Taiwan and Japan Deepen Environmental Education Exchanges to Foster a New Generation of Education for Sustainable Development Action
To deepen school environmental education personnels’ understanding of the core concepts and implementation strategies of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), and to showcase Taiwan achievements in promoting environmental education, the Ministry of Education (MOE), in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, invited members of environmental education advisory groups from cities and counties across Taiwan to form an international delegation of environmental education ambassadors to visit Tokyo, Japan, for an exchange visit.
This exchange was centered on Japan’s ongoing implementation of “ESD for 2030.” Through site visits to schools, civil society organizations, and environmental learning facilities, the delegation gained in-depth insights into the mechanisms for advancing ESD policies, the distinctive features of course development, and cross-sector collaboration models. The delegation also learned how global issues such as climate change, net-zero transition, and resource circulation can be integrated into educational settings and translated into concrete actions by students.
This visit was led by Professor Emeritus Osamu Abe of Rikkyo University, Japan, and jointly organized by the Japan Environmental Education Forum (JEEF), the Japan Council on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD-J), and the Japanese Society for Environmental Education (JSFEE). The arrangements enabled the delegation to gain a deeper understanding of ESD implementation models and the outcomes of ESD promotion in schools and communities. During a keynote lecture, Professor Emeritus Osamu Abe shared the development of ESD in Japan and its latest trends. He noted that environmental education in Japan has transitioned from an early focus on the transmission of environmental knowledge to an educational model that uses systems thinking to guide social transformation. The core philosophy focuses not only on improving the relationship between people and nature, but also on fostering connections and the common good among people and between individuals and society. Through education, students develop the ability to think proactively, anticipate the future, collaborate to solve problems, and take action.
Regarding local educational governance and school-based practice, Tama City has adopted “Cultivating Adults for 2050” as its educational vision. The city integrates the principles of sustainable development into school culture, learning environments, and course planning. From campus design to everyday teaching and learning activities, students encounter and learn about the concepts embodied in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through the integration of ESD into formal courses and the development of locally rooted school-based courses, students are guided to draw on their own life experiences to understand the connections between global sustainability issues and local environmental and social development, thereby building a comprehensive and continuous sustainability learning journey.
The MOE stated that the exchange not only enabled Taiwan’s environmental education personnel to gain a better understanding of international ESD trends and practical experiences, but also offered valuable lessons for strengthening environmental education, promoting interdisciplinary course integration, and cultivating students’ sustainability literacy. The MOE will continue to implement its “New-generation Environmental Education Development” policy. It will further advance environmental education guided by sustainable development, integrating the core concepts of ESD into environmental education issue learning and campus practices, with the goal of building green schools for net-zero and partnering with schools to advance a sustainable future.
