The Role of Sustainable Education and Climate Education in Realizing the SDGs in Indonesia

Abstract

Sustainable development is a global agenda based on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with the primary aim of achieving a balanced integration of social, economic, and environmental dimensions. One of the most significant strategies in supporting the achievement of the SDGs is education, particularly through the approach of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), which emphasizes the integration of knowledge, skills, values, and sustainability-oriented attitudes into the curriculum. Education plays a dual role: not only in producing globally competitive human resources, but also in shaping resilient individuals capable of adapting to the complex challenges of the twenty-first century, including climate crises, social inequality, rapid urbanization, and environmental degradation. In the Indonesian context, the urgency of Climate Change Education is even greater due to the country’s high vulnerability to climate-related impacts. However, the implementation of sustainability-based education still faces considerable gaps between government policies and school-level realities. This study aims to analyze the role of education in supporting sustainability using a qualitative literature review. The findings highlight the importance of cross-curricular integration, teacher capacity strengthening, and responsive policy development addressing climate and sustainability issues.