Sustaining ESD in geography

The article challenges geography teachers to engage with the need to achieve sustainable development. The UN, particularly UNESCO, has played a significant role in putting ESD on the international agenda; 2005-2014 has been designated as the UN 'Decade for Education for Sustainable Development' (DESD). The last Labor government introduced Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) into the National Curriculum from 2000, particularly in geography, science, design and technology and citizenship. The underlying science or geography of SD is generally uncontentious. Controversy arises as to its social impacts and/or solutions, which are derived from different ideologies. An advocatory position with regard to SD is built into the aims of the national curriculum, which state that schools should secure their commitment to sustainable development at a personal, local, national and global level. Education can be taken to mean the development of the mind's capabilities and character through acquisition of knowledge and abilities to assess this knowledge.