DOI
10.3390/su12166500

Summary
This study is concerned with identifying and discussing the key issues of education for sustainable development (ESD). 12 key issues are elaborated in this study and thus proposes enhancement of content for the field. Glavič details some background literature on ESD beginning at its most basic descriptions and developing into more complex literature review. The methods implored for this study include a review of the available literature and experience from several international conference and projects. The proposed key issues of ESD are:

“1. ESD scope: SD and ESD definitions, education at all the levels (primary-tertiary), life-long, formal, non-formal and informal education, teaching and learning, ESD key milestones, ESD competencies, quality education, and weak and strong sustainability

ESD policy: vision, mission, peace, justice, and non-violence, democracy, rule of law, strong institutions, public awareness and participation, power and influence distribution, sustainable communities, cities, countries, and regions, and population control (towards zero-growth);
ESD cooperation: empowering and mobilizing youth and aged people, intergenerational

cooperation, cooperation between stakeholders (institutions, companies, communities, etc.),

and partnerships;

Environmental pillar: climate change, adaptation, and mitigation, pollution prevention and zero waste, life cycle approaches, biodiversity, disaster risk reduction, and the six Lisbon principles (responsibility,

scale-matching, precaution, adaptive management, full cost allocation, and participation);

Social pillar: human rights, hunger and poverty eradication, security, clean water and sanitation, health and well-being, reduced non-equalities (gender, income, living standard ones), decent work, social responsibility, quality education, cultural diversity, sustainable urbanization, and sustainable life styles;
Economic pillar: resources (raw materials, energy, water, air, land) and their efficiency, circular economy, affordable and clean energy, sustainable consumption and production, research and development (R&D),

innovations and entrepreneurship of all stakeholders, and economic de-growth;

ESD methodologies: participatory teaching and learning, student-centered teaching, critical, interdisciplinary, and systems thinking, creativity, and imagining future scenarios (envisioning);
Transformative teaching, learning, and training: a holistic approach, digital literacy, infrastructure and environments, developing case studies;
Building capacity for educators and trainers at all levels, media, developing pedagogies, ESD tools, literature, project reports and presentations (PowerPoints, videos, etc.), and financing

of projects;

ESD metrics: indicators and indices, sustainability accounting, and reporting;
ESD documents: international agreements, declarations from Agenda 21 to 2030 Agenda for SD;
ESD institutions: UN (UNESCO, UNCED, UNEP, UNECE), EEA/EPA, global and regional associations(IAU, CA), national institutions, and NGOs.”

The 12 issues are discussed in detail following this list. Under issue 11. ESD documents, Glavič details a list of the most important ESD documents he has discovered. They are:

Education for Sustainable Development Toolkit
Teachers’ Guide for Education for Sustainable Development in the Caribbean
The Competences in ESD (Learning for the Future Competences)
Sustainable development in higher education
ESD and Quality Management and Enhancement Framework
Shaping the Future We Want, UN Decade of ESD, Final Report
Transformative Teaching: Changing Today’s Classrooms
Building Capacity in Higher Education Topic Guide
Education and the SDGs, Educate a Child
Transformative Teachers; Teacher Leadership and Learning in a Connected World
Education for Sustainable Development. Learning Objectives
Consultation on Further and Higher Education and the SDGs
Issues and trends in Education for Sustainable Development

Relevance for Complex Systems Knowledge
This study is relevant to the sustainable development topic and the key issues of ESD programmes. The whole article presents itself almost as full review of ESD making it useful for developing teacher and student understand of sustainable development.

The article provides a useful description of ESD ranging from basic explanation of origin and theory to more details literature review and finally a list of proposed key issues. This makes for a very useful document for both teachers and students. It could be used as a learning tool in teacher education and as a classroom based learning tool. Glavič states that the above described issues are the beginning for a new age of ESD and that the topic needs constant updating the remain relevant to the ever changing world.  

Point of Strength
The 12 key issues identified by Glavič are a strong point here. The paper presents itself as useful tool for developing the teaching of sustainable development concepts and the understanding of how ESD works and should be taught.

The list of ESD documents could be useful for the replication of this study or one similar and they could also be used as a source for teaching material.