The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of 17 global objectives established by the United Nations in 2015 to address social, economic, and environmental challenges. They provide a comprehensive framework for a sustainable and equitable future. Our members will notice we are now referring to the goals when we are writing lessons.
This blog explores the goals and the interconnection between the SDGs and outdoor learning, highlighting the significance of outdoor education in promoting environmental stewardship, conservation, and sustainable practices.
But, what are the goals?
Here are the 17 SDGs:
1. No Poverty: End poverty in all its forms and dimensions, ensuring social protection for the poor and vulnerable.
2. Zero Hunger: Achieve food security, improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture.
3. Good Health and Well-being: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
4. Quality Education: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
5. Gender Equality: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
6. Clean Water and Sanitation: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
7. Affordable and Clean Energy: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.
8. Decent Work and Economic Growth: Promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all.
9. Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation.
10. Reduced Inequalities: Reduce inequality within and among countries.
11. Sustainable Cities and Communities: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.
12. Responsible Consumption and Production: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
13. Climate Action: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
14. Life Below Water: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development.
15. Life on Land: Protect, restore, and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, and halt biodiversity loss.
16. Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all, and build effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels.
17. Partnerships for the Goals: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.
That’s a lot, what are the most important ones for me as an educator?
They are all equally important, but some are easier for us to teach outdoors than others. These inclide:
SDG 4 Quality Education
SDG 4 aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education. Outdoor learning enhances education by promoting experiential and inquiry-based learning. It enables students to connect classroom knowledge with real-world applications, fostering a deeper understanding of sustainability concepts and ecosystem interdependence.
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
Outdoor learning contributes to achieving SDG 11 by promoting sustainable urban development. It raises awareness about green spaces, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable transportation within communities. By integrating outdoor learning into urban areas, educators inspire students to become active participants in creating sustainable cities and communities.
SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
Outdoor learning experiences provide an opportunity to explore responsible consumption and production practices. Activities like organic gardening, composting, and recycling enable students to learn about sustainable agriculture, waste reduction, and resource conservation. By connecting students to the natural environment, outdoor learning fosters an appreciation for sustainable practices and informed decision-making.
SDG 13: Climate Action
Outdoor learning plays a vital role in addressing climate change. By engaging with the natural world, students witness the impacts of climate change firsthand, fostering a deeper understanding of its consequences. Activities like tree planting, energy audits, and exploring renewable energy sources inspire students to become advocates for climate action and contribute to sustainable solutions.
SDG 15: Life on Land:
SDG 15 focuses on protecting, restoring, and promoting the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, halting biodiversity loss, and combating desertification and land degradation. Learning for sustainability encourages education about ecosystems, biodiversity, and the importance of preserving habitats. It helps individuals understand the interconnectedness between human activities and the health of ecosystems, fostering a sense of responsibility and stewardship. By integrating SDG 15 into education, learning for sustainability promotes sustainable land management practices, conservation efforts, and the restoration of degraded areas.
SDG 14: Life Below Water:
SDG 14 addresses the conservation and sustainable use of marine and coastal ecosystems, aiming to protect marine biodiversity, reduce marine pollution, and regulate overfishing. Learning for sustainability plays a crucial role in fostering ocean literacy and raising awareness about the importance of marine ecosystems. It promotes education about marine biodiversity, the impacts of human activities on the oceans, and the significance of sustainable fishing practices. By integrating SDG 14 into education, learning for sustainability encourages individuals to take action to protect and preserve marine resources and habitats.
What can this look like
For teachers outside, incorporating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into outdoor learning can create powerful and engaging educational experiences for students. Here’s what this can look like for teachers outside when it comes to promoting the SDGs through outdoor learning:
1. SDG 4: Quality Education: Outdoor learning enhances education by providing opportunities for experiential and inquiry-based learning. Teachers can take students outside to explore their local environment, conduct field studies, and engage in hands-on activities that connect classroom knowledge with real-world applications. For example, students can learn about the importance of biodiversity by conducting a biodiversity survey in their playground or a nearby park. They can also study the impact of pollution on local water bodies by collecting water samples and analyzing their quality. By integrating outdoor learning into their teaching practices, teachers promote a deeper understanding of sustainability concepts and ecosystem interdependence.
2. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: Outdoor learning contributes to achieving SDG 11 by raising awareness about sustainable urban development. Teachers can organize field trips to urban green spaces, community gardens, or sustainable infrastructure projects, where students can learn about the importance of green spaces, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable transportation. Students can participate in activities such as planting trees, creating wildlife habitats, or designing sustainable school gardens. By engaging in these experiences, students become active participants in creating sustainable cities and communities and develop a sense of responsibility towards their local environment.
3. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: Outdoor learning experiences provide opportunities to explore responsible consumption and production practices. Teachers can organize activities like organic gardening, composting, and recycling in outdoor spaces such as school gardens or community areas. Through these activities, students learn about sustainable agriculture, waste reduction, and resource conservation. They can witness firsthand the benefits of sustainable practices and develop the knowledge and skills to make informed decisions about consumption and production. Outdoor learning fosters an appreciation for the natural environment and promotes responsible behaviour towards the planet.
4. SDG 13: Climate Action: Outdoor learning plays a vital role in addressing climate change by providing opportunities for students to engage with the natural world and witness the impacts of climate change firsthand. Teachers can organize activities such as tree planting, energy audits, and exploring renewable energy sources to inspire students to become advocates for climate action. Students can learn about the causes and effects of climate change, study local climate patterns, and develop solutions to mitigate its impacts. Through these experiences, students develop a deeper understanding of climate change and are empowered to take action towards a more sustainable future.
5. SDG 14: Life Below Water and SDG 15: Life on Land: These goals are specifically dedicated to the conservation and sustainable use of terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Teachers can integrate learning for sustainability into outdoor activities focused on protecting and preserving these ecosystems. For example, students can participate in beach clean-ups to understand the impacts of marine pollution and engage in habitat restoration projects to promote biodiversity conservation. Similarly, they can study local terrestrial ecosystems, identify native species, and learn about sustainable land management practices. By connecting students to the natural environment, outdoor learning fosters a sense of responsibility and stewardship towards these ecosystems.
Incorporating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into outdoor learning is a powerful way for teachers outside to promote environmental stewardship, conservation, and sustainable practices. By engaging students in hands-on experiences that connect classroom knowledge with real-world applications, teachers can foster a deeper understanding of sustainability concepts and ecosystem interdependence. Outdoor learning enables students to become active participants in creating sustainable cities and communities, exploring responsible consumption and production practices, addressing climate change, and protecting terrestrial and marine ecosystems. By integrating the SDGs into their outdoor teaching practices, teachers empower students to become active global citizens who are knowledgeable, skilled, and passionate about creating a more sustainable and equitable future. Through these efforts, outdoor learning becomes a catalyst for positive change, inspiring students to take action and contribute to the achievement of the SDGs, ultimately leading us towards a more sustainable and harmonious world.