Education is essential to sustainable development. The education of today is crucial to enhancing the ability of the leaders and citizens of tomorrow to create solutions and find new paths to a better, more sustainable future.

For more than half a century the international community of nations has recognized education as a fundamental human right. In 2000, it agreed to the Millennium Development Goals, which acknowledged education as an indispensable means for people to realize their capabilities, and prioritized the completion of a primary school cycle.

In the coming months the international community will create a space to re-consider its commitments and obligations to the young and the marginalized in the world, whose voices are often muted. Working together it is imperative that all interested stakeholders recommit themselves to unlocking the transformative power of education.

Education is therefore central to learning and to a more sustainable future. The responsibility for a more sustainable future is borne by governments and civil society as well as individuals. All must contribute in their own way.

The connection between Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is obvious in some cases and more obscure in others. ESD addresses in the MDG #2 (Achieve universal primary education) through the first thrust of ESD—improving access to and retention in quality basic education. Access to education is also important in realizing other MDGs (UN General Assembly 2010).

Since 2000, ESD is being carried out around the world in formal, non-formal, and informal settings related to numerous sustainability themes (e.g. resource conservation, peace, human rights, disaster risk reduction, biodiversity, health and consumption). Such educational activities are important in making progress towards the MDGs.

Extra-curricular activities can be used and focus on sustainability, addressing environmental, social and economic concerns of the community.
The purpose of such activities at schools is to describe a variety of extra-curricular activities with sustainability themes such as :

- Biodiversity.

- Climate change.

- Poverty reduction.

- Gender equality.

- Health promotion.

- Sustainable agriculture.

- Sustainable forestry.

- Sustainable consumption.

- Peace and human security.

And to address these themes at schools, it could be via these examples of Whole-School Sustainability Projects :

􀁴 Waste audit for entire school.

􀀁 Compost for cafeteria and garden waste.

􀀁 Litterless lunch programme.

􀀁 Energy audit.

􀀁 Water conservation programme.

􀀁 School garden or natural area.

􀀁 Reuse centre for art materials.

􀀁 Peace garden or conflict resolution site.

􀀁 Recycling programme.

􀀁 Purchase of safe substitutes for hazardous cleaning products.

􀀁 Indoor air quality audit.

􀀁 Breakfast programme for pupils in need.

􀀁 Social services site at the school.

􀀁 Free dental check-ups for pupils.

A whole-school approach to sustainability is practiced in a variety of ways, differing from place to place. in which this approach must reflect environmental, social, and economic sustainability that will equips learners with the knowledge, skills and values to address social, environmental and economic challenges of the 21st century.