Council adopts recommendation to stimulate learning for the green transition and sustainable develop

Ministers adopted a recommendation for member states to stimulate and support policies and programmes about learning for the green transition and sustainable development.

This is crucial to ensure learners of all ages acquire the knowledge to live more sustainably, obtain the skills needed in a changing labour market and take action for a sustainable future.

Among other things member states are recommended to:

• Establish learning for the green transition and sustainable development as one of the priority areas in education and training policies and programmes
• Provide learning opportunities in formal, non-formal and informal settings
• Support and enhance teaching and learning for the green transition and sustainable development by providing infrastructure, digital tools and resources and building in particular on the new European Competence Framework on Sustainability (GreenComp)
• Provide fact-based and accessible information on the climate, environmental and biodiversity crisis and its drivers
• Help educators to take part in professional development programmes related to sustainability

Support for educators: teachers, trainers and youth workers

In many countries, learning for sustainability has been taken up in policies, strategies and curricula. However, educators need further targeted support, expertise, and training opportunities to incorporate the principles of the green transition and sustainable development in their teaching and training practices.

Background

There is a growing awareness and desire among young people to engage in sustainable development issues, particularly environmental and climate issues. The results of a Eurobarometer released in May 2022 indicate that young people in the EU consider ‘protecting the environment and fighting climate change’ to be one of the key priorities the European Year of Youth (2022) should focus on.