that exist in development decision making;  Developing creative thinking skills for new development solutions; and  Engaging the corporate sector in promoting sustainable production and consumption.