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The participants from East and South East Asia discussed the achievements, challenges and opportunities to strengthen ESD for 2030 global network, country initiatives and create a synergy to support the implementation of education for sustainable development at country level. The country delegates discussed and reviewed and shared their country level experiences in the implementation of ESD programmes in East and South East Asian Countries in the past few years.

The main objectives of the sub-regional online meeting are to:

• Promote the awareness of ESD among key education stakeholders and ensure a consistent understanding towards crucial concepts, including ESD for 2030 Framework, ESD-Net and ESD Country Initiatives  
• Provide a mutual learning and capacity-building opportunity for Member States in the planning and implementation of Country Initiatives, especially for countries that have only just initiated or have not yet formulated their country initiative plans
• Strengthen collaboration and partnership at the national and sub-regional levels through the participation of key implementing partners to tackle and overcome common sub-regional challenges in the implementation of ESD

The sub-regional consultation for East and South East Asia was a preparatory meeting for the up-coming ESD-Net 2030 Regional Meeting that will be held in Bali, Indonesia from 12-14 June 2023 (Tentative).

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is key to ensure the education sector in Member States respond to the urgent and dramatic challenges the Planet faces. The participants have agreed that to contain global warming before it reaches catastrophic levels means addressing environmental, social and economic issues in a holistic way.

All the participants representing the Member States in East and South East Asia were encouraged to develop and implement ‘country initiative’ to mainstream ESD in pursuing sustainable development goals and vision. At the national level, UNESCO is strongly committed in fostering nationwide multi-stakeholders’ commitment to ESD, and consolidate ESDfor2030 Country Initiatives.

The participants underscored the need to strengthen ESD for 2030 country initiatives at country level. They were informed that a country initiative could be considered as an umbrella initiative which typically include and align as many on-going ESD activities in the country as possible and add new activities, in order to foster synergies. It can build on existing activities related to ESD or create a new initiative, if necessary, in the context of SDG 4 contributions (e.g. curriculum review, teacher capacity development, green skills, etc.) and expand them where possible.

The design of this multi-stakeholder country initiative would be led by the national government and education authority (Ministry of Education) and is coordinated with other related Ministries such as Environment, in order to ensure coherent action at country level.

The participants recognized the need to strengthen capacities of Ministries of Education to provide quality Climate Change Education (CCE). All participants at the consultation agreed the need for more funding of ESD Initiatives at country level, sharing of good practices, promotion of policy dialogue, ensuring institutional innovation, youth empowerment, advocacy and awareness and action in ESD at community level. All stakeholders were urged to encourage innovative approaches and enhance non-formal education programmes through media, networking and partnerships.

At the consultation, the East Asian countries were represented by Japan, China, Republic of Korea and Mongolia. All the four counties supported by the Beijing Multisectoral Regional Office made their presentations and shared their respective country activities that are aligned with the core five action areas of ESDfor2030. The sub-regional consultation was a great success with strong commitment from the region to advancing ESD country initiatives at national level.

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) supports efforts to equip learners with the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes needed for a more inclusive, just, peaceful and sustainable world. ESD is recognized globally as an integral element of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4) and a key enabler of all remaining SDGs.

The UN Secretary-General calls the climate crisis ‘a battle for our lives’, as we still struggle to transform our societies to reach the 1.5°c-degree path recommended by the Paris Agreement. Rapid and radical transformation at all levels and in many aspects of our life is required, with education as a central and powerful means to support the adaptation and strengthen the resilience of learners and societies. It is also important to ensure education systems become more resilient to climate change to create safe and climate-proof schools.

The UN Secretary General’s 2022 Transforming Education Summit has confirmed that education must be transformed to respond to the global climate and environmental crisis. Building off of the knowledge and practice accumulated in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), a new Greening Education Partnership aims to deliver strong, coordinated and comprehensive action that will prepare every learner to acquire the knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes to tackle climate change and to promote sustainable development.

TES resulted in a Vision Statement by the UNSG, ‘Transforming Education: An urgent political imperative for our collective future. TES Action 3 were launched to support countries to improve their education systems, namely by making these systems more inclusive and resilient to future challenges, including: greening education; providing digital learning for all; providing foundational learning and addressing the learning crisis; and advancing gender equality and education in crisis situations.

• UNESCO Tasked as Lead Agency by UN  for Greening Education