Sustainability Education Framework

The Ministry of Education established the Sustainability Education Framework in 2008 with the vision to encourage the K-12 education system to show leadership in adopting and promoting:

  • Environmentally sustainable practices, and
  • Learning opportunities that support healthy, natural, social and economic environments for current and future generations

This vision is also supported by the BC Energy Plan that sets out a strategy to encourage British Columbians to take responsibility for our climate and environment.

The Framework will help ensure that that all K-12 students in British Columbia are being educated in the basics of living sustainably. Students and the education community will understand that sustainable development requires each individual to examine issues within the context of economic prosperity, consumption, social justice, and ecological stewardship.

Through a whole school approach, involving teachers, students, parents, administrators, support staff and the community, the education system can play a role in addressing sustainability issues.

See Objectives and Key Messages to learn more about the Sustainability Education Framework

Objectives of Sustainability Education are to:

  1. Develop the foundation for an enduring sustainability education in B.C. school communities.
  2. Support comprehensive, cross-disciplinary classroom and external learning opportunities related to climate change and sustainability education.
  3. Provide educational experiences for students to study climate change, including:
    • causes of climate change
    • impact of fossil fuel consumption on the environment and living species
    • natural carbon cycle and effect of carbon-based fuels
  4. Assist students to examine how human practices affect the sustainability of populations and ecosystems, including: 
    • impact of land-use decisions, de-forestation, urbanization and agriculture on the environment and living species
    • how consumption and waste contribute to climate change
    • natural resource management; water, energy and forests
    • how our decisions and actions have an impact on climate change and our ability to adapt to our physical and ecological environment
  5. Use learning resources to empower students and school communities to take action on climate change, and become sustainability messengers
  6. Develop comprehensive energy awareness in students on:
    • where energy comes from; energy systems, the energy system today and in future
    • how we use energy
    • how our use of energy impacts natural and human environments
    • how to make sustainable decisions around energy/natural resource use, from a local, provincial/regional and global perspective

Key Messages of Sustainability Education include:

  • Each individual is a part of local and global systems.
  • Everyone can acquire the knowledge and tools to have a positive impact on natural and human environments.
  • Sustainability requires a respect for all cultures and recognition of the interdependence of all people in the global community.
  • Aboriginal peoples have a long history of sustainability through their traditional ecological knowledge.
  • Sustainability lessons learned at school transfer to the home and community.
  • Non-Government Organizations and community groups provide enhanced opportunities for sustainability education programs and resources.
  • Leadership by example means integrating elements of sustainability into all decisions and actions.
  • Sustainability, climate change, energy consumption and waste awareness are issues of environmental and socio-economic concern.
  • Environmental sustainability issues should be addressed in as many subject areas as possible, in age-appropriate context using a range of educational methods, including systems and futures thinking, inquiry, discovery, active learning and problem-solving.
  • Classroom learning and school facilities/operations should work together towards common sustainability goals, including greenhouse gas reductions.
  • Sustainability principles apply to the design, construction and renewal of school buildings. This may include transportation, procurement and resource use such as energy, water and waste management.
  • School structures and natural outdoor spaces can be used to teach about sustainability.