INTEGRATING ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE INTO EDUCATIONAL REFORM: TOWARD SUSTAINABLE FUTURES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21009/ishel.v1i1.57020Keywords:
EEnvironmental governance, sustainable development, human survival, ecological sustainability, education for sustainable developmentAbstract
The accelerating impacts of climate change, environmental degradation, and the large-scale exploitation of natural resources have emerged as critical threats to human survival. In response, environmental governance has increasingly been recognized not only as a regulatory framework for mitigating ecological damage but also as a strategic platform for advancing sustainable development. This article offers a comprehensive analysis of environmental governance by exploring its theoretical foundations, operational principles, and implementation strategies across sectors. Utilizing a systematic literature review approach, the study evaluates the effectiveness of environmental interventions led by governments, corporations, and civil society actors. Furthermore, the analysis emphasizes the pivotal role of transforming education for sustainable development as an integral driver of behavioral change, ecological awareness, and long-term societal resilience. The findings reveal that the success of environmental governance is largely shaped by consistent policy implementation, cross-sectoral engagement, the deployment of green technologies, and the integration of ecological and human-centered sustainability principles. The article concludes with policy recommendations that call for transformative approaches to reinforce environmental governance and ensure harmonious coexistence between humans and nature.
References
Agbedahin, A. V. (2019). Sustainable development, Education for Sustainable Development, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: Emergence, efficacy, eminence, and future. Sustainable Development, 27(4), 669–680. https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.1931
Arora, N. K., Fatima, T., Mishra, I., Verma, M., Mishra, J., & Mishra, V. (2018). Environmental sustainability: challenges and viable solutions. Environmental Sustainability, 1(4), 309–340. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42398-018-00038-w
Biesta, G. (2009). Good education in an age of measurement: On the need to reconnect with the question of purpose in education. Educational Assessment, Evaluation and Accountability, 21(1), 33–46. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11092-008-9064-9
Borg, C., Gericke, N., Höglund, H. O., & Bergman, E. (2014). Subject- and experience-bound differences in teachers’ conceptual understanding of sustainable development. Environmental Education Research, 20(4), 526–551. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2013.833584
Brundiers, K., Barth, M., Cebrián, G. et al. Key competencies in sustainability in higher education—toward an agreed-upon reference framework. Sustain Sci 16, 13–29 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-020-00838-2
Eilam, E., & Trop, T. (2012). Environmental attitudes and environmental behavior-which is the horse and which is the cart? Sustainability, 4(9), 2210–2246. https://doi.org/10.3390/su4092210
Ferreira, J. A., Ryan, L., & Tilbury, D. (2007). Mainstreaming education for sustainable development in initial teacher education in Australia: A review of existing professional development models. Journal of Education for Teaching, 33(2), 225–239. https://doi.org/10.1080/02607470701259515
Giangrande, N., White, R. M., East, M., Jackson, R., Clarke, T., Coste, M. S., & Penha-Lopes, G. (2019). A competency framework to assess and activate education for sustainable development: Addressing the UN sustainable development goals 4.7 challenge. Sustainability (Switzerland), 11(10). https://doi.org/10.3390/su11102832
Khataybeha, A. M., Subbarini, M., & Shurman, S. (2010). Education for sustainable development, an international perspective. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 5, 599–603. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.07.149
Kopnina, H. (2014). Revisiting education for sustainable development (ESD): Examining anthropocentric bias through the transition of environmental education to ESD. Sustainable Development, 22(2), 73–83. https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.529
Lemos, M. C., & Agrawal, A. (2006). Environmental governance. Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 31, 297–325. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.energy.31.042605.135621
Meadowcroft, J. (2007). Who is in charge here? Governance for sustainable development in a complex world. In Journal of Environmental Policy and Planning (Vol. 9, Issues 3–4, pp. 299–314). https://doi.org/10.1080/15239080701631544
Meadowcroft, J. (2007). National sustainable development strategies: Features, challenges and reflexivity. European Environment, 17(3), 152–163. https://doi.org/10.1002/eet.450
Mochizuki, Y., & Bryan, A. (2015). Climate Change Education in the Context of Education for Sustainable Development: Rationale and Principles. Journal of Education for Sustainable Development, 9(1), 4–26. https://doi.org/10.1177/0973408215569109
Olsson, D., Gericke, N., & Chang Rundgren, S. N. (2016). The effect of implementation of education for sustainable development in Swedish compulsory schools – assessing pupils’ sustainability consciousness. Environmental Education Research, 22(2), 176–202. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2015.1005057
Tilbury, D., & Wortman, D. (2004). Engaging People in Sustainability. Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK: Commission on Education and Communication, IUCN
UNESCO. (2017). Education for sustainable development goals: Learning objectives. France: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. https://doi.org/10.54675/CGBA9153
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Ardiyanti, Desy Safitri, Agung Purwanto, Nadiroh

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.