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The Reception of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in China: A Historical Review

Author

Listed:
  • Ronghui (Kevin) Zhou

    (Department of Education Studies, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK)

  • Nick Lee

    (Department of Education Studies, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK)

Abstract

This article reveals the changes that have taken place in the under-researched Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) discourse in China over the past three decades and presents new findings. The authors conducted discourse analysis to examine the changes of ESD discourse in official policy documents and compared them with the concept of ESD as it appears in the UNESCO framework. Findings suggest that ESD in China has been redefined by domestic discourse and interests. The concept of ‘Ecological Civilisation’ replaces the identity and function of ESD as it appears in China’s education policies, while ESD primarily targets the environmental sector. This redefining of ESD weakens the interconnection between ESD and sustainable development (SD) that exists within the UNESCO framework and presents an unstable approach to ESD in China. This research contributes to ESD development in China and updates its potential education challenges considering China’s 2030 Agenda.

Suggested Citation

  • Ronghui (Kevin) Zhou & Nick Lee, 2022. "The Reception of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in China: A Historical Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-13, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:7:p:4333-:d:787718
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Yao, Huizong & Zang, Chuanfu, 2021. "The spatiotemporal characteristics of electrical energy supply-demand and the green economy outlook of Guangdong Province, China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 214(C).
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    Cited by:

    1. Jian Li & Eryong Xue, 2022. "Unpacking the Policies, Historical Stages, and Themes of the Education Equality for Educational Sustainable Development: Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-15, August.
    2. Qianyi Li & Md Qamruzzaman, 2023. "Innovation-Led Environmental Sustainability in Vietnam—Towards a Green Future," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-34, August.
    3. Yuzhuo Cai & Lili-Ann Wolff, 2022. "Education and Sustainable Development Goals," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-5, December.
    4. Wenxin Wang & Xia Yang & Xia Gan & Chang Yang & Xiangwen Gong & Si Chen, 2023. "The Differences in the Impact of Economic Structure Adjustment on the Ecological Carrying Capacity of County Education—A Case Study of Chongqing, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-17, January.
    5. Pilar Aparicio-Martínez & María Pilar Martinez-Jimenez & Alberto-Jesús Perea-Moreno, 2022. "Health Environment and Sustainable Development," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-5, July.

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