Imagine a young student, growing up in a small coastal town. Each year, he watches the waves eat away at the shoreline, homes disappear into the sea, and families displaced by rising waters. For him, these changes once seemed too vast, too powerful—beyond the reach of a single person.

But something shifted. His school introduced Education for Sustainable Development. Suddenly, learning was no longer about memorizing facts—it became about discovering connections. He learned how energy, food, climate, and fairness are bound together like threads in a single fabric. he began to see that choices today ripple into tomorrow.

Through hands-on projects, he and his classmates explored how to reduce waste, conserve energy, and advocate for fairness. They didn’t just learn about climate change—they learned how to respond to it.

And here is the essence of ESD: education as empowerment, not just information. It equips young people with the critical thinking, adaptability, and moral courage to face global challenges.

 The Roots of Education for Sustainable Development ESD in Islam

The vision of Education for Sustainable Development is not new to us, it is deeply anchored in the teachings of Islam. The Qur’an reminds us of our sacred role:

“And He is the One who has made you successors upon the earth and raised some of you above others in degrees [of rank] that He may try you through what He has given you.”
(Surah Al-An‘am 6:165)

This verse emphasizes our responsibility as khalifah (stewards) of the earth. Stewardship means more than enjoying its resources—it calls us to protect, nurture, and ensure that what we pass on to future generations is preserved and flourishing.

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ further illustrated this responsibility when he said:

“If the Hour (the Day of Resurrection) is about to be established and one of you is holding a sapling, then let him plant it.” (Musnad Ahmad, Hadith 12491)

Even in the shadow of the world’s end, the Prophet ﷺ urged action, hope, and care for creation. This timeless teaching reflects the very essence of sustainability: to act responsibly, no matter the circumstances, and to believe that even the smallest effort carries meaning.

In this light, ESD is not only an academic framework but also a continuation of our Islamic duty—to seek knowledge, to act justly, and to safeguard the earth for those who will come after us.

A Call to Transform Society

Recent research confirms that when education embraces sustainability, it sparks innovation that reaches far beyond classrooms. Universities and schools that teach sustainability don’t just produce graduates—they produce agents of change capable of tackling climate change, inequality, and health crises with creativity and responsibility.

As Martin Luther King Jr. once said: “The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.”

This is exactly what Education for Sustainable Development is about—intelligence guided by ethics, character, and responsibility.

From Words to Action

Turning vision into reality requires collective effort across all levels of society as follows:

• Educators must weave sustainability into every subject, making it a way of thinking, not just a lesson.
• Institutions must model what they teach—through sustainable campuses, community partnerships, and impactful research.
• Students must be encouraged to lead, to ask bold questions, and to apply sustainable solutions in everyday life.
• Policymakers must ensure curricula and funding align education with the urgent challenges of our time.

The story of Ahmed reminds us that education is not just preparation for life—it is the most powerful tool to transform it.

Therefore, we should remember that when we teach our children to care for creation, to think critically, and to act responsibly, we are fulfilling our trust as stewards of the earth. Education for Sustainable Development is not just an academic project—it is a spiritual, moral, and societal duty.

And the question before us today is not why we should invest in it, but how quickly we can embed it into the heart of teaching, research, and community life.