Nic an Bhaird, Maire, Ní Chléirigh, Laoise, Curran, Thomas P., Murray, Jamie, Cogley, Daragh and Anand, Sakshi (2026) Empowering Education for Sustainable Development: A Submission from the BEST Network for Ireland’s Third SDG National Implementation Plan - A Case for a Bioeconomy Approach. Executive Briefing. BiOrbic.
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Abstract
This submission from the Bioeconomy Education and Sustainability Teachers (BEST) Network contributes to the public consultation on Ireland’s Third Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) National Implementation Plan (NIP). It positions Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), aligned with SDG Target 4.7, as a central delivery mechanism for achieving Ireland’s SDG commitments. The submission makes the case for embedding a bioeconomy approach across education systems to support systems thinking, circularity, ecological limits and a just transition. It highlights gaps in current curriculum integration, educator capacity and coordination across policy frameworks. Key recommendations include national leadership for SDG education, sustained funding and formal integration of bioeconomy competencies from early years through higher and adult education. The submission emphasises the critical role of initial teacher education and continuing professional development. It also calls for meaningful youth participation and whole-school and community-based approaches. Finally, it recommends education-specific SDG indicators and reporting to ensure measurable impact. Collectively, these actions would embed education as a core pillar of Ireland’s sustainable development strategy.
| Item Type: | Monograph (Executive Briefing) |
|---|---|
| Keywords: | sustainable development goals; SDG; education; bioeconomy; sustainability; education for sustainable development; culture; heritage; BiOrbic; Circularit; |
| Academic Unit: | Faculty of Social Sciences > Froebel Department of Primary and Early Childhood Education |
| Item ID: | 21121 |
| Depositing User: | Maire Nic An Bhaird |
| Date Deposited: | 20 Jan 2026 10:15 |
| Publisher: | BiOrbic |
| Funders: | BiOrbic |
| Use Licence: | This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here |
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