Truly Transformative? Why ESD Falls Short in Epochal Times
Stephen Sterling
Abstract
This reflective article argues that despite the widespread adoption of education for sustainable development (ESD), most manifestations of ESD are not sufficiently radical. They do not effectively nurture the kinds of social learning and societal shifts that international agencies agree are urgently needed to address current unsustainable socioeconomic pathways. Ten points are presented, which offer a coherent appraisal and critique of ESD. An argument is presented that in conditions of polycrisis and a threatened future, much greater efforts should now be directed towards whole system change at all levels—truly transforming education policy and practice as a whole, so that it can in turn be transformative in effect. This shift needs to be based on the conscious adoption of an emergent ecological or relational worldview in order to transcend the persistent and narrowing effects of mechanistic, neoliberal and economistic influences on educational thinking and practice. This emergent paradigm is life-affirming and offers hope for the future.